Google Translate tricks you need to know
Years ago, instant translation was similar to science fiction. You would watch shows like Star Trek and marvel at the idea of being understood across cultures without having to spend months learning and becoming fluent in a language.
Who would have imagined that at the beginning of the 21st century that dream would come true! Google Translate is a powerful tool that allows you to communicate with people in different languages almost instantly. It’s not as easy to use as Star Trek’s “universal translators”, but until that day, here are some Google Translate tips for making the most of it.
How to use Google Translation offline
Probably the most important Google Translator trick is knowing how to use it offline. After all, when you travel you may not always have access to the internet, and that’s when you need to be able to communicate more.
Using Google Translate offline is easy, but it requires some preparation when online. All you need to do is download a language pack from Google.
You will be given the option to download the language pack you use most often when you open the Google Translate app for the first time – check the Translate offline box when setting up the app. However, if you want to add more languages, it’s also easy:
- Tap the settings menu (the three lines at the top left)
- Select “Offline Translation” in the menu. From there, you will be given a list of languages to download. Each weighs around 35-55MB, making it easy to prepare for travel.
- Download as many languages as you think you need and you can use the offline Google Translate app Translate
How to translate the text highlighted by the image
One of the coolest tricks of Google Translate is the ability to translate text from a photo, which is especially useful if you’re traveling and trying to read signs in another language.
To use this great feature:
- Tap Camera on the left side of the main screen
- Set your language settings. Remember that the source language should be on the left and the output language should be on the right.
- Align the text with the frame and press the bottom camera button. This will take a photo.
- At this point, the Google translation app needs to know where to look in the photo. Highlight the image area with the text you want to translate by tracing it with your finger.
- You will be given a preview of the translation at the top of the screen. Press the blue arrow to see the complete translation.
How to use the Google Translate conversation mode
Another great feature of the Google Translate app is the Google Translate voice mode, which is especially useful when traveling. You can speak into your phone’s microphone and Google Translate will listen, translate and then say exactly this in your chosen language. In many ways, this is the ultimate goal of Google translation and what we are trying to achieve in interpersonal communication as a society.
Another innovation of the Google Translate app is the conversation mode. Normally when you translate your voice, it is set to translate from one language to another. However, if you turn on conversation mode, your device will translate both languages as in a dialog box:
- Choose Conversation Mode from the main screen of the Google Translate app
- Press the microphone icon at the bottom of the screen. Google Translate will now listen to both sides of the conversation.
- Hold the microphone close to you while you speak, let Google Translate speak for you and then record your interlocutor’s response
Use the Google Translate app as a dictionary
If you enter a single word in Google’s translation app, a dictionary definition will also be provided. So you can always rely on Google Translate to be your dictionary app as well. From now on, if you are ever confused by the meaning of a word, start Google Translate.
How to translate any website
Google Translate is extremely easy to use with Google Chrome, where a pop-up will ask you if you want to translate the site into your default language. All you have to do is click Yes and Chrome will do the rest.
However, if you don’t use Chrome, you can still easily translate websites using Google Translate. Just log into its web version and type or paste the URL of the site you want to translate on the left side. Google Translate will give you a link to a translated version of that site on the right. Even better, any links you follow on the translated site will also be translated.
How to save translations in a phrasebook
When you travel, you will find that you tend to use the same phrases over and over. That’s why the Google Translate app lets you save common phrases in your phrasebook.
When you translate a sentence, the result will have a star in the top right corner. Tap it and it will turn yellow, which means you have added the translation to your phrase book.
To access your phrasebook, tap the hamburger menu (the three parallel lines) in the top left corner of the Google Translate app and choose Phrasebook. It will display any Google translation you’ve already added.
Best alternatives to Google Translate
Even when you have learned the tricks of Google Translator, you may not be satisfied. Google Translate is an amazing tool that looks like it’s straight out of science fiction, but it’s not perfect – if you’re a Mac user and want an alternative that can give you the functionality of Google Translate for Mac and more, check out Mate Translate .
In terms of Google Translate alternatives for Mac, Mate Translate is one of the best and easiest tools. One of Mate Translate’s most useful features is integration with your Mac’s menu bar, which means you can translate from anywhere on your Mac. Highlight any text and you’ll have the ability to translate it into any language with one click of the mouse.
Text-to-speech built into the app also helps you practice your pronunciation, and with a full history of your translations stored on your Mac you can refresh your memory at any time, even when translating offline.
Mate Translate is capable of identifying and translating over 100 different languages and has a full set of international characters, making it a great addition to macOS. If you are traveling with your work laptop, this app is a must download.
While the translation is great, there is no better way to talk to someone in their native language. If you want to learn a new language, you need Wokabulary .
Flashcards are a traditional and effective way to learn vocabulary, where you write a word in one language on one side and its translation on the other, and question yourself until you know them all. It’s a proven strategy for language learning, but making and storing those cards is clunky and annoying.
Enter Wokabulary, an easy to use and flexible digital flashcard app. Wokabulary comes with sets of quizzes that help you learn any language and even lets you take your own tests and exercises. Additionally, Wokabulary will keep track of your stats to show you your progress and help you focus on the weak spots in your vocabulary.
How many ways to communicate!
Google Translate is really a powerful tool and following the Google Translator tricks above helps you to communicate with the world much easier.