Dictionaries vs translators

I recently posted something on my Facebook page about Google Translate and about why I don’t recommend using it. This started an interesting conversation and lots of people asked me what they should use instead. Keep reading to learn more!

Actually, my advice is to use a dictionary, not a translator, but first, do you know the difference?

When I say translator, I mean something which can translate whole sentences or even whole texts, like Google Translate.

However, a dictionary is mainly for looking up single words (although they also contain idioms and short phrases).

There are English-only dictionaries (sometimes called monolingual or English-English dictionaries) and they explain to you, in English, what a word means.

There are also bilingual dictionaries. These are dictionaries which translate single words from your language to English or the other way around.


English-English dictionaries
My favourite English-only dictionaries are:

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English - ldoceonline.com
This is the one I go to if I want lots of example sentences. It’s also good at highlighting the differences between British, American and other varieties of English.

Oxford Learner’s Dictionary - oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com
This dictionary has some useful extras like pictures, information about collocations (collocations = words that often go together) and word origins if you’re interested in that.

It also has some useful word lists, like the most important 3000 or 5000 words to learn, as well as topic lists. (I don’t recommend learning vocabulary from lists but they can still be useful if used wisely.)

Cambridge Learner’s Dictionary - dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/learner-english
This one is very simple and clear. It also has a good grammar reference section. It allows you to create an account and save word lists. You can also find bilingual and semi-bilingual dictionaries on the same website.

Collins - https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english
This dictionary gives information about how common a word is. It also gives you some information about what level a word is (using CEFR - Common European Framework of Reference for languages - levels).

Merriam-Webster - www.merriam-webster.com
This is where I go first if I want to find out about American English. I also like their “Wordplay” articles, and their Facebook page is cool.


Bilingual dictionaries
If you want a good bilingual dictionary, it’s more difficult for me to help you because I don’t speak your language! Cambridge, Collins and wordreference.com are good for a lot of languages but not all. Search Google for “best English xxx dictionary” (where xxx is your language) or ask your friends what they use.


Why use a dictionary?
Why is it better to use a dictionary rather than a translator?

If your goal is to learn English and improve your vocabulary, it’s better to use a dictionary. Dictionaries are more accurate than translators and they give you more information about each word, such as pronunciation, grammar and example sentences.

If you use Google Translate for single words, it gives you one translation at the top and it might not be the one you need. It does give more translations further down the page, but I still think a dictionary makes it easier for you to check multiple translations and choose the best one.

Also, translators can make you lazy! Dictionaries make the learning process more active and that means you learn and remember more.


Why use a translator?
Having said that, it depends on your goals and on how you use your chosen tools. If you are in a hurry and you need to understand a text quickly, a translator can be a useful tool.

However, you must remember that translators are not always accurate. You should probably only use them to translate from English into your language. If there are any mistakes, you can still understand. But if you try to translate your language into English, how can you know if the results are correct or natural when English isn’t your first language?

Which translator to use
If you need to use a translator, try a few different ones and see which one gives you the best results. The best one might depend on which language you are translating from or into. And of course, technology is changing and improving all the time.

You can test translators by asking them to translate from language A to B using one translator and then going from B to A in a different translator to see if the original meaning is lost.

The three best options to try are Google Translate, DeepL and ChatGPT. A couple of alternatives are Collins and Reverso.

But remember, this is for translating sentences and texts, not individual words. A dictionary is better for single words.

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