The Best Hebrew-English Dictionaries (Free and Paid)

A good Hebrew-English dictionary is one of the unglamorous tools every learner needs. It's the thing you reach for at 11 PM when you don't know a word. It's the thing that turns a frustrating moment into a learning one. Here are the Hebrew-English dictionaries I actually recommend, both free and paid, with what each one is best for.

Free dictionaries

1. Morfix

Morfix is the most popular Hebrew-English dictionary used in Israel. It's free, it's online, and it has a browser extension that lets you hover over Hebrew words on any webpage to see the translation. Huge time saver.

Morfix also gives you conjugation tables, multiple meanings, and example sentences. For most beginners and intermediate learners, Morfix is all you need.

Website: morfix.co.il

2. Reverso Context

Reverso Context is my favorite for understanding how words are used in real sentences. It pulls examples from actual translated texts (books, subtitles, web pages) and shows you the Hebrew word in context alongside the English version.

Great for advanced learners who want to see how a word is actually used, not just what it means in isolation. Free to use.

Website: context.reverso.net

3. Google Translate

Yes, it counts. Google Translate handles Hebrew well enough for quick lookups, and the app is free on iOS and Android. The camera translation feature (point your phone at Hebrew text and get instant translation) is especially useful for menus, signs, and documents.

The downside: Google Translate gives you one translation without nuance. It's great for speed, not for depth.

4. Wiktionary

Wiktionary is the Wikipedia of dictionaries, and its Hebrew entries are surprisingly detailed. For common words, you'll get etymology, pronunciation, conjugations, and related forms. It's free and has no ads.

Best for: learners who want linguistic depth and don't mind a clunky interface.

5. Pealim

Pealim isn't exactly a dictionary, it's a Hebrew verb conjugation tool, and it's the best free one I've found. Type in any Hebrew verb and it shows you all the conjugations in past, present, future, and imperative, across all the binyanim.

Every Hebrew learner should have Pealim bookmarked. It saves you from endlessly flipping through grammar charts.

Website: pealim.com

Paid dictionaries

6. Oxford Hebrew-English Dictionary

The Oxford Hebrew-English Dictionary is the gold standard for learners who want a comprehensive physical book. It has detailed entries, clear grammatical notes, and good example sentences. It's expensive (around $50 depending on where you buy), but it's a lifetime purchase.

Best for: serious learners who love having a physical reference on their desk.

7. Ben-Yehuda Dictionary

The Ben-Yehuda Hebrew Dictionary is the most authoritative Hebrew-Hebrew dictionary, and it's a major academic resource. It's huge, expensive, and mostly used by scholars, but if you want the deepest Hebrew reference available, this is it.

Best for: advanced learners, translators, and researchers.

8. Ha-Milon Ha-Ivri (Even-Shoshan)

Another academic-level Hebrew-Hebrew dictionary. Even-Shoshan is the dictionary Israeli college students use. It's Hebrew-only, which makes it less useful for beginners but invaluable once you're advanced enough to understand Hebrew definitions.

Best for: advanced learners who want to think in Hebrew.

Which dictionary to start with

If you're a beginner, start with Morfix and the Google Translate app. Both are free, easy to use, and cover most of what you'll need in your first year. Add Pealim for verb conjugations. That's your starter kit.

As you get more advanced, add Reverso Context for understanding real-world usage. Eventually, if you get serious, consider investing in one of the paid dictionaries.

The dictionary habit

A dictionary only helps if you actually use it. My suggestion: don't look up every unknown word. Look up three or four per day, the ones that really stop you. Write them in your learning journal. Review them weekly.

If you look up too many words at once, nothing sticks. If you look up too few, you stop growing. Three or four is the sweet spot.

A small warning

Dictionaries are tools, not substitutes for real practice. You'll learn more Hebrew from 10 minutes of conversation than from 2 hours of flipping through Morfix. Use dictionaries to support your learning, not replace it.

For more structured learning, our alphabet page, topics pages, and phrases section cover the material you'll be looking up. Our printable worksheets give you offline practice.

Bookmark Morfix tonight. You'll use it tomorrow.