Pocket German

I have several German dictionaries from the large Oxford-Duden to the small compact Langenscheidt and others. This new pocket dictionary is the single best daily use German dictionary you can find. It is laid out well and very easy to use. The type is printed on bright white paper (easy on the eyes) and the new blue headwords make looking things up quickly a snap. It has the right amount of words to help you while also facilitating a quick, easy scan of similar words. Like English, German words are organized in word families. A quick look at four similar words (noun, verb, adjective, etc) organized together will increase your erudition rapidly. I love this book and use it constantly! You will too.

Despite its surprising heft, this dictionary is worth taking abroad. I am continually surprised at how much this little volume has to offer. I usually look in this dictionary first and then look to a larger desk sized dictionary if I can't find what I'm looking for--which is rare. In fact, I bought this dictionary for a year long intensive German reading course as a supplement to my desk dictionaries and I actually prefer this pocket dictionary to the mid-sized hardback desk dictionary put out by Harper Collins. Dual column layout means this dictionary packs in twice the number of definitions than one would expect--over 55,000 in fact. Color-coded and entries with italicized grammatical information and decently sized font makes it easy on the eyes, which is a must for my middle aged eyes. Vinyl cover and good quality, sturdy paper makes it both durable and amenable to travel. The inside cover gives just enough room to write notes. The useful Appendix contains conjugation and declension examples, a list of irregular verbs with past tense & past participles, currency, weights & measures tables with conversion charts, along with lists of commonly used abbreviations, Swiss cantons, and the list goes on. In sum, this is a must have portable dictionary. Its modest price will pay for itself a thousand times over.

This dictionary was a required book for my lower-level college German classes, and I can see why. I also have a Webster's German dictionary, and I am not as pleased with it as I am with the Langenscheidt. It is a great size to carry about in your bag, and, despite all the use (and abuse!) it has seen, mine is still in really good shape. In fact, I liked this so well that I have two copies - one for my desk at home, and the other to keep in my bag for school. I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a good, usable German dictionary.

The verbs conjugations are listed in the dictionary like any other word. I don't know if all are listed but an effort was made to put them in regular dictionary for us people that are to dumb to know that they are verbs at first glance. This is the only dictionary, I have seen, of its size to do this. Even the larger Langenscheidt's don't have this feature.

I was given this dictionary before I went to Germany last year, and I found it EXTREMLY useful. If you have a knoledge of German (ie. know how verbs are congegated, how words are combined to make a single word) it is easy to find almost any word you need. Great for bringing to classes too.