10 Best Spanish Dictionaries UK 2024 | Oxford, Larousse and More
There are lots of great options online, from children’s paperback dictionaries for school to reliable hardback tomes produced by well-respected publishers like Oxford and Collins. Whether it’s a pocket Spanish dictionary you’re after or a dictionary with images illustrating essential Spanish verbs, our guide and product recommendations from Amazon and eBay will help you find what you need.
Quick List - Top Spanish Dictionaries
DK
Learn and Remember With Fun, High-Quality Visuals
Larousse
Our Top Recommendation for Latin American Spanish
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How to Choose a Spanish Dictionary in the UK – Buying Guide
If you’ve decided you want something solid you can put on the bookshelf as well as any online resources you may use, it’s worth weighing up the pros and cons of different dictionary types. Take a look at our guidelines for help selecting something that will come in handy time and again.
Choose a Dictionary Based on Your Level of Spanish
Beginner to Intermediate: Simpler Dictionaries With Less Vocabulary Will Be Sufficient
There are even specialist dictionaries for school students, which are wonderful if you or your child is studying for a Spanish qualification, but these books will of course have simpler definitions that may be insufficient for students in higher education.
Intermediate to Advanced: Pick a More Comprehensive Dictionary With Detailed Definitions
In this case, it’s probably best to invest in a classic dictionary from a publisher like Oxford University Press or Collins, as these trusted names promise an unrivalled quality of research and the most succinct, accurate definitions. Such dictionaries aren’t exclusively for experts though, as they can be of use to students of Spanish at every level.
Select Additional Content Based on Your Learning Preferences and Language Usage
Dictionaries Combined With a Phrasebook Are Perfect for Travel or Living Abroad
Dictionaries with this helpful addition will typically have a special section with basic Spanish phrases; from ‘Buenos días’ to – importantly – ‘¿Cuanto vale una cerveza?’' and are a good way to kill two birds with one book, so to speak, saving valuable suitcase space.
Some Books Contain a Grammar Section to Practice Verb Conjugation
This way, you get a bit more insight into the conjugations of the verbs you’re looking up, and a more comprehensive understanding of the use of words, rather than just their spelling. And once again, this will be handy if you're taking your dictionary abroad and don't fancy carrying several language books with you.
Interested in Pronunciation? Pick a Dictionary With a Phonemic Guide or Pronunciation Tips
If that chart leaves you baffled, many dictionaries include a second version of the word written phonetically (for example, the English word ‘queen’ would be written ‘kween’). Choose a book with this kind of explanation for simplicity and clarity.
Finally, there are dictionaries which have a pronunciation guide at the front of the book, rather than beside individual words. This is perfectly sufficient for students of Spanish as the pronunciation patterns are extremely regular.
Illustrated Dictionaries Are Ideal for Children and Visual Learners
Language learning does not come easily to everyone, especially those who struggle retaining information from reams of plain, monochrome text, and being able to visualise words alongside a memorable image can really help the more visually-minded.
Decide Between Standard and Latin-American Spanish
While the latter has quite a few variations from country to country, such as pronunciation and colloquialisms, there are bigger differences between Castellano and español. One of the most pertinent is vocabulary, which could cause some confusion, and another is the omission of an entire pronoun in Latin American Spanish.
That said, while these variations should not impede comprehension in different parts of the world, there are certain words that, while innocuous in Spain, might be considered rude or offensive in Argentina! Most standard dictionaries in the UK use Castellano, so only pick a Latin American dictionary if you have specific plans to head to the area.
Top 10 Best Spanish Dictionaries in the UK
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Oxford 1. Oxford Spanish Dictionary | | A Classic Tome to Keep and Use for Life | |
2 | Collins 2. Collins Gem Spanish Phrasebook and Dictionary | | Comprehensive Yet Compact | |
3 | DK 3. DK Visual Spanish-English Bilingual Dictionary | | Learn and Remember With Fun, High-Quality Visuals | |
4 | Larousse 4. Merriam-Webster’s Spanish-English Dictionary | | Our Top Recommendation for Latin American Spanish | |
5 | Oxford 5. Oxford Mini Spanish Dictionary | | A Pocket-Size Classic to Take Anywhere | |
6 | Collins 6. Collins Complete and Unabridged Spanish Dictionary | | A Cheap Yet Reliable Best Seller in Colour | |
7 | Webster's 7. Webster’s Spanish-English Dictionary for Students | | The Best Bilingual Reference for Students | |
8 | Collins 8. Collins Spanish Dictionary and Grammar (Essential Edition) | | A Multi-Use Title Great for Self-Study and Evening Classes | |
9 | Oxford 9. Oxford School Spanish Dictionary | | Easy to Flick Through and Perfect for Young Learners | |
10 | Lonely Planet 10. Lonely Planet Spanish Phrasebook and Dictionary | | The Traveller's Top Pick From the Experts |
A Classic Tome to Keep and Use for Life
So well-loved it has won international acclaim and used by language experts worldwide, the Oxford Spanish dictionary focuses on Castellano Spanish as spoken on the Iberian Peninsula and the rest of Spain. An invaluable tool for expert language lovers to earnest Spanish speaking hopefuls, and everyone in between.
Collins2. Collins Gem Spanish Phrasebook and Dictionary
Comprehensive Yet Compact
It’s a flexible, bendable paperback that should fit quite easily into a small bag and the words and phrases included will be perfectly suited to anyone of any level who is keen to discover meaning and build their vocabulary. Phonetic spellings are given to help you pronounce effectively.
DK3. DK Visual Spanish-English Bilingual Dictionary
Learn and Remember With Fun, High-Quality Visuals
The book is a flexible paperback so is fairly easy to move around with you if necessary, and would also be a joy to use with children or younger learners, though it certainly isn’t exclusively for little ones. Visual learners will enjoy this book which makes a refreshing change from your typical dictionary. It even comes with a free app so you can consolidate your learning online.
Larousse4. Merriam-Webster’s Spanish-English Dictionary
Our Top Recommendation for Latin American Spanish
We have featured the paperback here, but there’s a hardback version too if you seek durability. Praised for its clear typography as well as its plentiful definitions and usage examples, this book is a great choice for anyone thinking of visiting or living in Latin America for any period of time.
A Pocket-Size Classic to Take Anywhere
This little dictionary uses Spanish Spanish (so to speak) and could be useful to any learner of any level. With a helpful and user-friendly pronunciation guide at the front, the book doesn’t labour over the way words sounds, keeping you focused on meaning and form.
Collins6. Collins Complete and Unabridged Spanish Dictionary
A Cheap Yet Reliable Best Seller in Colour
While this choice will be useful for any level, those who will get the most out of a huge collection like this one are advanced speakers, higher-level students, or anyone dedicated to the language for life. Phonemic symbols are used to explain pronunciation, but if they're a bit confusing, the latest version helpfully includes online audio links.
Webster's7. Webster’s Spanish-English Dictionary for Students
The Best Bilingual Reference for Students
Whether you’re tackling a Spanish novel or noting down vocabulary you hear in listening practice, this dictionary is a superb companion to get you through tough exams and help you build your personal word bank with clear definitions and examples.
Collins8. Collins Spanish Dictionary and Grammar (Essential Edition)
A Multi-Use Title Great for Self-Study and Evening Classes
There’s also a pronunciation guide at the front to help you grapple with trickier sounds, and a section of the book is dedicated to explaining verb forms for different subjects in different tenses. An ideal companion to Spanish evening classes or self-study.
Easy to Flick Through and Perfect for Young Learners
The dictionary has an alphabet lining the edge of every page with the relevant letter highlighted, making flicking through to the section you need a breeze. It also contains verb tables, which allow you to check the conjugation of high-frequency verbs. A great book, but one limited to school-level vocab, so perhaps not the best for more serious students.
Lonely Planet 10. Lonely Planet Spanish Phrasebook and Dictionary
The Traveller's Top Pick From the Experts
The book uses colourful graphs, tables, fun facts and infographics to illustrate interesting points about language and culture, making it a mini education in glossy paperback. The words are spelt out phonetically for you to avoid mistakes in pronunciation. Just note that it is more of a casual holiday guide to the language rather than a serious dictionary.
Bonus Product: The Best Online Spanish Dictionary and App
More Recommendations for Culture Fans
On a serious language-learning journey, or just an admirer of the fabulous culture of Spain? Crack open a bottle of Rioja or practise those verb endings with the help of our related Spanish-themed articles – though perhaps not at the same time!
Summary
So that’s that. We’ve shared our top tips for purchasing the best Spanish dictionary and combed the world wide web for the finest you can buy. Now you can be sure you’ll have just the book you need; whether it’s for chatting on holiday, a tool for studying at university or to take along to evening classes. All that’s left is for us to wish you luck: ¡Buena suerte!
Author: Annie Hopkins
Top 5 Spanish Dictionaries
No. 1: Oxford｜1. Oxford Spanish Dictionary
No. 2: Collins｜2. Collins Gem Spanish Phrasebook and Dictionary
No. 3: DK｜3. DK Visual Spanish-English Bilingual Dictionary
No. 4: Larousse｜4. Merriam-Webster’s Spanish-English Dictionary
No. 5: Oxford ｜5. Oxford Mini Spanish Dictionary
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