💻 Technology

⏱ 14 min read

In this lesson you will learn useful English vocabulary and everyday expressions for talking about technology, computers, phones, the internet, apps, files, passwords, and common technology problems. Each English word or phrase includes a simple meaning plus translations in several languages.

🟢 Basic Technology Vocabulary

💻 Computer
a machine used to work, write, and go online
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Computadora / Ordenador
🇫🇷 French: Ordinateur
🇩🇪 German: Computer
🇮🇹 Italian: Computer
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Computador
📱 Phone
a mobile device for calls, messages, and apps
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Teléfono
🇫🇷 French: Téléphone
🇩🇪 German: Telefon
🇮🇹 Italian: Telefono
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Telefone
🌐 Internet
the worldwide network that connects computers
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Internet
🇫🇷 French: Internet
🇩🇪 German: Internet
🇮🇹 Italian: Internet
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Internet
📺 Screen
the part of a device you look at
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Pantalla
🇫🇷 French: Écran
🇩🇪 German: Bildschirm
🇮🇹 Italian: Schermo
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Tela / Ecrã
🔋 Battery
the part that stores power in a device
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Batería
🇫🇷 French: Batterie
🇩🇪 German: Batterie / Akku
🇮🇹 Italian: Batteria
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Bateria
🔌 Charger
the cable or plug used to add power
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Cargador
🇫🇷 French: Chargeur
🇩🇪 German: Ladegerät
🇮🇹 Italian: Caricabatterie
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Carregador

🟡 Internet & Digital Vocabulary

📶 Wi-Fi
a wireless internet connection
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Wi-Fi
🇫🇷 French: Wi-Fi
🇩🇪 German: WLAN / Wi-Fi
🇮🇹 Italian: Wi-Fi
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Wi-Fi
🔑 Password
a secret word used to open an account
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Contraseña
🇫🇷 French: Mot de passe
🇩🇪 German: Passwort
🇮🇹 Italian: Password
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Senha
📲 App
a small program on a phone or tablet
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Aplicación
🇫🇷 French: Application / Appli
🇩🇪 German: App
🇮🇹 Italian: App / Applicazione
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Aplicativo / App
📁 File
a document, photo, or other saved item
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Archivo
🇫🇷 French: Fichier
🇩🇪 German: Datei
🇮🇹 Italian: File
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Arquivo
🔗 Link
an address that opens a page or file
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Enlace
🇫🇷 French: Lien
🇩🇪 German: Link
🇮🇹 Italian: Link / Collegamento
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Link
🌐 Website
a page or set of pages on the internet
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Sitio web / Página web
🇫🇷 French: Site web / Page web
🇩🇪 German: Website / Webseite
🇮🇹 Italian: Sito web
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Site / Página da web

🔵 Common Technology Actions

⬇️ To download
to copy a file from the internet onto your device
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Descargar
🇫🇷 French: Télécharger
🇩🇪 German: Herunterladen
🇮🇹 Italian: Scaricare
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Baixar / Descarregar
⬆️ To upload
to send a file from your device to the internet
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Subir
🇫🇷 French: Téléverser / Uploader
🇩🇪 German: Hochladen
🇮🇹 Italian: Caricare
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Enviar / Fazer upload
💾 To save
to keep a file so you can use it later
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Guardar
🇫🇷 French: Enregistrer / Sauvegarder
🇩🇪 German: Speichern
🇮🇹 Italian: Salvare
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Salvar / Guardar
🗑️ To delete
to remove a file so it is gone
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Eliminar / Borrar
🇫🇷 French: Supprimer
🇩🇪 German: Löschen
🇮🇹 Italian: Eliminare / Cancellare
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Excluir / Apagar
🔄 To update
to install a newer version of a program
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Actualizar
🇫🇷 French: Mettre à jour
🇩🇪 German: Aktualisieren
🇮🇹 Italian: Aggiornare
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Atualizar
🔌 To charge
to add power to a battery
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Cargar
🇫🇷 French: Charger
🇩🇪 German: Laden / Aufladen
🇮🇹 Italian: Caricare
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Carregar

🧠 Talking About Technology

💡 Use work / is working to talk about whether a device, program, or connection is functioning.
My computer isn't working.
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Mi computadora no funciona.
🇫🇷 Mon ordinateur ne fonctionne pas.
🇩🇪 Mein Computer funktioniert nicht.
🇮🇹 Il mio computer non funziona.
🇵🇹 O meu computador não está funcionando.
The Wi-Fi works well.
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 El Wi-Fi funciona bien.
🇫🇷 Le Wi-Fi fonctionne bien.
🇩🇪 Das WLAN funktioniert gut.
🇮🇹 Il Wi-Fi funziona bene.
🇵🇹 O Wi-Fi funciona bem.
💡 Use have to + infinitive to say that you need to do something with a device or program.
I have to charge my phone.
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Tengo que cargar mi teléfono.
🇫🇷 Je dois charger mon téléphone.
🇩🇪 Ich muss mein Telefon aufladen.
🇮🇹 Devo caricare il mio telefono.
🇵🇹 Tenho que carregar o meu telefone.
I have to update the app.
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Tengo que actualizar la aplicación.
🇫🇷 Je dois mettre à jour l'application.
🇩🇪 Ich muss die App aktualisieren.
🇮🇹 Devo aggiornare l'app.
🇵🇹 Tenho que atualizar o aplicativo.
💡 Use can / can't + infinitive to ask or say whether you are able to perform an action.
Can I download this file?
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 ¿Puedo descargar este archivo?
🇫🇷 Puis-je télécharger ce fichier ?
🇩🇪 Kann ich diese Datei herunterladen?
🇮🇹 Posso scaricare questo file?
🇵🇹 Posso baixar este arquivo?
I can't connect to the internet.
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 No puedo conectarme a internet.
🇫🇷 Je ne peux pas me connecter à internet.
🇩🇪 Ich kann mich nicht mit dem Internet verbinden.
🇮🇹 Non riesco a connettermi a internet.
🇵🇹 Não consigo me conectar à internet.

❓ Useful Technology Questions

📶 What's the Wi-Fi password?
asking for the code to join the network
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Cuál es la contraseña del Wi-Fi?
🇫🇷 French: Quel est le mot de passe du Wi-Fi ?
🇩🇪 German: Wie lautet das WLAN-Passwort?
🇮🇹 Italian: Qual è la password del Wi-Fi?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Qual é a senha do Wi-Fi?
🔌 Do you have a charger for my phone?
asking if someone has a matching charger
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Tienes un cargador para mi teléfono?
🇫🇷 French: As-tu un chargeur pour mon téléphone ?
🇩🇪 German: Hast du ein Ladegerät für mein Telefon?
🇮🇹 Italian: Hai un caricabatterie per il mio telefono?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Você tem um carregador para o meu telefone?
📁 Where did you save the file?
asking the location of a saved file
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Dónde guardaste el archivo?
🇫🇷 French: Où as-tu enregistré le fichier ?
🇩🇪 German: Wo hast du die Datei gespeichert?
🇮🇹 Italian: Dove hai salvato il file?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Onde você salvou o arquivo?
🔗 Can you send me the link?
asking someone to share a web address
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Puedes enviarme el enlace?
🇫🇷 French: Peux-tu m'envoyer le lien ?
🇩🇪 German: Kannst du mir den Link schicken?
🇮🇹 Italian: Puoi inviarmi il link?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Você pode me enviar o link?
📲 How do I download this app?
asking the steps to get an app
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Cómo descargo esta aplicación?
🇫🇷 French: Comment télécharger cette application ?
🇩🇪 German: Wie lade ich diese App herunter?
🇮🇹 Italian: Come scarico questa app?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Como eu baixo este aplicativo?
💻 Why isn't my computer working?
asking what is wrong with the computer
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Por qué no funciona mi computadora?
🇫🇷 French: Pourquoi mon ordinateur ne fonctionne pas ?
🇩🇪 German: Warum funktioniert mein Computer nicht?
🇮🇹 Italian: Perché il mio computer non funziona?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Por que o meu computador não está funcionando?

💬 Common Technology Phrases

📶 I can't connect to the Wi-Fi.
your device is not joining the network
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: No puedo conectarme al Wi-Fi.
🇫🇷 French: Je ne peux pas me connecter au Wi-Fi.
🇩🇪 German: Ich kann mich nicht mit dem WLAN verbinden.
🇮🇹 Italian: Non riesco a connettermi al Wi-Fi.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Não consigo me conectar ao Wi-Fi.
🔋 My phone's battery is running out.
there is little power left
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: La batería de mi teléfono se está agotando.
🇫🇷 French: La batterie de mon téléphone est en train de se vider.
🇩🇪 German: Der Akku meines Telefons wird langsam leer.
🇮🇹 Italian: La batteria del mio telefono si sta scaricando.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: A bateria do meu telefone está acabando.
🔑 I forgot my password.
you cannot remember the secret word
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Olvidé mi contraseña.
🇫🇷 French: J'ai oublié mon mot de passe.
🇩🇪 German: Ich habe mein Passwort vergessen.
🇮🇹 Italian: Ho dimenticato la mia password.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Eu esqueci a minha senha.
📲 I need to update this app.
a newer version of the app is required
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Necesito actualizar esta aplicación.
🇫🇷 French: Je dois mettre à jour cette application.
🇩🇪 German: Ich muss diese App aktualisieren.
🇮🇹 Italian: Devo aggiornare questa app.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Preciso atualizar este aplicativo.

💬 Everyday Conversations

Connecting to Wi-Fi
asking if there is internet and how to join it
A: Is there Wi-Fi here?
B: Yes, there's free Wi-Fi.
A: What's the password?
B: The password is written on the table.
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 A: ¿Hay Wi-Fi aquí?
🇪🇸 B: Sí, hay Wi-Fi gratis.
🇪🇸 A: ¿Cuál es la contraseña?
🇪🇸 B: La contraseña está escrita en la mesa.

🇫🇷 A: Y a-t-il du Wi-Fi ici ?
🇫🇷 B: Oui, il y a du Wi-Fi gratuit.
🇫🇷 A: Quel est le mot de passe ?
🇫🇷 B: Le mot de passe est écrit sur la table.

🇩🇪 A: Gibt es hier WLAN?
🇩🇪 B: Ja, es gibt kostenloses WLAN.
🇩🇪 A: Wie lautet das Passwort?
🇩🇪 B: Das Passwort steht auf dem Tisch.

🇮🇹 A: C'è il Wi-Fi qui?
🇮🇹 B: Sì, c'è il Wi-Fi gratuito.
🇮🇹 A: Qual è la password?
🇮🇹 B: La password è scritta sul tavolo.

🇵🇹 A: Tem Wi-Fi aqui?
🇵🇹 B: Sim, tem Wi-Fi grátis.
🇵🇹 A: Qual é a senha?
🇵🇹 B: A senha está escrita na mesa.
Having a technology problem
asking for a simple first step when a computer fails
A: My computer isn't working.
B: Have you tried restarting it?
A: No, not yet.
B: Try restarting it first.
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 A: Mi computadora no funciona.
🇪🇸 B: ¿Has intentado reiniciarla?
🇪🇸 A: No, todavía no.
🇪🇸 B: Intenta reiniciarla primero.

🇫🇷 A: Mon ordinateur ne fonctionne pas.
🇫🇷 B: As-tu essayé de le redémarrer ?
🇫🇷 A: Non, pas encore.
🇫🇷 B: Essaie de le redémarrer d'abord.

🇩🇪 A: Mein Computer funktioniert nicht.
🇩🇪 B: Hast du versucht, ihn neu zu starten?
🇩🇪 A: Nein, noch nicht.
🇩🇪 B: Versuche zuerst, ihn neu zu starten.

🇮🇹 A: Il mio computer non funziona.
🇮🇹 B: Hai provato a riavviarlo?
🇮🇹 A: No, non ancora.
🇮🇹 B: Prova prima a riavviarlo.

🇵🇹 A: O meu computador não está funcionando.
🇵🇹 B: Você tentou reiniciá-lo?
🇵🇹 A: Não, ainda não.
🇵🇹 B: Tente reiniciá-lo primeiro.

📝 Example Sentences

💻 My computer stopped working while I was working.
the computer failed in the middle of a task
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Mi computadora dejó de funcionar mientras estaba trabajando.
🇫🇷 French: Mon ordinateur a cessé de fonctionner pendant que je travaillais.
🇩🇪 German: Mein Computer hat aufgehört zu funktionieren, während ich gearbeitet habe.
🇮🇹 Italian: Il mio computer ha smesso di funzionare mentre stavo lavorando.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: O meu computador parou de funcionar enquanto eu estava trabalhando.
📱 I need to charge my phone because the battery is almost dead.
there is almost no power left
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Necesito cargar mi teléfono porque la batería está casi agotada.
🇫🇷 French: Je dois charger mon téléphone parce que la batterie est presque vide.
🇩🇪 German: Ich muss mein Telefon aufladen, weil der Akku fast leer ist.
🇮🇹 Italian: Devo caricare il mio telefono perché la batteria è quasi scarica.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Preciso carregar o meu telefone porque a bateria está quase acabando.
📁 I downloaded the file and saved it on my computer.
you copied the file and kept it on your device
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Descargué el archivo y lo guardé en mi computadora.
🇫🇷 French: J'ai téléchargé le fichier et je l'ai enregistré sur mon ordinateur.
🇩🇪 German: Ich habe die Datei heruntergeladen und auf meinem Computer gespeichert.
🇮🇹 Italian: Ho scaricato il file e l'ho salvato sul mio computer.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Eu baixei o arquivo e o salvei no meu computador.
🔗 I'll send you the link so you can visit the website.
the link will open the page for them
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Te enviaré el enlace para que puedas visitar el sitio web.
🇫🇷 French: Je t'enverrai le lien pour que tu puisses visiter le site web.
🇩🇪 German: Ich schicke dir den Link, damit du die Website besuchen kannst.
🇮🇹 Italian: Ti invierò il link così potrai visitare il sito web.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Eu vou te enviar o link para que você possa visitar o site.
📲 The app needs an update before I can use it.
you must install the new version first
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: La aplicación necesita una actualización antes de que pueda usarla.
🇫🇷 French: L'application a besoin d'une mise à jour avant que je puisse l'utiliser.
🇩🇪 German: Die App braucht ein Update, bevor ich sie verwenden kann.
🇮🇹 Italian: L'app ha bisogno di un aggiornamento prima che io possa usarla.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: O aplicativo precisa de uma atualização antes que eu possa usá-lo.
📶 The internet connection is very slow this morning.
pages and files are taking a long time
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: La conexión a internet es muy lenta esta mañana.
🇫🇷 French: La connexion internet est très lente ce matin.
🇩🇪 German: Die Internetverbindung ist heute Morgen sehr langsam.
🇮🇹 Italian: La connessione a internet è molto lenta stamattina.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: A conexão com a internet está muito lenta esta manhã.

🏆 Final Practice

English in the Real World:

Read the situation. Choose the best word or phrase from the lesson.
Question 1 of 8
✅ Correct: 0
❓ Questions: 0
🎯 Accuracy: 0%