Whether you are planning on traveling to France, or you are taking classes in french, you will need at least one good dictionary. There are such differences in English-French dictionary’s from what they include to the price of each one. I will cover the top five french-English dictionary’s, and the pros and cons on each one.
Harper Collins Robert French Dictionary- This is not a pocket dictionary, so you won’t be able to carry this dictionary around with you and use it that way. But this dictionary has a lot more words and information that pocket dictionary’s. This dictionary has more the 800,000 entries, with that many words I am sure you can find anything you are looking for. This dictionary also includes a lot of slang terms and technical vocabulary. One of the greatest features is that it will help you from making mistakes while speaking because there are symbols by the words that will let you know if they are vulgar, or obsolete. In the back there are verb tables, comparisons of french and English verbs, weights and measures, and a lot more. This dictionary has everything you will need. You can find this dictionary for around $30-$40.
Street French Slang Dictionary & Thesaurus- This is the perfect dictionary for people who have already mastered “formal” french. This book covers all the things you will need to know to really sound like a french speaker. While this book isn’t huge it has over 1,000 terms and expressions. This book even includes popular french gestures, English words used in french, and a thesaurus. The have one section that includes vulgar and obscene language, so if you are easily offended be sure to skip that section. You can find this book for around $15.
Webster’s French-English Dictionary- When it comes to dictionary’s Webster is the first name you think of. So you know if you have a Webster dictionary it is going to be helpful. This Dictionary has around 40,000 words, so it isn’t the biggest dictionary, but that makes it easier to carry around. This dictionary will have the majority of words that you are looking to translate. This dictionary also includes information for students and travelers. You can find this dictionary for $5-$10.
Barron’s French-English Dictionary- Barron’s is one of the most recognized names when it comes to translation dictionary’s. This book is a must have for anyone who is serious about french. This dictionary has around 100,000 entries so it makes a good reference book, while still be small enough to be portable. This dictionary also includes full color maps, a grammar guide, and a verb conjugation list. The best feature that this dictionary has is that once you buy it you get a code to go on-line and it allows you to download an electronic version of the dictionary to your PDA, Cell phone or computer. I think this is a great idea because it makes the dictionary so much more portable, it would be great for students or travelers. You can find this dictionary priced around $15.
Larousse Advanced French-English/English-French Dictionary- This is another hardcover dictionary so it is not a great book to take with you everywhere, but it includes a lot of information. This dictionary includes boxed notes to help you use the words the correct way. This dictionary contains over 650,000 words and terms. They also include sample phrases for the words, which comes in really handy when trying to figure out how to use the words. You can find this dictionary for around $30-$40.
