Parlare a me

October 31, 2007 5:42 AM

Suggestions for Spanish and Italian language tapes/CDs for business people?

My company is opening two field offices - one in Spain and one in Italy. They will be staffed primarily by English-speaking natives, but folks from the home office here in Ireland will need to make regular trips to the field offices.

When they are there, they will have access to translators for meetings, but I'd like to equip them with some language skills, too, if only so they can be polite and a little bit self-sufficient. Please tell me about the best "short course" tapes or CDs you've used to learn some basic conversational skills for business people - or any other ideas you have for this. Thanks!

posted by DarlingBri to travel & transportation (4 comments total)

I've had excellent luck with Rosetta Stone for learning Spanish for work. I'm not sure if that's a short enough course or not.
posted by moosedogtoo at 6:59 AM on October 31, 2007

All I can say is avoid the Michel Thomas Advanced Spanish/Italian CDs, they will die of boredom.
(I've just seen you're in my hometown, wow! Mefites in Cork!)

Why not arrange for a Spanish speaker to come to the offices lunchtime for a few weeks to give them the basics. UCC Spanish Department can help, I even know the name of a wow native teacher there who does business clients as well so e-mails' in the profile.

In addition to a podcast/CD for the car or at home.

Hope someone can recommend a good one
posted by Wilder at 8:26 AM on October 31, 2007

It's not a quick fix, but I loved Destinos, a telenovela-style learn-to-speak-Spanish program that is regularly shown on PBS. I'm sure they sell it.

There are also a number of great free podcasts out there these days. I use netvibes.
posted by B-squared at 4:59 PM on October 31, 2007

Thanks a lot, folks, for these answers.

Unfortunately none of them are what I'm looking for for my workplace, although some of these look like great learning for my own spare time.

What I really need is tapes or CDs these guys can throw in the car player or listen to on the train. I need to shove language learning into their spare work time. I'll keep looking and update if I find anything; more suggestions very welcome.
posted by DarlingBri at 12:54 PM on November 3, 2007