FAQ Vocabulary Trainer

Here you can see all the questions and answers that our users – and possibly also you yourself – have asked (and had answered) about the Vocabulary Trainer. Not found what you are looking for? No problem! Just get in touch directly with our online department at info@pons.com. Your questions will be answered directly. If you have any questions about specific products, please contact our customer service department at kundenservice@pons.de.

PONS Vocabulary Trainer in general

I have a problem that I can’t find under ‘Help’. How can help me?

If you have a problem that isn’t dealt with in the ‚Help‘, please contact the PONS Trainer Team via email to trainer@pons.com.

How can I type in special symbols (accents, …)?

There is a keyboard with all the necessary special symbols when you tap on the keyboard symbol. You can insert them using your mouse.

What does ‘Language direction’ mean?

The PONS Vocabulary Trainer knows which half of the dictionary you are using – whether you are looking up words in your native language or in a foreign language. The words are then saved in the language direction English-German or German-English and the units are strictly divided in both these directions. This helps you to structure your words. You can train them in both directions, and it is also possible to move single or all words into the other direction.

Registering in the PONS Vocabulary Trainer

How can I change my password?

Click top right on your username at http://pons.com, it appears as soon as you have logged in. You can change your login details under "My account". Passwords can unfortunately only be changed on our website http://pons.com at the moment.

How do I register myself in the PONS Vocabulary Trainer?

Use your pons.com user account on pons.com under Login. If you don’t have a user account, you can register using a username and password selected by yourself. Please use a valid email address in order that your password can be sent to you if you forget it at a later date. You can get started as soon as you have activated your user account, then its practise, practise, practise …!

I have forgotten my password. What can I do?

Under Login on pons.com, just tap on the link ‘Forgotten password?’, then enter the email address from your user account on the next page. Instructions as to how to change your password will then be sent to this address.

Using the PONS Vocabulary Trainer

How can I add new words?

You can add new words either by hand (under ‘add new words’ in the ‘manage words’ menu) or take words over directly from the PONS Online Dictionary. To do this, tap on the plus icon (+) in your dictionary following the translation and then on ‘Reserve for the Vocabulary Trainer’. The word is then saved in a list with other words from the dictionary that have already been collected. The words can then all be imported at once into the Vocabulary Trainer, you have to select the language and the target unit. If you have not yet set up any units in the language, the entries will be saved in the standard unit ‘My words’.

You can also import words in an Excel or CSV format. This option ‘add new unit from own file’ can be found ‘add unit’. Add the title of the new unit and select the file format for the new words. There is an example to show you the necessary format for the table. You can check the words before you import them. It is very important before you import the words that the columns in the table for your words, their translations and any other information are named using the menu.

How can I find the words that I have taken over from the dictionary?

After you have taken a word over in the PONS Vocabulary Trainer it automatically selects the correct language direction. If, for example, you have looked up a French word in the English-French dictionary and take it over into the Vocabulary Trainer, it will automatically select the language direction English-French. Please select the language direction yourself for the entries you have added yourself. You can do this via the flag icons on the left at the top.

How can I change words?

Select the unit for the words you want to change. Tap on the words you want to change.

How can I delete words?

To delete words, select a unit. Mark the words you want to delete then tap on ‘delete’. Warning: you cannot get the words back once they have been deleted!

I have added words in one language direction. Can I also save them in the other direction?

Select the option ‘mirror in the opposite language direction’ to copy words from one language direction to another. The marked words remain saved in the present unit as well as being mirrored in the target unit you have selected in the other language direction. Important: This is in order to help you manage your words. You can always practise your words in both directions, it doesn’t matter where they are saved.

I have saved words in the wrong language direction by accident. Do I have to delete them all and start all over again?

If you want to move words from one language direction to another, you can save them there using the option ‘move to the opposite language direction’.

Can I also use words from other users?

The PONS Vocabulary Trainer allows you to let other users use your units. You can also select suitable units for yourself from the public units.

Can I print my words out?

If additionally, you like holding paper in your hands or prefer to get someone to check you know your words, you can print our all the words on learn cards (in PDF format).

PONS Vocabulary Trainer exercises

Which exercises are there in the PONS Vocabulary Trainer?

Word scanner – here you learn a word and its translation
Text marker – here you mark the translation in a word snake
Combiner - here you match the word with the correct translation
Letter salad – here you type in the translation, you are given an anagram of the translation
Vocabulary test – here you type in the translation without any help

The exercises start easy with the word scanner and gradually get harder until you reach the vocabulary test and where you have to type in the translation without help.

Do I have to do all the exercises, or can I choose which exercises to do and leave some exercises out?

There is the possibility in the PONS Vocabulary Trainer to choose which exercise you want to practise your words with. Preselected are all exercises as it makes sense to use all the different types of exercise to practise your words. If you are used to using learning cards, the exercises ‘word scanner’ and ‘vocabulary test’ are the right ones for you. If you are already advanced in a unit, you won’t be able to select the easy exercises: this way you train with the target of the ‘vocabulary test’. In order to be able to do all the exercises again, reset the learning level.

What happens when I don’t know a word yet and make a mistake in the exercise?

If you don’t know the right answer, you can have the answer shown. You then continue practising with the next word and the unknown word keeps its learning level. In the following exercise of the same training session, all words will be asked for, it doesn’t matter if you knew them or not.

I would also like to learn the words in the other direction. How does that work?

You can choose the language direction you are asked for before each training session starts.

What is the learn card mode?

In the app you can also use the traditional learn cards instead of the five exercises to practise and test your knowledge.

Learning level & training sessions

What is a training session?

You practise in training session in the PONS Vocabulary Trainer. One training session consists of a maximum of 10 words from one unit. The PONS Vocabulary Trainer automatically selects the words from a unit that you don’t know. When you have finished one training session, you can either stop practising or move onto the next training session.

How is my personal learning level calculated?

The PONS Vocabulary Trainer remembers for each word which the most challenging type of exercise was, in which you could master a specific word. 0 – not yet practised 1 – word scanner 2 – text marker 3 - combiner 4 – letter salad 5 – vocabulary test. This provides your personal learning level. This is done for each word and always increased when you know the word in the next level. The learning level for a whole unit is calculated using the average of the learning levels for each word in that unit.

What is the target?

The target of your training is to know all the words in a unit in the hardest exercise – the ‘vocabulary test’ (learning level 5). The PONS Vocabulary Trainer automatically selects the words in a unit for your next training session that you are furthest away from the target with.

How many words can be practised in each training session (maximum)?

There are always 10 words from a unit in a training session. When you have finished a training session you can either stop practicing or continue practicing with the next training session. Additionally, you can choose to practise those words with a specific learning level so that you can get them closer to the ‘vocabulary test’.

Can I carry on training after I have completed the vocabulary test?

You can reset the learning level to zero and start practising from the beginning. There is also the possibility to repeat all the words at learning level 5 that haven’t been practiced for a month. The exercises ‘letter salad’ and ‘vocabulary test’ are started for this.

Learning group

How can I start a learning group?

You can start a group using the ‘learning group’ link. You can select the members of your group using their username or their email address and invite them to join your group. You can also select other group members to be administrators to help you manage the group and its units.

In the ‘manage unit’ menu you can select ‘set up access learning group’. After tapping here, you go to the next page where you can manage all the settings. You have to belong to at least one group of learners or have started one in order to be able to do this. You can also select if you want to be the tutor for a particular unit (this means that only you or other administrators can change the content of the unit) or if all the members of the group can work on the unit.

Technical questions and correction of mistakes in the PONS Vocabulary Trainer

Which operating system has my tablet or smartphone got?

The PONS Vocabulary Trainer app is available for tablets and smartphones as well as for two operating systems:

iOS: is used by Apple smartphones and tablets. For example, iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch.
Android: is used by smartphone companies such as Samsung, LG, HTC or Sony.

I have an iOS device and can’t see all my words. Sometimes they also disappear after a training unit. What can I do?

This is to do with a bug that only affects some devices. If you delete the app and re-install it the problem is solved. As buying the words is connected to your PONS user account, you don’t need to buy the words again.

I have a new tablet or smartphone. Can I still use my app?

If you have a new tablet or smartphone, you can download the PONS Vocabulary Trainer again. Log in to your PONS account and you can continue practicing with your old learning level. Changing from Android to iOS is also no problem.

What can I do if I forget my password?

If you forget your password, go onto the Login page on pons.com. There is a link ‚password forgotten’ on this page. When you tap on this link you will automatically be taken to a page where you can request a new password when you enter your email address. If you have forgotten which email address you used for your registration, our support at info@pons.com can help you further.

Questions about PONS Vocabulary Trainer Premium

How do I find the PONS Vocabulary Trainer app in the app store?

Open the Apple app store on your iPhone or iPad and go to ‘search’. Enter ‘PONS Vocabulary Trainer’ in the search box. The app is found immediately on an iPhone. On an iPad with iOS above 11.x go on ‘filter’ in the top left, then type ‘supported’ and select ‘only iPhone’. The app is then shown in the app store and can be downloaded. On an iPad with iOS 10.3.3 or earlier go on ‘only iPad’ in the top left and change to ‘only iPhone’. The app is then shown in the app store and can be downloaded.

How do I register on pons.com? How do I log in?

In order to use PONS Vocabulary Trainer Premium, you must first register on pons.com under "Login". Enter a username, your email address and a password. You will then be sent an activating email. Click on the activation link in the mail to complete your registration. Once you have registered you can enter your codes for our premium products.

Why doesn’t my code for PONS Vocabulary Trainer Premium work?

Please check if you have entered the code correctly. A code is normally a combination of 8 letters and numbers. The code unlocks the PONS Vocabulary Trainer Premium for iOS, Android and online variations. It can be used four times. If the code is not accepted please send an email to kundenservice@pons.de .

Why do I get the message that the code I typed in is invalid?

The code is either out of date or it has been used by too many users. If the product you bought was not sealed, please contact the bookshop where you bought the product. If the product was sealed and the code was still not accepted, please send an email to kundenservice@pons.de .

Can I use the code directly in the app?

No. Activation of the PONS Vocabulary Trainer Premium only works via:

What does PONS do with my account information?

Asking for user information within the PONS Vocabulary Trainer is purely to match a customer with their personal premium package. Here you can find the PONS privacy policy. Here you can find details of the terms and conditions use.