One of the most important tools you’ll need when you learn French is a dependable French-English/English-French dictionary.
Whether it’s a print dictionary on your desk or an app saved on your phone, tablet, or computer, a bilingual dictionary is a must. Even when you reach advanced fluency in French, you’ll probably still need to look something up from time to time. I know I do!
But how do you choose the right one for your routine?
To help you decide, here’s our selection of the best print French dictionaries and French dictionary apps available today.
The best French-English print dictionaries and apps
Here, in no particular order, is our choice of the best French-English dictionaries in print and app form.
Collins-Le Robert Concise French-English Dictionary
Format: Dictionary app
The Collins-Le Robert partnership is a longstanding standard in bilingual lexicography. Powered on mobile by Ultralingua, this app delivers the depth of the concise print edition in a fast, clean interface with over 80,000 entries and 125,000 translations, complete verb conjugations across all tenses, noun genders, and audio pronunciation.
Because the entire database downloads directly to your device, it searches instantly without needing an active internet connection. Note for Android users: Ultralingua's Android version has not been updated in years and is incompatible with modern 64-bit Android devices, so we recommend Larousse or VidaLingua on that platform instead.
Available for iOS.
Price: $17.99. Offline?: Yes.
Collins Robert French Unabridged Dictionary, 12th Edition
Format: Print dictionary
This massive, unabridged print French-English/English-French dictionary has a special place in my heart. I’ve had my copy (albeit an older edition) since I was a teenager learning French. It took many transatlantic flights with me in the years before I finally came to live permanently in France, which often caused my bag to be overweight!
The 12th Edition contains more than 310,000 words and phrases and 500,000 translations, updated with modern terms from technology, economics, and environmental science. Today, I still pull it off the shelf when I’m working on tricky translations or need an exhaustive, authoritative definition of a word.
Price: ~$65.00–78.00. Check for current availability on HarperCollins' website and major booksellers.
English-French Dictionary by Larousse
Format: Dictionary app
Larousse is a classic staple for modern French learners. This official bilingual app includes 250,000 words and phrases and 400,000 translations, along with clear usage examples and audio pronunciations (audio requires internet; dictionary text works offline).
Unlike ad-heavy free apps, this is a straightforward paid reference utility. It also bundles an integrated travel phrasebook with 1,400 audio-supported phrases for common situations. When downloading on iOS, make sure to select the bilingual English-French edition linked below rather than the monolingual French dictionary.
Available for Android and iOS.
Price: $5.99–6.99. Offline?: Yes (text offline; audio requires internet).
WordReference
Format: Dictionary app and Website
Like many foreign language speakers, translators, and teachers, I use the WordReference dictionary almost every day.
Like the website, the mobile app has a simple interface and is easy to use. Even better, you can consult the extensive WordReference user forums directly in the app. When you encounter tricky slang, colloquial phrases, or regional French expressions that formal dictionaries omit, chances are someone has already asked and answered your question on the forums.
Available for Android, iOS, and on WordReference.com.
Price: Free (optional in-app upgrade to remove ads). Offline?: No.
Reverso Context
Format: Dictionary app and Website
Traditional dictionaries show you definitions, but they don't always show you how a word behaves inside a real conversation. That’s where Reverso Context shines.
When you search for a word or short phrase, Reverso scans millions of real-world bilingual texts (dialogues, books, official documents) and displays parallel sentence examples showing how native speakers use it. It also bundles full verb conjugations and register tags that warn you if an expression is colloquial or vulgar. If you frequently wonder whether a French phrase sounds natural in context, Reverso is invaluable.
Available for Android, iOS, and on Reverso.net.
Price: Free with ads; optional Reverso Premium (~€6.49/mo billed annually) for offline dictionary downloads and unlimited lookups. Offline?: Free requires internet; offline pack available with Premium.
French Translator Dictionary + by VidaLingua
Format: Dictionary app
Originally launched as Ascendo, VidaLingua has grown into one of the most widely used offline dictionary apps on mobile, with over a million downloads on Android and recognition from The New York Times for its travel utility.
The app combines an extensive bilingual dictionary with an offline verb conjugator covering over 6,400 verbs across all moods and tenses. It also includes an illustrated phrasebook, vocabulary quizzes, and flashcards. While the user interface leans utilitarian, its comprehensive offline database makes it a dependable backup when traveling through rural France or navigating spotty subway connections.
Available for iOS and Android.
Price: Free with ads; optional VidaLingua Pro in-app upgrade. Offline?: Yes.
French Dictionary & Thesaurus + English Translation by Farlex
Format: Dictionary app
Powered by TheFreeDictionary, Farlex provides a comprehensive, multi-source French dictionary and thesaurus with English translations. Available for both iOS and Android, this popular app includes native voice search, verb conjugations, and over 88,000 offline definitions without requiring massive separate downloads.
Available for iOS and Android.
Price: Free with ads; optional ad-free upgrade ($4.99). Offline?: Yes.
A paperback Robert & Collins abridged French-English dictionary
Although it’s wonderful to have an unabridged print dictionary at home, taking a five-pound hardcover on a train or to a class isn't practical. A compact paperback—such as Le Robert & Collins Poche or the Collins Gem French Dictionary—gets the job done nicely.
These pocket volumes contain tens of thousands of essential words, travel vocabulary, and key verb tables. While smaller brick-and-mortar bookstores in the US or UK may not always keep French editions on the shelf, they are readily available online through Amazon, Bookshop.org, and French retailers like FNAC.
Price: ~$10.00–16.00. Offline?: Yes.
Specialized French-English dictionaries
Some French-English dictionaries fit specific needs. Two of the most useful are travel dictionaries and pronunciation dictionaries. Here are our favorites in each of those categories.
Lonely Planet French Phrasebook & Dictionary (8th Edition)
Format: Print and/or e-book
Although dictionary apps make it easy to carry a French reference on your phone, I personally prefer to also have a small print phrasebook on hand whenever I travel abroad. This way, you don’t have to worry about cellular reception, battery levels, or cracked screens. A travel dictionary won’t contain every rare word in French, but it provides practical vocabulary for ordering food, finding lodging, and managing travel emergencies.
The Lonely Planet French Phrasebook & Dictionary (now in its 8th Edition) is our favorite print travel companion. In addition to a 3,500-word two-way dictionary, it includes cultural etiquette tips, practical menu decipherers, and emergency phrases.
Available in print and digital format via Lonely Planet.
Price: ~$9.99–12.99.
Forvo French pronunciation dictionary
Format: Website and Dictionary app
Most dictionary apps include synthesized audio so that you can hear a word pronounced. But if you want to hear authentic native voices with regional accents, Forvo is the premier resource.
Forvo is a crowdsourced pronunciation guide with over 340,000 French words recorded by native speakers from France, Canada, Belgium, and beyond. You can compare different accents for the same word, see the speaker's region, and request new pronunciations.
Tip: We recommend using the free Forvo website in your mobile browser. The paid mobile apps ($2.99 on iOS and Android) have had ongoing login and sync issues, while the website remains free, fast, and comprehensive.
Price: Free on web ($2.99 for mobile app). Offline?: Web is online; mobile app supports offline saving.
The most important feature to look for in a French dictionary app
The most important feature of a French dictionary app is offline accessibility. When you're in the Paris metro, traveling through the countryside, or stepping off an international flight without a local SIM card, you want a dictionary that opens and searches immediately without waiting for a signal.
Should I choose a dictionary app or a print dictionary?
There are advantages and disadvantages to each French-English dictionary format.
Advantages of French dictionary apps:
- Instant search as you type
- They take up no physical bag space
- They include interactive tools like verb conjugators and audio playback
- Apps like Reverso Context and WordReference provide community examples and forum discussions
Disadvantages of French dictionary apps:
- Some require an internet connection or gate offline databases behind subscriptions
- Your device must remain charged
- Notifications and screen glare can disrupt focused reading
Advantages of print French-English dictionaries:
- Usable anywhere without battery or Wi-Fi worries
- Browsing a physical page naturally exposes your eye to neighboring idioms and related words
- Unabridged print dictionaries offer unmatched depth for nuanced translation work
Disadvantages of print French-English dictionaries:
- Unabridged editions are heavy and strictly desk-bound
- Looking up irregular verbs manually takes longer
- No audio pronunciation
So, should you get a print French-English dictionary or an app? For me, the answer is both! Keep an app like WordReference or Reverso Context on your phone for quick everyday lookups, and keep a solid print dictionary on your desk for reading sessions.
A dictionary is great for looking up what an isolated word means. But memorizing definitions alone won't teach you to speak when someone is standing in front of you waiting for a reply.
At Copycat Cafe, we believe language belongs in conversations, not isolated word lists. That’s why our lessons are built around everyday dialogues—ordering coffee, asking directions, making plans. You hear how words connect, rebuild each line from what you hear, copy the phrases out loud with instant pronunciation feedback, and then use them in low-pressure conversation with Copy, your AI conversation partner.