Visual English vocabulary / iOS

Images make
vocabulary stick.

Learn English words in English, with images.
Build lasting memories with review that adapts to you.

Get it on the App Store

Free to try. No account needed. No in-app ads.

An actual apple study card with a vivid red apple and its English definition, surrounded by a collage of everyday scenes.
8,000 words, each with an image English definitions and examples Review that adapts to you

BEYOND THE FIRST ENCOUNTER

Review before
you forget.

A word can feel familiar today and slip away tomorrow. You don’t have to keep track of when to review it.

Pictan uses your answers to estimate how well you remember each word, then calculates when to bring it back.

Review intervals adjust as you learn. Words you forget return sooner, and even well-learned words stay in your review cycle.

Meet it once. Return to remember it.

An illustration of memory fading over time and recovering with review The curve falls after learning and rises with review. This is a conceptual illustration, not measured results or a guarantee. Easier to recall Time → Memory fades over time Review to recall it Learn Fading
Memory and review: an illustration

FROM FAMILIAR TO REMEMBERED

A little help.
More recall.

Start with an image and more letter hints. As a word becomes better established, fewer letters help you practise recalling it yourself.

Try to recall the word before you check the answer. Pictan adjusts the support as your memory develops.

Hints respond to your answers; they don’t decrease on every review. You can also choose to keep answers visible.

First encounter
An actual first-encounter blossom card with a flower image and six visible hint letters.
A later review
An actual later blossom review with two visible hint letters.

STAY IN ENGLISH

Unknown word?
Just tap it.

An unfamiliar word inside a definition can stop you in your tracks. You don’t have to leave for a dictionary or translator.

Tap a word with a dotted underline to see its image and English meaning right on your card. Check it, then carry on learning.

Here, tapping “soothing” in the definition of “mellow” opens the entry for “soothe.”

Tap a word in the definition
An actual mellow card with a dotted link on soothing in its definition.
See its image and meaning
The soothe image and English definition open over the original learning card.

Try recalling a word
with an image and hints.

Try three words. Use the picture and letter hints to think of the word.
Then tap “Show answer” to check.

  1. 1

    Use the image to recall

    Some letters are hidden. Use the picture, English definition, and visible letters to bring the word to mind.

  2. 2

    Check your answer

    Choose “I knew it” if you recalled it, or “Not yet” if you didn’t. In the app, your answer helps set the next review.

  3. 3

    Keep going with the next word

    Recall, check, and return to a word later. Get a feel for learning that goes beyond looking at the answer.

Need help with a word in the definition?
Tap a dotted word to check its image and English meaning without leaving the card.

This short demo uses three words with mid-review hints. In the app, hints adapt to your memory, with more support for words you are meeting for the first time.

JUST START LEARNING

You focus on learning.
Pictan picks the words.

No need to choose between new words and review. Start learning, and Pictan prioritizes words due for review, adding new ones when there’s room.

Each round has up to 20 questions. Keep going for another round, or stop when you need to. Your completed answers are saved.

SEE YOUR PROGRESS

Your learning,
taking shape.

How much have you explored? How well are those words taking root? The tree on your Home screen turns your learning record into something you can see.

Try new words → grow the trunk and branches
They reflect the number of different words you’ve answered. Reviewing the same word doesn’t count it twice.
Get more words right → grow the canopy
Clusters of leaves grow as more words receive their first “I knew it” answer.
Build stronger memories → deepen the green
Leaf colors reflect memory stages based on your answers. Deeper greens show progress toward retention, separately from the size of your tree.
The app’s vocabulary tree, with a grown trunk and branches and leaves in light and deep greens representing memory stages.
How much you’ve explored, in its size.
How well it’s sticking, in its greens.

Leaves droop when reviews are overdue. The soil dries as reviews overdue by at least a day build up; catching up restores moisture to the soil and grass. Taking a break doesn’t erase the trunk and branches you’ve grown.

No name or email required.
No ads.

We don't believe a habit is built on features alone, so we kept everything unrelated to learning off the screen as much as we could. Your progress and selected settings are stored on your iPhone and can be backed up privately through iCloud. No sign-in is needed.

Stored on your device and private iCloud.
Your progress and selected settings are saved on your iPhone and may be backed up to your private iCloud account for restore across Apple devices. We do not operate an account server.
No advertising.
Nothing breaks your focus mid-card.
No sign-in required.
No account, no email verification — just open the app and start.
Learning works offline after launch.
Once the app is open, the cards work without a signal. Launch checks, purchases and restores, and iCloud sync still require a connection.

Things people ask first.

Pictan is for learners who have some basic English and want to learn English words in English. Definitions and examples are in English. Tap a word with a dotted underline to check its image and English definition on the spot. This is not a translation feature.
Pictan isn't built to chase a TOEIC score directly. Its aim is being able to hold a conversation and watch films without subtitles — but along the way it builds a solid foundation of everyday vocabulary.
Try learning with images, tap-to-look-up, hints, and review within the free allowance. Premium is a monthly subscription that unlocks all 8,000 words. There is no free trial, and starting for free does not automatically turn into a paid subscription. Check the App Store for pricing.
Yes. You'll need a connection when you open the app, but once it is running the learning cards work without a signal. Purchases, restores, and iCloud sync require a connection.
Pictan is designed for adults. We don't recommend it for younger learners.
All 8,000 words have images, and dotted words in definitions and examples can be checked right on the card. Review timing and hints adapt to your answers to support recall. Even well-learned words stay in the review cycle to help you retain them.
The images, definitions, and example sentences are created with AI. We work hard on quality, but the chance of an occasional error isn't zero — so for exams or other purposes where accuracy matters, we recommend checking against a trustworthy source.

Make today’s word
one you can recall.

Learn with images. Let Pictan handle when to review. Try the experience for free.

Get it on the App Store

No account needed. When you want to learn more, monthly Premium unlocks all 8,000 words.