Online dictionaries and translators are an indispensable tool that helps not only language learners, but also everyone who works with foreign languages. There are a lot of dictionaries and translators; in this review we will look at some of the most famous and popular ones.
What is the difference between online dictionaries and translators?
Online dictionaries are programs whose main function is to search for the meaning or translation of individual words. There are also more narrowly focused dictionaries that look not for interpretation or translation, but for synonyms, antonyms, rhyming words, etc. In this review, we will mainly talk about dictionaries of the “word-translation” or “word-meaning” type.
Most modern online dictionaries provide several meanings of words or translation options, with so-called dictionary marks, for example: book - bookish, outdated. - outdated, explaining the peculiarities of the use of words, as well as with examples from speech.
Online translators can also translate individual words, but their main task is to translate texts. Despite the fact that machine translation is becoming smarter every year, it is far from normal human translation. Machines can process huge amounts of data, but they cannot think like a person, reason, be smart and use their brains, and this is extremely important in translation. As a result, the texts translated by the program turn out to be very inaccurate and often funny :)
But there are still benefits from online translators. For example, they help when a person who does not know the language just needs to grasp the general meaning of the text, roughly speaking, to understand about refrigerators or Picasso paintings.
What types of online dictionaries are there?
Before moving on to the review, it is necessary to clarify that online dictionaries come in different types. In general, the classification of dictionaries is a rather difficult thing; the matter is not limited only to explanatory and bilingual ones, but in our case we will talk about these two categories.
- Bilingual dictionaries (bilingual)- these are the dictionaries we are used to with a foreign word on the left and a translation into Russian on the right or vice versa. English words are often voiced. There are usually several translations, they are provided with comments and examples. When talking about paper dictionaries, they are usually distinguished by direction, for example, English-Russian (from English into Russian) and Russian-English (vice versa), but in the case of online dictionaries there is no such division, because they all allow you to freely switch between directions. Many online dictionaries have a large database of several languages, so it would be more correct to call them multilingual.
- Explanatory dictionaries of the English language (English-English, monolingual)- these are dictionaries in which an English word is given an explanation in English. In addition to the meanings of the word, examples from speech and voice acting are usually given.
There is an opinion that when learning English, it is better to use an English-English dictionary, because by reading such a dictionary, you better understand the meanings of words and become immersed in the language.
I think this is useful for those who work professionally with language (translators, linguistic scientists), but for students, especially, it is not necessary, it only distracts attention once again. Why does a student look in the dictionary? To quickly find a word's meaning, pronunciation and example. A bilingual dictionary is quite suitable for this.
Online dictionaries
Lingvo Online
Popular multilingual online dictionary with a rich set of functions. Lingvo is a “talking” dictionary, that is, many words can be heard, and in two versions: British and American. Some words are not voiced, but all words are given with transcription.
For each word in Lingvo there is not only a translation with a full dictionary entry, but also examples from the literature, examples and translation of phrases. This is very convenient, because the true semantic richness of a word is revealed only in context, and with examples the words are better remembered.
If desired, you can purchase additional dictionaries for Lingvo; there is also a free application for mobile devices.
Multitran
The multilingual dictionary Multitran does not look as beautiful as Lingvo, it does not have voice acting, but it is popular among translators, as well as those who often have to translate something for work. The fact is that if you need to look into the dictionary 100 times during the working day, then Multitran is really more convenient: it has a simpler interface, the window shows translation options from all dictionaries at once.
Often words, especially technical terms, have very different meanings in different fields of activity, so it is useful to have many interpretations before your eyes at once: construction, economic, space, marine and others.
“Compass card” is not a typo, but a technical term.
The online version of Multitran is free, the PC version is paid. There is a free version for mobile devices.
Cambridge Dictionaries
“Cambridge” is positioned as a dictionary for learners of English, and it is also one of the resources that can be used as an explanatory dictionary of the English language. It has an English-English dictionary mode and a bilingual one, including English-Russian (there are about 20 languages in total), and there is also an interesting English Grammar Today section containing articles about grammatical difficulties.
In the English-English mode, three groups of meanings are given: British, American and business interpretations. The words are voiced in British and American versions.
This dictionary is clearly useful for those interested in business English.
Dictionary.com and Thesaurus.com
An honorary old-timer of the Internet, operating since 1995, one of the most popular online dictionaries in the world. Consists of two parts: a dictionary and a thesaurus. On the Internet you can find many clever definitions of what a “thesaurus” is, but in this case it is dictionary of synonyms and antonyms. Here, by the way, is the definition of the word “thesaurus” from Dictionary.com itself: “A dictionary of synonyms and antonyms, such as the online Thesaurus.com.”
urbandictionary.com
Urbandictionary is a slang dictionary created by American students just for fun, but then grew into a giant project. Slang is a very unstable layer of vocabulary, which is updated much faster than new paper dictionaries appear. Today one slang word is trending, and tomorrow teenagers laugh at it as outdated.
Until recently, no one knew such a word, but now there are even instructions from the Ministry of Internal Affairs on safe selfies.
Urbandictionary works in wiki mode, that is, it is written by the users themselves. Moderation there is not very good, and therefore there are very low-quality articles and articles written for fun (sometimes very successfully). Fortunately, there is a rating system that brings the most worthy interpretations to the top.
Translator LinguaLeo (LeoTranslator)
LeoTranslator is an extension for the Chrome browser, a contextual dictionary. It only supports English, since Lingvaleo is a service for learning English, but not other languages. Despite the name, LeoTranslator is more of a dictionary than a translator. The main function is the translation of individual words, phrases, but not texts.
The thing is very convenient. When reading a page in English, click on a word and a dictionary hint appears with voiceovers and translation options. Having chosen the appropriate option, you add the card to your personal dictionary, in which you can then learn words using a special program. You can add not only words, but also phrases and phrases.
The free version has a limit on the number of added words, but it is quite gentle. I read a lot in English on the Internet, so this application is very useful for me. Often you come across unfamiliar or simply interesting words and useful expressions. In just a couple of clicks you can add them to the dictionary without interrupting your reading, and then view them.
Ludwig.guru
The creators of the service themselves call Ludwig not a dictionary, but a linguistic search engine. Its main purpose is to help in writing texts in English, selecting words, and composing sentences. It helps a lot if you are unsure about word choice or sentence construction.
Here's how it works:
- Enter a sentence or phrase.
- The program will offer examples from various texts (media, encyclopedias, etc.).
- By comparing the text with the example, you conclude whether you composed the sentence correctly.
This interesting tool also has the following functions:
- Online dictionary - if you enter a word, a dictionary entry will appear.
- Translator into English – if you enter a sentence in Russian (or another) language, a translation into English will appear.
- Compatibility dictionary - if you enter a phrase, putting an asterisk instead of one word, the program will tell you which words are suitable instead of the missing word.
Online translators
Google Translate
There are a lot of jokes, tales and funny pictures about blunders that are given out by online translators. Indeed, if you run even a simple text through Google Translator, the output you will get is something far from Russian or English. However, the general meaning will be clear if the text is without a professional bias.
Google knows that our movie “Some Like it Hot” is not called “Some Like It Hot,” but “Some Like It Hot.”
For example, buyers of online stores often communicate through Google Translate with customer support or sellers. The latter option is especially popular when shopping on AliExpress, where, as you know, you can write wishes and complaints directly to the seller. They seem to understand each other :) But still, if you use a translator to communicate with a seller in an online store, try to write briefly and clearly, avoiding florid ramblings of thought. The more complex the sentence, the less accurate the translation.
An interesting feature of Google Translate – voiceover of the text. If online dictionaries allow you to listen to the sound of one word, then here you can read the entire text. His program speaks, of course, but the quality is pretty good. It's just that the intonation is completely lifeless.
When traveling, you need to be more careful with this application.
Deserves special mention application for mobile devices. It has two very fun, although not very useful functions: voice translation and photo translation.
In the first case, you say something into the microphone and - lo and behold! – the program says the same thing, but in a different language! Just like in science fiction films! When I learned about this function, I played for a long time, dictating different phrases in Russian and listening to them in English, German, Spanish, Italian.
The quality of the translation is, of course, terrible (see picture), but it’s a funny thing. But I can’t imagine how this could be useful in life. Theoretically, you can use such a program, without knowing the language, to try to communicate abroad, but it seems to me that in practice it is unlikely that anyone will do this.
Another fun feature is photo translation. You point the camera at the foreign text, having previously selected the language, and - lo and behold! – right on the screen he immediately turns into Russian! Or rather, into abracadabra from Russian words, because this translation “on the fly” is very inaccurate. It is only suitable for translating signs like “Danger” or “Exit here”. However, in critical cases the thing can be useful; I used this method to translate Japanese inscriptions on the refrigerator.
Here is a detailed video review of this miracle of technology.
Yandex.Translator
In general, Yandex.Translate is no different from Google Translate. It also offers translations from/to dozens of languages; some languages have voice acting. The main difference is that Yandex.Translator has two modes: translation of texts and translation of web pages.
Translation of texts it works like in Google with the only difference that if you translate one word, then not a translation will appear, but a short dictionary entry, like in Lingvo, but with a minimum of information. But in web page translation mode you need to enter not text, but a link to the page - its translated version appears in the window. You can set up viewing in two windows; you get a kind of parallel texts. Very poor quality, of course, but you can get the meaning.
Translation of the book description from Googreads. Machine translation is still far from perfect.
Yandex.Translator also has a mobile version. This simple and convenient application does not translate websites, but has sufficient functionality for a mobile application: translation of words, text, voice typing (recognizes well). There is even a translation from a photo - it recognizes the text in the photo and translates it directly into the photo. Almost like mobile Google Translate, but not on the fly.
Which online dictionary should you choose?
Online dictionaries work wonders: they pronounce words in different voices, show examples from fiction, and provide lists of synonyms and antonyms. But perhaps you have a question: which dictionary is better? Well, it depends on how you use it.
- If you are learning English, then Lingvo is a good choice for you. When reading text on the Internet, “LeoTranslator” also helps a lot - its hints pop up when you double-click on a word, you don’t have to be too distracted, and the “dictionary card” can be added to your personal collection. With a deeper acquaintance, it makes sense to delve into the English-English dictionary. Multitran is not the best choice because it does not have voice acting.
- If you use English for work For example, if you often come across documents in English or need to write an email to a foreign partner, then Multitran is a great fit. Lingvo, of course, is also suitable, but Multitran is more designed for use in everyday work by secretaries, accountants, engineers, editors, builders, sailors, astronauts, doctors - in general, everyone who may need an English-Russian dictionary for work purposes. The main difference from Lingvo is that when you enter a word, translation options appear immediately from all dictionaries (by profession, specialty) - this saves time, which, as we know, is money. The Ludwig search engine is also very convenient for work purposes - it helps a lot in cases when you doubt the choice of a word or the construction of a sentence.
This review did not include some well-known dictionaries. No, for example merriam-webster.com is a popular and authoritative dictionary, but the review already includes functionally similar Cambridge and Dictionary.com. There is no popular dictionary bab.la - because Lingvo, in general, performs the same functions.
ABBYY Lingvo- fast and accurate translation of words and phrases without an Internet connection.
Lingvo Dictionaries allows you to create an individual set of dictionaries you need. In total, 11 free and more than 200 premium (purchased for a fee) dictionaries for 20 languages from well-known publishers are available for download from the application.
Options for entering words: translating words using a smartphone's video camera in one touch, translating words from a photo or screenshot, as well as the traditional method of entering a word using a keyboard.
Without being “tied” to the Internet, ABBYY Lingvo will become an indispensable assistant when traveling, at work or study, allowing you to get a reliable translation or comprehensive interpretation at any time, simply by using your mobile device.
Key features:
- Live translation - move the pointer over a word and touch any part of the screen with your finger to see the translation (except for Chinese and Kazakh languages).
- Photo translation – the ability to translate words from a photograph or screenshot (except for Chinese and Kazakh languages).
- 11 basic dictionaries for 7 languages can be downloaded for free.
- An extensive database of additional dictionaries from well-known world publishing houses.
- Formation of a vocabulary set to solve your problems based on more than 200 translation, explanatory and thematic dictionaries for 20 languages.
- Hypertext – translation of any word in a dictionary entry by clicking on it.
- Hints when searching for a word or phrase, the ability to search for words in any grammatical form.
- A dictionary entry contains the word, translation, transcription, grammatical and stylistic information about the word, examples of use, pronunciation of words by native speakers (for many dictionaries).
- Search history allows you to view previously entered search queries.
- For developers: the ability to call Lingvo dictionary content from other applications (Lingvo API).
- Russian<>English, German, French, Spanish, Italian dictionary.
- Latin > Russian.
- Russian<>English, Hungarian, Greek, Danish, Spanish, Italian, Kazakh, Chinese, German, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese, Tatar, Turkish, Ukrainian, Finnish, French dictionary.
- Anglo<>Spanish, Italian, Chinese, German, Polish, Russian, Ukrainian, French dictionary.
- German<->English, Spanish, Italian, Polish, Russian, French Dictionary
- Ukrainian<->English, Polish, Russian dictionary.
- Explanatory dictionaries of Russian, English, German, Spanish and Ukrainian languages.
ABBYY Lingvo x6- this powerful program for translating texts of any complexity uses about 200 electronic dictionaries for 19 languages. A special feature of this software is the presence of the Lingvo Tutor training module, which will make it easier to memorize new words. In addition, users will be able to familiarize themselves with the integrated English grammar course from Oxford University Press.
Main characteristics of ABBYY Lingvo:
- more than 90 general lexical and grammatical dictionaries
- ABBYY Tutor option for effective memorization
- grammar course from Oxford University
- creating your own dictionaries for work and study
- word search bar with auto-completion and hints
- display transcription, listen to pronunciation
- more than 130 dictionaries for Russian, English, Ukrainian, French,
Spanish, Italian, Chinese, Turkish and other languages.
In the new version of Lingvo, the developer provides all possible translation options for words with examples of their use, including slang, colloquial abbreviations, etc., and in common languages such as English, German and French, frequently used words are presented in the voice-over of native speakers - professional speakers. Users will be able to deal with updated specialized dictionary developments in economics, marketing, transport, service equipment, and game theory.
After installing and launching the program, you will understand how much easier it has become to use: just hover your cursor over an unfamiliar word or phrase on the screen, and you will immediately receive a translation in a pop-up window. It does not matter where the text will be, in an office document, PDF file, website or in the subtitles of a film. Such integration is another feature of ABBYY Lingvo; you can download such a useful application for free for 15 days without registration and SMS. Next you will need to register and pay for the full version.
We also note that in this option, only a minimum set of dictionaries is installed on the computer; the rest are also available, but on the server, that is, for full operation you will need an Internet connection.
Types of written translation
We are confident that we can provide the most favorable conditions for the translation of documentation, since, unlike the majority of translation agencies in Moscow, ALS offers clients an expanded range of services from which you can always choose the best option.
We will advise you free of charge and structure the translation process in such a way that the result fully meets your requirements for timing, quality and cost. Our company offers the following types of written translations:
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Expert translation |
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Professional translation |
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Standard translation |
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Express transfer |
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Machine translation |
Industry solutions
When ordering a text translation service, you need to be sure that the translation company has the necessary industry experience. The ALS portfolio includes successful projects in the following areas:
- translation of information technology documentation ,
- translation of accounting documentation ,
- translation of marketing and business texts ,
- translation of texts for energy companies ,
- machine translation with post-editing ,
- scientific and technical written translation of text ,
Prices for written translation of documentation
Our prices are based on the specifics of each individual project. So that you can accurately and quickly calculate how much the written translation of your documents costs, we have provided various methods from which you can choose the most convenient for you:
- translation cost calculation form on the website,
- order a call back,
- online chat,
- e-mail,
- call us directly.
Advantages of cooperation with us
- Save your time and money thanks to modern technologies
Unlike ordinary translation agencies, ALS is not just a user, but the largest developer of modern technologies for automating the translation process. All work is carried out in a single platform, thanks to which professional translation is carried out using Translation Memory technologies and with full terminological control, and clients have the opportunity to manage the quality of translation and control deadlines at any stage of the project in real time - Competent management taking into account the specifics of projects
Professional translation of business documentation, legal documents or dynamic localization of web content - ALS managers know how to organize the process most efficiently. - Working directly with tens of thousands of top performers
The department for working with performers finds the best translators, editors and proofreaders, selects and trains them. Over 39,000 professionals from 80 countries around the world already work with us, and we work with 6,000 of them on an ongoing basis. Our specialists not only provide professional translation services, but also know how to work harmoniously in a team to ensure high-quality translation of documents on a variety of topics in the shortest possible time. - Constant quality control
Few translation agencies can afford to have independent experts in the field of translation quality control on staff. ALS has a whole quality control department (LQA, Language Quality Assurance). The department’s specialists carry out regular quality checks of translations and provide linguistic support for projects. All translators, editors and proofreaders of ALS work in the SmartCAT system, in which automated quality checks are carried out at each stage, allowing to eliminate up to 30 types of errors. - An integrated approach to the preparation of translated documentation
Layout, pre-press preparation and printing are frequent companions of the translation process. ALS has its own layout department, which allows you to fulfill your orders on a turnkey basis, ranging from the translation of business documents and drawings to the localization of websites and mobile applications. - High level of service 24/7
Our company provides full linguistic support 24/7, because text translation services may be needed at any time of the day and even on weekends. Whether you need a passport translated or a lengthy legal document, you can always rely on us.
an electronic dictionary-translator with a large number of additional features from the world-famous Russian company ABBYY Software. The Abbyy lingvo software product includes more than 20 foreign language dictionaries, 105 grammatical and general lexical vocabulary and 115 thematic dictionaries for the most common languages of the world.
The Abbyy lingvo application, which is a family of interactive electronic dictionaries, does not support the text translation option, but using the standard clipboard the utility can work as a literal translation translator both individual words and expressions and any text documents. In addition, in some of the dictionaries in the software product, most of the words and phrases are voiced by professional native speakers.
The interactive functions of the program are implemented in the new improved Lingvo Tutor module, which makes it possible to study foreign languages remotely. Even if Abbyy lingvo is downloaded for free, the program will have a built-in learning module Lingvo Tutor, with which you can reproduce and remember both individual words and speech structures when teaching a foreign language. The training has thematic sections: weather, shopping, restaurant, business vocabulary and many others, and can be launched automatically according to a schedule, thereby allowing you to periodically learn individual verbal structures or hard-to-memorize words.
In addition, the software product has a module that includes examples of letters in 4 languages, written on the basis of the very common Oxford Concise dictionaries. These samples recreate the most common life situations, so these examples may be useful when conducting business or personal correspondence. The program provides the ability to create custom dictionaries necessary for study, work, and other activities.
Distinctive features of Abbyy lingvo:
- a large number of languages and translation options;
- extensive lexical base;
- interactive learning module Lingvo Tutor;
- instant translation on mouse hover;
- parallel search in all available dictionaries;
- availability of installation on mobile gadgets.
