A New Reference Grammar of Modern Spanish

by John Butt, Carmen Benjamin

Recognized internationally as the most authoritative and comprehensive guide to contemporary Spanish for English speakers, A New Reference Grammar of Modern Spanish is an accessible, jargon-free guide to the forms and structures of Spanish as it is currently spoken and written. Examples from contemporary sources from throughout the Spanish-speaking world are used to illustrate grammatical points. Levels of usage--formal, familiar, colloquial, and popular--are indicated, and regional differences in usage are highlighted. This edition has been updated and revised to include the latest findings of the Royal Spanish Academy.

Genres: Spanish Literature, Reference, Language, Nonfiction, Linguistics

576 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1989

About the author

Translator of Voltaire

Reviews

[Kinan Arous · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading this, you will become the most Spanish person in the world.

[MJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve borrowed the fifth edition of this title from the library so many times that it might as well be a part of my personal collection. When I learnt that a sixth edition was to be released, I knew I had to buy it. (Incidentally, the publisher Routledge sells it on their site and there was a Boxing Day sale at the time.)

There have been a few changes from the previous edition. In particular, the addition of advice for speakers of Romance languages is welcome. As a francophone, learning Spanish has been easier in some respects; but Spanish is very much its own language and mistakenly importing grammatical concepts from French has led to negative interference, in my case. The authors did an excellent job of indicating where these bifurcations occur.

Also welcome was the addition of examples from Latin America. Though this is an English book focusing, rightly, on peninsular Spanish, one cannot dispute the importance of Latin America on Spanish today. The previous edition did have several Mexican examples, but the authors did a great job of adding examples from the Southern Cone (for which I am delighted as I’m learning the Rioplatense dialect).


This is the most comprehensive - and well written - reference on Spanish grammar. I highly recommend this book to anyone learning Spanish, irrespective of the dialect one chooses to learn.

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes I'm ashamed to admit that I've devoured this grammar text. Twice. What can I say? I love language.

[Isabelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This grammar book is so impressive in its scope, its plethora of detailed examples, and in the recognition of the nuances of Spanish across different countries. I literally read this for fun and came out learning a lot from it. I will 100% use this as reference for years to come.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hardly a page-turner, but an extremely thorough treatise on Spanish grammar. There's one hell of a lot of trees in this fuckin' forest, and the authors painstakingly observe everyone. Occasionally the example sentences are pretty funny. You certainly don't need this book if you're not an advanced learner or bilingual (perhaps knowing Spanish from home but not school).

[Logan · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars

I mean, it's pretty clear that this is THE authoritative Spanish-language reference grammar, coming especially useful for those learners of Spanish from English looking for a comprehensive review of grammar, and by God they'll get it. There is nothing in any facet not touched upon in this edition, and from having a quick glance at the fifth edition, there's even more detail to cover.

[Craig Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is worth its weight in gold!

[Jayde · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is probably one of the best books I have purchased in my Spanish learning journey. A bit pricey but highly recommended! Good explanations and deep dives into grammar concepts.

[MJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best book on Spanish grammar. It's aimed toward intermediate learners and above, but I think that a beginner with a Romance-language background would be able to benefit from it as well. This is a compendium of basically everything there is to know about Spanish grammar and it's written very succinctly too. I highly recommend purchasing this book.

[Jeannette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Used this book for an advanced grammar course in college. Very good explanations. Years later, I still keep this book close at hand.

[Mark Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Probably the most useful book on Spanish grammar that I've used.

[Hunter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beginners beware!
Widely regarded as the most comprehensive Spanish grammar resource. It leaves no stone unturned. It's a great reference for diving deep into grammar areas you have problems with.