French Dictionary
Bilingual Dictionaries and French Thesaurus are great handy tools when you want to learn and speak the Romance language properly. It is highly recommended to get a dictionary that matches your level and needs; you will find below some information about the French dictionaries, either online (and free) or off-line (and quite expensive), from pocket editions to encyclopaedias, to visual and electronic dictionaries.
Being able to read Victor Hugo's novels or enjoy a French movie - without English subtitles of course! - are actually not easy tasks! Learning, Speaking, Translating or even just Understanding the French language requires much time and practise, but don't be afraid, you can begin your training with some
basic vocabulary and everyday words of French.
Some common, popular
French English online dictionaries are Lexilogos and Word Reference; but you can also use Ultra Lingua or ARTFL on the comprehensive About French website which shows besides the differences between the two languages, mistakes to avoid, French lessons in the UK, etc.
When learning French, pay a particular attention to the words that look similar to English, usually due to shared Latin or German roots. Many times, those False Cognates or False Friends (Faux Amis in French) have actually completely different meaning!
So don't hesitate to check in a bilingual dictionary if a French person asks you to remove the étiquette of his/her jumper (as étiquette means label)!
Nowadays, other attractive and comprehensive online dictionaries with pictures (like
Merriam Webster's) or interactive tools (like
200 Words A Day) make the researching and learning French easier and more enjoyable. Relevant
Dictionnaires Visuels - Visual Dictionaries and Thesaurus are also available in bookshops, including French thesaurus and bilingual French-English dictionaries.
If you are interested in learning some words and expressions in French, do visit the
Amazon website, it comprehends a huge range of
pockets French dictionaries and visual thesaurus, perfect for French-English translation.
At last, for the most qualified of you, there are two renowned Encyclopaedias in French that are widely used in France - the
Petit Robert and the
Larousse - which are now available in pocket editions.
Back to the
French Language Page