You found a word that you’re not familiar with whilst attending a language course at Agape School. Oh no! Scouring for a heavy dictionary may not be an option and Google Translate may not be as accurate as you’d like.
There are many iPhone and Android dictionary applications. These applications would do the trick in translating or defining an unknown word. How do you choose which one to grab?
With Part 1 of our ongoing series of Dictionary Application reviews, we will be looking into,
- Choosing the right dictionary app
- Round-up of English Language Dictionaries
- Round-up of French Language Dictionaries
Choosing the right dictionary app
The application you choose may depend on what you would like the app to do. Reviewing these questions may help you to decide;
- Does aesthetics or looks matter? Would a great design matter in researching definitions of words?
- Do you need to have access to the application whilst offline? Or if your smartphone or tablet does not have a good connection?
- Do you want to listen to the phonetics of the word?
- Do you need examples of the words usage or simple definitions?
- Does the size of the application matter?
- Are you new to the language? French and some other languages use link words more often that english. This may be daunting if you are a native english speaker.
- Is the primary purpose for personal fulfilment, business or travel?
- Once you have answered these questions, you should have a good idea of the application you will need. For example, you may need an app to use whilst in class, that is pretty small, has the ability to keep data offline to save on data usage.
Let us dive right in with some examples of dictionary applications to get you started.
English Dictionary Applications
Dictionary.com
Price: Free (with premium options)
Available for: iPhone, iPad, Android
Dictionary.com is a regular dictionary app that looks nice, and is easy to use. It works offline, and lets you save words if you’re making a vocabulary list. It has many other features, such as a word of the day panel, words blogs and more.
Merriam-Webster
Price: Free
Available for: iOS, Android
Merriam-Webster is a well-known dictionary, and has high-quality definitions—all available offline. It lets you save favorites, has a word of the day and keeps track of recent searches you did.
French Dictionary Applications
Ascnedo
Price: Free (with premium options)
Available for: Android, iOS
Asnedo is a handy application for new and native french speakers. Ascnedo French English Dictionary provides quick translations and conjugations with many features.
Dictionnaire de français des Éditions Larousse
(Larousse’s French Dictionary)
Price: USD$5.99
Available for: iPhone
Larousse is French only and so best suited for advanced students of the french language. Besides definitions, the application provides idiomatic expressions. As an example, if you look up ‘faire’;
- you will also find “s’en faire,” “se faire,” etc.,
- synonyms,
- usage notes (difficultés),
- word origins,
- and, where applicable, quotations containing the word you’re looking up
Which Dictionary App do you love?
Let us know which app has helped you through your learning journey.
Is an app missing from our list?
Let us know through the comments below and we will review the app for our future review and revisions.
Learn with us!
At Agape School of Education, we understand that learning a new language can be difficult. We are here to help! Through our experienced educators we ensure that you learn the language you have chosen with ease.
Expose yourself to a new language at Agape School of Education through our carefully crafted Courses. Find a language you’re keen on learning through our Courses and begin your language learning experience with us. Invest in your SkillsFuture credit with us!
0 Comments