class Test { public static void Main() { // an array of lists that have dictionaries var q = new List<Dictionary<string, int>>[] { // q[0] new List<Dictionary<string, int>> { // q[0][0] new Dictionary<string, int> { { "george I", 1}, { "alan I", 2}, { "don I", 3} }, // q[0][1] new Dictionary<string, int> { { "sam I", 1}, { "pat I", 2} } }, // q[1] new List<Dictionary<string, int>> { // q[1][0] new Dictionary<string, int> { { "george II", 21}, { "alan II", 22}, { "don II", 23} } } }; Console.WriteLine(" {0}", q[1][0]["alan II"]); //22 Console.ReadLine(); } }