Braille Dictionary: Comprehensive English to Braille Word Reference (ES)
Your ultimate English to braille dictionary. Look up common words in braille, learn translation guidelines, and explore basic English braille symbols.
By Braille Translator Team
What Is a Braille Dictionary? (ES)
A braille dictionary is a reference tool that translates standard print words into their braille equivalents. Since English braille contains multiple rules (including 189 contractions in Grade 2 contracted braille), a dictionary helps readers, students, parents, and transcribers verify correct cell placement.
Whether you are looking for a brail dictionary for quick homework help or want to study braille english rules, this guide serves as a complete starter reference. For translating long sentences or entire paragraphs, try our interactive braille translator online.
English Braille Dictionary: Basic Letters A–Z (ES)
Here is the fundamental A–Z alphabet, which forms the building blocks of every word in our dictionary:
| Letter | Braille Cell | Dot Positions | Letter | Braille Cell | Dot Positions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | ⠁ | Dot 1 | N | ⠝ | Dots 1-3-4-5 |
| B | ⠃ | Dots 1-2 | O | ⠕ | Dots 1-3-5 |
| C | ⠉ | Dots 1-4 | P | ⠏ | Dots 1-2-3-4 |
| D | ⠙ | Dots 1-4-5 | Q | ⠟ | Dots 1-2-3-4-5 |
| E | ⠑ | Dots 1-5 | R | ⠗ | Dots 1-2-3-5 |
| F | ⠋ | Dots 1-2-4 | S | ⠎ | Dots 2-3-4 |
| G | ⠛ | Dots 1-2-4-5 | T | ⠞ | Dots 2-3-4-5 |
| H | ⠓ | Dots 1-2-5 | U | ⠥ | Dots 1-3-6 |
| I | ⠊ | Dots 2-4 | V | ⠧ | Dots 1-2-3-6 |
| J | ⠚ | Dots 2-4-5 | W | ⠺ | Dots 2-4-5-6 |
| K | ⠅ | Dots 1-3 | X | ⠭ | Dots 1-3-4-6 |
| L | ⠇ | Dots 1-2-3 | Y | ⠽ | Dots 1-3-4-5-6 |
| M | ⠍ | Dots 1-3-4 | Z | ⠵ | Dots 1-3-5-6 |
Common Words in Braille (A-Z Quick Reference) (ES)
Here is a short dictionary list of common words in braille (often called braille words) translated in both Grade 1 (uncontracted) and Grade 2 (contracted) forms:
| English Word | Grade 1 Braille | Grade 2 (Contracted) | Why It’s Different |
|---|---|---|---|
| About | ⠁⠃⠕⠥⠞ | ⠁⠃ | Short-form abbreviation |
| And | ⠁⠝⠙ | ⠁⠝⠙ (or ⠯) | Uses the “and” contraction cell ⠯ |
| But | ⠃⠥⠞ | ⠃ | The letter “b” alone stands for “but” |
| Can | ⠉⠁⠝ | ⠉ | The letter “c” alone stands for “can” |
| Day | ⠙⠁⠽ | ⠙⠁⠽ | Retains standard spelling |
| Friend | ⠋⠗⠊⠑⠝⠙ | ⠋⠗ | Short-form abbreviation |
| Go | ⠛⠕ | ⠛ | The letter “g” alone stands for “go” |
| Knowledge | ⠅⠝⠕⠺⠇⠑⠙⠛⠑ | ⠅ | The letter “k” alone stands for “knowledge” |
| Like | ⠇⠊⠅⠑ | ⠇ | The letter “l” alone stands for “like” |
| More | ⠍⠕⠗⠑ | ⠍ | The letter “m” alone stands for “more” |
| People | ⠏⠑⠕⠏⠇⠑ | ⠏ | The letter “p” alone stands for “people” |
| Rather | ⠗⠁⠞⠓⠑⠗ | ⠗ | The letter “r” alone stands for “rather” |
| That | ⠞⠓⠁⠞ | ⠞ | The letter “t” alone stands for “that” |
| Will | ⠺⠊⠇⠇ | ⠺ | The letter “w” alone stands for “will” |
| You | ⠽⠕⠥ | ⠽ | The letter “y” alone stands for “you” |
For a complete search of all 189 contractions, try our interactive Contraction Lookup tool.
English Braille Rules (ES)
Unified English Braille (UEB) is the official code standard used in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and other English-speaking nations. When using a braille english reference:
- Grade 1 (Literal): Translates every single print letter to its corresponding braille letter. It is ideal for children, beginners, and clear labels (like on medicine bottles).
- Grade 2 (Contracted): Compresses words to save space. A book printed in Grade 1 would be twice as thick as one printed in Grade 2. Grade 2 is the standard for signs, public spaces, and published books.
How to Search for Words Online (ES)
If a print word isn’t listed in this basic dictionary guide, you can find its translation using:
- Braille Translator: Instantly converts any word, sentence, or phrase to Grade 1 and Grade 2 braille.
- Contraction Lookup: Enter a word or letter group to see if there is an active UEB contraction for it.
- Braille to Text: Paste braille Unicode to translate it back to English.