Here are two ways to convert two lists into a dictionary in Python:
(1) Using zip() and dict():
list_keys = ["item_1", "item_2", "item_3", ...]
list_values = ["item_1", "item_2", "item_3", ...]
new_dict = dict(zip(list_keys, list_values))
(2) Using a Dictionary Comprehension:
list_keys = ["item_1", "item_2", "item_3", ...]
list_values = ["item_1", "item_2", "item_3", ...]
new_dict = {k: v for k, v in zip(list_keys, list_values)}
Examples of Converting two Lists into a Dictionary in Python
Example 1: Using zip() and dict()
Suppose that you have the following two lists that you’d like to convert into a dictionary:
list_keys = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
list_values = ["blue", "green", "red", "yellow", "orange"]
Here is the complete syntax to convert the two lists into a new dictionary:
list_keys = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
list_values = ["blue", "green", "red", "yellow", "orange"]
new_dict = dict(zip(list_keys, list_values))
print(new_dict)
print(type(new_dict))
You’ll then get the following dictionary:
{1: 'blue', 2: 'green', 3: 'red', 4: 'yellow', 5: 'orange'}
<class 'dict'>Note that print(type(new_dict)) was added at the bottom of the code to demonstrate that you got a dictionary.
Example 2: Using a Dictionary Comprehension
Alternatively, you can convert the two lists into a dictionary using a Dictionary Comprehension:
list_keys = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
list_values = ["blue", "green", "red", "yellow", "orange"]
new_dict = {k: v for k, v in zip(list_keys, list_values)}
print(new_dict)
print(type(new_dict))
You’ll get the same dictionary as before:
{1: 'blue', 2: 'green', 3: 'red', 4: 'yellow', 5: 'orange'}
<class 'dict'>