Get Started in Gujarati Absolute Beginner Course: (Book and audio support) The essential introduction to reading, writing, speaking and understanding a new language (Teach Yourself Language)

These were just as described, really great

I got an older copy of this from a library, published in 1995, and there’s almost twice as much material! Why has this been omitted from this version? I think the content is very good, so no disrespect to Rachel Dwyer. I was learning the language and enjoying the process with the older version. It isn’t perfect, there are some slight errors, but it’s the best way to learn the language as an English speaker (there’s few other options). I decided to buy this copy as I thought it would be an improvement to the original, but it’s a huge downgrade. I don’t think this is worth the amount they’re charging when so much content is missing. As others have mentioned, the text is also far too small and it’s very hard to read the Gujarati script. My eyesight is fine but I often have to take photos with my phone and zoom in, which is ridiculous! I would recommend trying to find the older copy from a library. The audio I’ve listened to so far still matches the original text anyway. This newer version claims to have a new discovery method, but there isn’t much difference in the way the lessons are structured, and the material that’s missing is very good! Emilia Bachrach has revised this version and basically destroyed it.

I brought this book as well as the Colloquial Gujarati by Jackdish Dave, and I would say that this was the better buy, right from the start the script was presented correctly without mistakes and in a clear format with examples of how to write the characters, although the book is printed on much cheaper paper and the print can be faint and quite possibly would not stand up to much, this would be my recommended book

It wasn't for me, that's for sure. I'm going to Gujarat as a tourist, and I wanted a series of relevant situations that would bring out the vocabulary I needed, plus simple grammar. I'm not exactly the world's greatest linguist, but the BBC Talk Japanese helped me make myself understood by using that approach. This course is instead very grammar-orientated, and seems to be aimed at people of Gujarat heritage who have missed out on learning the language, or University students who are learning in something of a vacuum. You can at least access some recorded dialogues (via the internet), but there are few recorded practice exercises. So...better than nothing (and quite likely the best on offer) but disappointing.

Translation isn't very good.. quick delivery

I bought this together with Colloquial Gujarati by Jackdish Dave to teach my husband Gujarati so he can speak with my family. It's better than the colloquial Gujarati series, but I think it would be a struggle to learn straight from the book without a speaker to guide them. The vocabulary isn't presented in any logical grouping. For example, in the first chapter you learn red and white, but not any other colors. Or monkey and dog, alongside words like window and chair. The grammar lessons are also presented in a convoluted fashion. Everything is made more complicated and complex than it has to be. For example, I think it's confusing for an English speaker when so many different third person pronouns are presented in the first few pages when the focus of the lesson is how to conjugate "to be". When you get to chapter 2, you learn about clitics (the Gujarati equivalent to prepositions), but the lesson repeats itself a few pages later WITH DIFFERENT INFORMATION. There are several places where the book contradicts itself. In chapter 2, it introduces question words and says "kem" means "why". But in the index of the book, the translation is listed as "how". As I speak Gujarati, I was able to explain why both translations exist to my husband, but I think it would be a struggle to someone who didn't have guidance. That being said, it is a lot better than the Colloquial Gujarati book (which is even more confusing and illogical.) Also, just a note that some of the phrases seem to be more Muslim Gujarati rather than Hindu Gujarati. Which is fine, but there ARE differences in pronunciation and what words are more commonly used, and those differences should be indicated clearly.

ich hatte sehr auf das Buch gewartet, denn es gibt ja kaum Lehrbücher für den Westler, der Gujarati lernen will. Zum einen sind schon auf den ersten 30 Seiten eine Reihe von Schreibfehlern im Gujarati. Zum Beispiel sind einige conjunct letters falsch, und auch nicht vollständig aufgeführt (in den Aufgaben kommen Conjuncts, die nicht vorgestellt wurden). Das das Buch zum Selbststudium gedacht ist, ist das sehr ärgerlich. Man kann es eigentlich nur mit einem Lehrer bearbeiten, der die Fehler korrigiert. Zum andern sind die Gujarati-Buchstaben einfach zu klein gedruckt. Sie müssten in größer sein, damit man sie gut erkennen kann. Echt schade, das Buch ist in Aufbau und Herangehensweise eigentlich klasse.

makes Gujarati very easy to learn

Boken var en present till min dotter, som hade läst bra recensioner om den. Välpackad & snabbare leverans än väntat.

Looking forward to becoming conversational!

Gujarati learning resources are hard to come by, and this is a good basic course supplemented by downloadable content. My only criticism is that the small format and font are not conducive to reading or learning Gujarati script.