Could someone ELI5 how to use @types ?

I'm trying to use definitions and typing in regular JS (no typescript) using Visual Studio Code. I hope this message is not out of place, even though I don't use TS. Is there a fast way to transform a npm project into a definition ?

What I'd like to know is : do I need to learn TypeScript to use definitions in a project ? I tried to use DefinitelyTyped but the packages are outdated and I'm not sure I can update it without learning all things TS. I don't have the time to setup a build process and learn the language, I just want Intellisense :)

Thank you !