5 Chatty English-Russian Dictionaries Chock-full of Language
Their words stick with you forever.
They always have the right answer.
They pick you up and motivate you when you’re feeling down.
No, we’re not talking about your best friend.
Well, not your best human friend, anyway.
We’re talking about something more chock-full of words than even the chattiest chum, and something potentially more inspiring than a personal cheerleader.
That’s right—we’re talking about your favorite English-Russian dictionary.
When you’re learning Russian, a good dictionary can be a priceless Russian learning tool that you use constantly.
And while Russian dictionary apps and Russian translator apps can be great for on-the-go word lookup, if you want a reliable dictionary you can use on your computer or favorite device without needing to download anything, online dictionaries are invaluable.
In fact, if you use them correctly, online dictionaries may even be among the best websites to learn Russian.
But which one will you use? Only you can answer that question, but the five online English-Russian dictionaries below are perfect study buddies for any Russian student.
Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)
Why You Need an Online English-Russian Dictionary You Can Rely On
First, having an easy-to-use online dictionary will save you time that you can use for studying. After all, when you need to look something up, chances are you don’t want to spend five minutes figuring out how to navigate through a website. When you find a clear, efficient dictionary that you can use and re-use, though, that can save you valuable time, thereby enabling you to spend those extra minutes studying like the good Russian student you are.
Additionally, having an online dictionary you like will make you more likely to actually look up words. When you encounter a need for a Russian word you don’t yet know, it can be tempting to just ignore this need and hope you can cobble together something from words you already know. That’s okay sometimes, but let’s be honest—you won’t always be able to do this, and it’s passing up a great learning opportunity. Luckily, if you have a great English-Russian online dictionary that you like, you’re likely to use it.
Plus, having a good online dictionary can help you expand your vocabulary. Whenever you look up a word, it’s nudging you closer to fluency. Some of the words you learn from lookups might instantly enter your vocabulary. After all, if they’re useful and/or particularly interesting, they’re easy to remember. Even if you can’t remember the words, though, having looked them up will make them a little more familiar the next time you see them. Over time, you might start recognizing the words you’ve seen in your dictionary more and more.
Finally, a good online dictionary can give you a clearer idea of the precise meanings of words. Even if you think you know a word, you might not know all its possible meanings. When you use a good online dictionary, you get a much clearer idea of what a word means in what contexts.
If context is what you want, then you can also cast a wider net and consider apps that offer dictionary lookup as part of their language learning program. For instance, FluentU has a contextual dictionary embedded in every one of its Russian videos, allowing you instant lookup of new-to-you words.
FluentU takes authentic videos—like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks—and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.
You can try FluentU for free for 2 weeks. Check out the website or download the iOS app or Android app.
P.S. Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month.)
Hey, Russian Learners! These 5 English-Russian Dictionaries Are for You
Note: While you may only be looking for an English-Russian dictionary right now, the five below also offer searches from Russian to English, so once you settle on the one you like the most, you’ll be set for both kinds of lookups.
Reverso
Reverso has tons of great features that any Russian student will love.
If you look up a word in English, you’ll get a nice list of equivalent Russian words, along with some brief notes about usage and meaning. Better still, you can click these Russian words to hear them pronounced or to search for the full entries on them.
If you look up a word in Russian, you’ll have access to that word’s English meaning, pronunciation (just click the word and then “Speak”) and several example sentences to show you how to use the word in context. For more common words, Reverso also often lists similar words and may even note a few popular phrases that use the main word.
Pons
Are 350,000 words enough for you? Well, they probably should be enough for everyone. And with Pons, you have access to more than that.
You can look up words in either English or Russian. When you type in a word in English, you’ll get plenty of options for equivalent Russian words, along with notes on their precise meanings/usages. You can also play pronunciations of the words. If there are common phrases that employ one of the words, you’ll see some of these. One of the best features for learners, though, is that you can “favorite” words so you can study them again later—perfect for putting together your own vocabulary list!
When you look up words in Russian, you’ll have a similar experience, getting a nice array of equivalent English-language words. One distinct benefit of Pons for looking up words in Russian is that they actually have a pop-up Russian keyboard. This way, if you haven’t installed a Russian keyboard on your computer or just can’t remember which letter is where, you can still easily type in Russian.
Linguee
One million translations and an app available for iOS or Android—can it get any better than that?
Yup. It can. Because Linguee has a lot of other great features, too.
One cool feature is that when you start typing in a word (either in English or Russian), Linguee guesses a number of possible options you might be going for. Then, all you have to do is select the option that’s right for you.
Whenever you look up a word in either language, you’ll get several similar words along with example sentences. Linguee also shares some less common words to give you a more complete idea of possible related vocabulary. Plus, you’ll get a plethora of example sentences pulled from around the internet, allowing you to see the word in real-world contexts.
Glosbe
Glosbe users can add to the dictionary, which creates a useful and diverse learning option.
With Glosbe, you can look up words in Russian or English. When you look words up in Russian, you can use the site’s Russian keyboard for easy word entry. As you type, a list of possible related options appear below, so you don’t even have to finish typing.
Like with most other dictionaries, there are usually several word options along with their parts of speech and some usage notes. You’ll also get a list of similar phrases and example sentences. One area where Glosbe is unique, though, is that common words and phrases often have multiple audio pronunciations, giving you insight into how different speakers might pronounce the same word.
Lexilogos
With so many English-Russian dictionaries, it might be hard to pick just one. With Lexilogos, you don’t have to.
Because when you search with Lexilogos, you have easy access to entries from eight different online dictionaries. How’s that for options? There are English-Russian dictionary and translation options, Russian-English dictionary and translation options and even just Russian dictionary options if you want a detailed, Russian-language description of a Russian word.
To use the dictionary features, all you have to do is type in your word of choice and select the dictionary you want to search. A new tab will open with the entry. If you want to compare and contrast between dictionaries, you can just click all the options and switch between tabs for a well-rounded look at any word.
So check out these five online dictionaries. You just might find your new best friend!
Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)
And One More Thing...
If you love learning Russian and want to immerse yourself with authentic materials from Russia, then I should also tell you more about FluentU.
FluentU naturally and gradually eases you into learning the Russian language and culture. You'll learn real Russian as it's spoken by real Russian people!
FluentU has a very broad range of contemporary videos. Just a quick look will give you an idea of the variety of Russian-language content available on FluentU:
FluentU makes these native Russian videos approachable through interactive transcripts. Tap on any word to look it up instantly.
Access a complete interactive transcript of every video under the Dialogue tab. Easily review words and phrases with audio under Vocab.
All definitions have multiple examples, and they're written for Russian learners like you. Tap to add words you'd like to review to a vocab list.
And FluentU has a learn mode which turns every video into a language learning lesson. You can always swipe left or right to see more examples.
The best part? FluentU keeps track of your vocabulary, and gives you extra practice with difficult words. It'll even remind you when it’s time to review what you’ve learned. You'll have a 100% personalized experience.
Start using the FluentU website on your computer or tablet or, better yet, download the FluentU app from the iTunes or Google Play store. Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month.)
