There are many occasions when you might need to translate a language in this globalizing world. You might be traveling abroad and need to talk to a stranger who knows nothing about English. Or you could be reading a menu with dishes outside of your vocabulary. In these situations, Google can help you out with its various applications for both Android and iOS.
You can use the Google Translate app to translate different languages, through voice or text. You just need to type or speak into the app. You can also just point your smartphone at a sign or a menu that is in a foreign language and you can see the instant translation.
Google Assistant’s Interpreter Mode, also provides real-time translations. You can use this as you talk to someone using a foreign tongue. The Assistant automatically translates your words as you ask Google to help you with a language, hence enabling you to carry on your conversation back-and-forth with the person.
This is how you could use both, Google Translate and Google Assistant to help you translate.
Google Translate
Google Translate works on both Android and iOS. If you are using an Apple device, you can download it from the App Store, and if you are using an Android device, you will find it on your Play Store.
You can translate typed text to more than 100 languages, the images can be translated into more than 90 different languages, the bilingual conversations can be translated on the fly in 43 languages, and can draw text for translation in 95 different languages. You can save the translated words for future reference.
Also, you will find some languages can be translated even in offline mode.
Different languages like English, French, Greek, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Russian, etc are translated.
Translate Text
Let’s imagine a situation where you want a French translation of an English phrase. Just tap the name of the current language on the top-left of the screen and choose English as the source language. Then move to the top-right of the screen and choose French as the target language. Then Tap to enter text and type the word or phrase that you want to be translated.
You can also use the stylus or your finger and write a phrase in English, one character at a time, by tapping on the pen. The app will try to predict the word as you write each character of it. Continue writing or select the predicted word if it matches.
After you have finished writing the whole phrase, Google Translate displays the translation in the target language. You can hear the translation and find out how it is pronounced using the speaker icon next to it.
Translate Images
This is a very cool feature that allows you to translate the text, into an image, captured through your phone’s camera. Just choose the correct source language and the target language that you want to translate it to. Then tap on the camera icon and aim your camera at the text that you want to be translated written in the source language.
Google Translate also allows you to translate live. Once the app recognizes the text it is easily translated to the target language and is visible on the screen.
You can scan the image using the scan icon, and then tap each piece of the text to see the translation. You can tap on the import icon to translate the photos from your phone.
Translate Speech
If your speech can be transcribed. You just have to tap the microphone icon on the top of the screen and speak the word or phrase to the app. These words are immediately transcribed into the target language. You can hear the translation using the speaker icon.
You could also just tap the Transcribe icon and start to speak. Then tap the microphone icon when you are done speaking. Now you can select and copy the transcription and paste it anywhere.
Real-Time Conversations
On Google Translate you can also carry a legit conversation back-and-forth with someone who cannot speak your language. You just have to choose the two languages and then tap on the Conversation icon. Now you can carry on the conversation automatically.
If you want to do it manually then you have to choose the language of the current speaker. But if you opt for automatic, Google automatically determines the language of the speaker.
Google Assistant
The Android devices generally have the Google Assistant pre-installed, but you can also download it from the Play Store if needed. If you want to use it on an iPhone, just download and install it from the App Store.
Its Interpreter mode support 44 different languages which include English Spanish, German, Russian, Vietnamese, Ukrainian, etc.
The Google Assistant can also be accessed on the Google Home speakers.
Translate Conversations
First, you have to launch Google Assistant and tell it the language you want to use. The command can be phrased in different ways, such as:
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"Hey Google, be my Spanish interpreter."
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"Hey Google, help me speak French."
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"Hey Google, interpret from English to Russian."
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"Hey Google, Japanese interpreter."
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"Hey Google, turn on interpreter mode."
As Google turns on the interpreter mode, it will automatically detect your language and ask you the language in which you want to translate. Then, tap on the microphone icon and say anything in your language. Google will display the translation.
The device can then be handed to the person you wish to talk to, and when they start speaking in their language, Google will automatically translate it. Their phrase will be displayed and spoken in your set language. You can continue in this manner to carry on a back-and-forth conversation.
Manual Translation
You can also switch to manual translation if there is some issue with the automatic translation.
Tap on the entry for Manual at the bottom of the screen. Then tap the microphone icon for all the speakers, one-by-one, along with their languages as they speak.
