Phrase books will teach you how to ask where the restroom is. You will learn Spanish phrases like "Ayudame!" which means "Help me!" Most of the books will also give you information on how to find a good doctor or the nearest emergency room.
Phrase books can also be helpful when you're dealing with hotel employees. If you own a good phrase book, you'll be able to learn how to ask for clean linens.
You can learn Spanish phrases that make it easier to order room service. You will also know how to check into and out of your hotel in your foreign language.
You'll also learn how to order food in a restaurant. Basic words such as “animal,” “food,” or water can also be helpful. A book like this should also contain valuable information on the US embassy. There's bound to be one in a Spanish-speaking country.
If you are concerned about pronunciation, by a phrase book that comes with a CD. Just pop the CD into your CD player and repeat the sentences after the speaker.
You can do this in your car, while you're at the computer, or in your living room. Practice your foreign language wherever you feel comfortable.
A book or CD can help you learn Spanish phrases. What it can't do is help you understand the answers. Sometimes, you will have to point and gesture a lot to get your point across in Spanish.
If you think you might be able to understand the person if they spoke slower, just say, "¿Puede hablar más despacio? " This is a magic sentence that works wonders!
Don't forget to recommend this website to your friends and to send my website to bookmarking websites such as Digg, Diigo, Deli.cious and StumbleUpon. You can also Tweet about this article if you liked it.