Sorry it's taken us so long to update the blog. Spring is always busy for us and this year is no exception.

Students often want to know what Spanish-English dictionary we recommend. Well, first of all, we recommend you don't use a dictionary in class or, if you must, use it sparingly. What ends up happening is students spend valuable interactive time flipping through the dictionary for the "perfect" word when they probably could have expressed the same idea some other way.

But, we understand that one needs a good Spanish-English dictionary, especially outside of class when you have to rely on your own wits. For our money, the best choice is the University of Chicago Spanish-English English-Spanish Dictionary.

While this edition is small, its tiny typeface means it's jam-packed with handy vocabulary, including all-important Mexican slang. Many students use a "Mexican" or "Latin American" Spanish-English dictionary which, frankly, seems silly. After all, Spanish is Spanish, whether you're in Barcelona or Tijuana and this dictionary has a very helpful section explaining the differences in pronunciation throughout the Spanish-speaking world.