Ultralingua German-English Translation Dictionary - 6.1

This translation software offers exceptional features in a compact, easy-to-use interface. The number of entries (in the hundreds of thousands) is truly impressive (try out the demo and you'll see what I mean). Included are a generous offering of commonly used expressions and helpful grammar guidance that help the user gain a better understanding of the "flavor" and usage of a particular word. What makes this dictionary very special in my mind is that the user can enter words for translation in their conjugated, inflected, or plural forms (just as they are seeing them in their source document (or hearing them)) -- a feature that other dictionaries are incapable of. This is an invaluable feature since someone learning the language will often not know the infinitive, non-inflected, or singular form of a particular word (and in German, it is often impossible to guess), which is something that these other dictionaries require you to know in order for them to render a translation.

Furthermore, the dictionary is bi-directional, so the user can move quickly from one language to the other when needed. The program is expandable to include other languages as well, so it is possible to translate into several languages in one compact, easy-to-access location. It has a very powerful search engine that accepts "wildcards" for those times when you don't know exactly how to spell a word that you seek a translation for. Another nice feature is the ability to have any number translated.

There's more: The Ultralingua dictionary is customizable -- add entries to suit your own personal needs! And, for those of you who are studying the language, this program has a very powerful verb conjugation engine. It is capable of translating verbs in 14 tenses! It also includes the important verb details pertaining to present and past participles, as well as associated auxiliary verbs. Another great feature of this software is that Ultralingua is at your fingertips when you need it. Not only can you utilize it as a stand-alone product, but you can also use it within any editable text program by invoking a special "hot key" within the document. This is great, for example, if you are in a text document written in a foreign language and need quick translations to unknown words. Just select the word (by placing your cursor anywhere within the word or by highlighting it), invoke the "hot key" (defined in the "preferences" section of Ultralingua) and you'll have your translation within a blink of an eye.

Finally, Ultralingua comes with a nice collection of reference materials (both within the program and linked to the Internet). Noteworthy is a comprehensive grammar guide (for both languages) that is sure to please all those interested in learning a foreign language.

Overall, I give this program high marks for the quality of the translation dictionary, the functionality of the program and its ease of use, its expandability, and the extra resources aimed at helping the student or anyone curious about knowing more about languages.