www.CostaRicaTicas.com

Totally agree w/Prolijo on this one. I also have the Franklin DBE-1470. It's good for translating one word at a time, but (to my knowledge) it doesn't translate phrases. And if you mis-spell a word, within reason, it will give you suggestions on other words that are 'similar' to what you typed in.

I take my little translator with me on every trip, but seldom use it for conversation while sitting at the bar doing the 'interview'. I've completed a couple different español courses at the local community college (plus I'm constantly translating e-mails from various chica's), so I know enough of the language to fumble through that 'initial' conversation with the latest kitten. I've found that (most of the time) I use it for TLN's during 'pillow-talk' with a chica AFTER I've completed the session.

It's kinda nice when you're lying naked next to your chica, at 3 o'clock in the morning, after a fulfilling session, and the 2 of you are getting into one of those 'deep' intellectual conversations. It helps pass the time while you're re-charging your batteries for the next session! And the chica's definitely love those translators.

But Prolijo is absolutely right when he said that they are no substitute for being able to speak (at least basic) español for yourself. I believe that everyone who visits CR (for whatever reason) should try to learn as much of the language as possible before their visit. It will make the trip much better, exponentially!!! But...........it also helps to be a Sexy Bitch!

_________________
You ALWAYS have an option ....... "NEXT" !!!

No, I appreciate yours and everyone's input. Even if two experienced members are polarized on a subject the different perspectives help me find out where my own in-between point is.

The only thing I would add is that if they only translate a word at a time- no phrases, it makes just as much sense to have a pocket dictionary for $4. I am hoping to find an inexpensive unit that does a decent job translating phrases both ways if that exists. Those points about nuances and subtleties are well-taken.

I will pay extra for a unit that allows me to customize so if a tica types in "cien" it will automatically read "how bout $40" in Spanish.

The Sieko has 370 common phrases... for God's sake their like 17 bucks just BUY ONE!

_________________

Living well is the best revenge
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Translator Update:
SEIKO has a new Spanish - English Translator out, model TR2250.
http://www.franklin.com/estore/details.aspx?ID=TR2250

Just grabbed one at Wal-Mart for 18.97, blows my old Seiko and Franklin away. Same size but with bigger keypad and screen and an unbelievable 800,000 Translations / 5500 Phrases, plus other useful features.

_________________

Living well is the best revenge
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwUtj_YnNoY

I just bought a brand new Franklin DBE-1470 on Ebay for less than $40 total (shipped). It's like $60 in stores.

Let me tell you, it's pretty sweet. It translates 5,000,000 words, 2,000 travel phrases, translates misspelled words, grammar guide. Fits easily into your pocket, it's about the size of a blackberry. It's good helper to carry on you in CR.

Just make sure you get the model # DBE-1470, because some Phucker is trying to push MWD-1470 as an English-Spanish dictionary/translator when it is an English only dictionary/thesaurus.

GG at least you didn't pay cien. $99.99 is close but it ain't cien.

Xman

I have this one as well and it does a good job for me. Saved me ass in Jaco.

Xamn

I have used one of the Franklin translators to very good advantage in Mexico and CR. If you can find a chica who knows a little English and is interested in learning more, it can be fun to explore together as one already said, after a nice session when your mind turns to things less common than cien, cincuenta, bebida etc. I bought one of the cheap ones at first that translated five languages and found that it was trying to cover too much terrritory for it's limited storage capacity. Then I bought a cheap Spanish/English, English Spanish model which was a great improvement though still limited. A friend of mine and I went to Best Buy and checked out their selection and he bought the $99 model that had the speaker that is supposed to pronounce the word for you and found that it ate batteries like crazy and also had the same vocabulary as the $49.95 model that I bought. His did have the backlight so you could read it in the dark which has it's advantages. I have been well satisfied with my $50 investment. In fact I'm on my second one. They dont survive the toilet too well.
A lot of times the chicas can type in something they have no idea how to say in english and I can read it and tell what they mean and vice versa.
I can read it better than understand the spoken word as they slice off part of their words just like we do when we get sloppy and they run words together just like we do so you can't tell if it is two words or one.
I recommend getting the one with the larger word capacity.
Something that has helped me a whole lot is picking up spanish textbooks for lower grade levels at garage sales and using them to study. Most of them give you a basic start on the pronunciations that you wont' otherwise learn. I can tell you from experience trying to communicate with several chicas and helping my traveling friend who has made no effort to learn how to pronounce anything that I have much more success in communicating.
The verb conjugation is the next step to learn a little about because that is not taken care of with the translators. They will always take you back to the root verb. A little education there is helpful and the only way I was able to get any of that is to take classes at the community college where they offered it as a continuing education class and had several levels.
Buena suerta

dph55

For $20 I think it would be a big help. While I can speak some spanish now I always have a new word I need to learn. Chicas like gadgets so I think I'll be picking one up. I'll write the cost off as a business expense!!!

Orange,
I have the same one. Got it last year. I bring it with me all the time. The down side, is that it only translates one word at a time. It can't do phrases. But it's still a great translator. Comes in handy when I'm trying to translate e-mails from my favorita. There's always words that are mis-spelled, but my Franklin usually guides me to the right spelling/meaning of the word!
MG

_________________
You ALWAYS have an option ....... "NEXT" !!!

Here is a helpful (free) website for translating the chicas e-mails:

www.freetranslation.com

You can also translate your english e-mail into spanish. That's what I ways do. The only problem is that when you arrive in country some of the girls except that you speak more spanish than you really do.

That is a good stie I use also. It is pretty good short of going from Spanish to English. Some words have different meanings depending on their use and this site (even though it is free) will use the first meaning. You can figure out the rest. Going from English to Spanish it is pretty good.
I am communicating with someone in Peru and this works perfectly. She thinks I speak fluent Spanish.

DPH55 wrote:



I have the BES-1850 model which has the voice feature. I find it well worth the extra cost because you learn how to correctly pronounce the word as you are learning it. Most gringos see the word farmacia and pronounce it as

farm a cia

when it fact the correct pronunciation is

far mac ia

That to me justifies the extra cost. I have had it over a year and am still using the original batteries.

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