Dictionary

Understand more than the translation

A translation can tell you what a word may mean, but it does not always tell you how the word is actually used.

Vocafy Dictionary separates different meanings and connects them with examples and other information that belongs to that particular use of the word.

This helps when a familiar-looking word has several meanings, or when the right translation depends on the situation.

See the word in real sentences

Meanings come with example sentences so you can see the word as part of natural language rather than as an isolated item.

You can also find simpler learner examples where they are useful for understanding the meaning and common patterns more easily.

Example sentences can be played aloud, helping you connect the written word with how it sounds in a complete sentence.

Find expressions that belong with the word

Learning a word often means learning more than the word itself.

The dictionary can show expressions connected with it, including idioms and phrasal verbs, as well as words that commonly appear together.

For example, knowing the meaning of a verb is useful, but knowing which nouns, prepositions or other words commonly go with it can make it much easier to use naturally.

Explore related words

You can move beyond the word you originally searched for and explore related forms and vocabulary.

This can include different forms of the word, derived words, synonyms, antonyms and other closely related vocabulary.

Seeing these connections can help you understand how a group of words fits together instead of learning each one separately.

Learn from common mistakes

Some words are difficult not because their basic meaning is complicated, but because learners often confuse them with another word or use them in the wrong pattern.

Where available, Vocafy can show common learner mistakes and misunderstandings alongside the correct usage.

This makes the dictionary useful not only for finding a meaning, but also for noticing problems before they become habits.

Hear the pronunciation

You can listen to the pronunciation of words and example sentences directly in the dictionary.

Words can also include an IPA transcription — a standard way of writing speech sounds — when you want to see the pronunciation more precisely.

You do not need to know IPA to use the dictionary. The audio is there when listening is the easier option.

See how common a word is

Not every word deserves the same amount of attention when you are learning a language.

Vocafy groups vocabulary by how frequently it is used, from very common words to much rarer ones.

Frequency also helps organise different meanings of the same word, so the uses you are more likely to encounter can appear before uncommon ones.

This can help you decide which vocabulary is worth learning first instead of treating every dictionary entry as equally important.

See the language level

Words can also be labelled with a CEFR level from A1 to C2.

CEFR is the widely used scale that describes language ability from beginner to advanced. Showing the level of vocabulary gives you another way to judge whether a word is likely to be useful for where you are now.

Vocafy also uses this information for vocabulary goals in My Knowledge, where you can follow your progress through larger groups of important words.

Search for the form you actually saw

You do not always encounter words in their dictionary form.

You might see went in a sentence even though the dictionary entry is go.

Vocafy can recognise inflected forms and lead you to the relevant base word, while still giving priority to direct dictionary matches when appropriate.

If your search looks like a spelling mistake, it can also suggest what you may have intended to type.

Explore vocabulary by meaning and topic

Words can also be organised by broader meaning and topic.

This makes it possible to explore vocabulary connected with areas such as business, science or emotions, as well as broader kinds of meaning such as things, actions and states.

You do not need to understand these categories to look up a word, but they can provide another way to explore how vocabulary is related.