1Getting started
De-En Dictionary looks up words in both directions: German → English and English → German. You don't need an account and you don't need to choose a language first.
- Open the app. The search box at the top is ready for typing.
- Type a word, or tap 🎙️ and say it.
- Tap a result to see all meanings, example sentences and pronunciation.
2Searching for a word
Start typing — results appear as you type, with no search button needed. German results and English results are shown in separate groups, with the best match at the top.
Smart search helps you
- No umlauts needed. Typing schon, schoen or schön all find schön. The same works for ss instead of ß (Strasse → Straße).
- Capitals don't matter. haus finds Haus.
- Word forms are recognised. Type a conjugated verb or a plural — e.g. ging or Häuser — and the app shows the base word (gehen, Haus).
- Partial words work. Typing the start of a word shows matching suggestions.
Choosing a direction
Some words exist in both languages (for example Bank, Gift or Rat). Both groups are shown, so check the label DE or EN next to the result. If you only want one direction, use the DE / EN switch next to the search box.
3Voice search
- Tap the 🎙️ microphone in the search box.
- The first time, your phone asks for permission to use the microphone. Tap Allow.
- Say one word clearly. The app fills it in and shows the results.
German or English voice
The microphone listens in German by default. To speak English, long-press the 🎙️ button (or use the small language toggle next to it) and choose English. The app remembers your choice.
4Reading the results
Here is what a typical result looks like:
- Articleder, die or das before German nouns. Always learn a noun together with its article.
- Word typenoun, verb, adjective, adverb… The gender (masculine, feminine, neuter) is shown for nouns.
- PluralThe plural form of German nouns, e.g. Haus → Häuser.
- /haʊ̯s/Pronunciation written in IPA phonetic symbols. Tap 🔊 to hear it instead.
- 1, 2, 3Different meanings, most common first. Grey notes such as (informal) or (Austria) tell you when a meaning is used.
- ExamplesReal sentences showing the word in use: German in bold, English below.
German articles at a glance
| Article | Gender | Example |
|---|---|---|
| der | masculine | der Tisch — the table |
| die | feminine | die Tür — the door |
| das | neuter | das Buch — the book |
| die | all plurals | die Bücher — the books |
5Listening to words
Tap 🔊 next to a word or an example sentence to hear it read aloud in German or English.
Pronunciation uses your phone's built-in text-to-speech voices, so it works offline. If you hear no sound, check that your media volume is up and that a German voice is installed — see Troubleshooting.
6History & favourites
- History: your recent searches appear below the empty search box. Tap one to open it again.
- Favourites: tap ⭐ on a word's page to save it. Tap ⭐ again to remove it. Open your saved words from the Favourites tab.
- Clear history: go to Settings → Clear history.
7Offline & online
The whole dictionary is stored on your phone, so looking up words works with no internet at all — on a plane, underground, or abroad without data.
When you are online, the app may add optional extras in the background (for example, more example sentences). These appear a moment later, below the offline result. The offline result is always shown first, so a slow connection never slows down your search.
8Translating sentences
For whole sentences, open the Translate tab, type or paste German or English text, and the translation appears below. The app detects the language automatically.
The first time you open this tab, the app asks to download the German translation pack (about 30 MB, one time only). We recommend doing this on Wi-Fi. After that, sentence translation also works offline.
9Settings
- Theme: Light, Dark, or follow your phone's setting.
- Voice language: default language for the microphone (German or English).
- Clear history: removes your recent searches.
- Help: opens this page.
- About & Licences: app version and credits for the dictionary sources.
10Install on iPhone
On iPhone, De-En Dictionary is a free web app. You add it to your Home Screen from Safari, and then it opens like a normal app and works offline.
- Open the De-En Dictionary web app link in Safari (not Chrome or another browser).
- Wait until the page says the dictionary is ready. This first load needs internet.
- Tap the Share button (the square with an arrow pointing up).
- Scroll down and tap Add to Home Screen.
- Tap Add. The De-En icon now appears on your Home Screen.
The iPhone web app includes search, voice search (where Safari supports it), example sentences, pronunciation, history and favourites. Camera translation will come with a future native iPhone app.
11Troubleshooting
The microphone button doesn't work or is missing
1. Allow microphone access: Android Settings → Apps → De-En Dictionary → Permissions → Microphone → Allow.
2. Make sure the Google app / speech services are installed and up to date in Google Play.
3. If the button is missing completely, your phone has no speech recognition service — you can still type words.
Voice search doesn't work without internet
Download the German offline speech pack: Android Settings → System → Languages → Speech (or Voice input) → Offline speech recognition → add Deutsch. Menu names vary a little between phone brands.
I don't hear any pronunciation
Turn up the media volume (not the ringtone volume) and check that silent mode is off. Then install a German voice: Settings → Accessibility or System → Text-to-speech output → Speech Services by Google → ⚙️ → Install voice data → Deutsch (Deutschland).
A word I searched for isn't found
The translation pack download is stuck
Connect to Wi-Fi, make sure you have about 100 MB of free storage, and keep the app open until the download finishes. If it still doesn't start, close the app completely and open the Translate tab again.
The app shows a meaning that looks wrong
Please email us the word and what you expected. We update the dictionary regularly and appreciate every correction.
iPhone: the dictionary is empty or asks to download again
Connect to the internet and open the app from your Home Screen icon. It will download the dictionary again automatically. Private Browsing mode in Safari does not keep offline data — use a normal Safari tab.
12Frequently asked questions
Is De-En Dictionary free?
Yes. All dictionary features are free. A Pro version with AI explanations and extra features is planned for later; the free features will remain free.
Do I need an account?
No. There is no sign-up and no login.
How much storage does the app use?
About 40 MB including the full offline dictionary. The optional sentence translation pack adds about 30 MB.
Which languages are supported?
German and English, in both directions. The app is specialised for this one language pair to keep it fast and accurate.
What's the difference from SprachCoach?
De-En Dictionary is for looking up words and translating text quickly. SprachCoach is Sandithi's AI German tutor, where you practise real conversations with Coach Kai. They work well together.
Where does the dictionary content come from?
From open, freely licensed sources: Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0) and example sentences from the Tatoeba project (CC BY 2.0 FR). Full credits are in the app under Settings → About & Licences.
13Privacy
De-En Dictionary does not require an account and does not collect personal data. Your searches, history and favourites stay on your device. Voice search uses your phone's own speech recognition service.
Still need help?
Send us a message — we usually reply within 24 hours, Monday to Friday. Please mention your phone model and the app version (shown under Settings → About).
✉ hello@sandithi.com