For those of us traveling around the world for business, there often simply isn’t enough time to learn the native language of every country we’re traveling to. For a long time, the only solution was to carry around an inconvenient and slow to use translation book or hire an expensive translator for the duration of our travels.
Fortunately, technology has made it possible for us to use something we’re already carrying, our smartphones, and with the help of translation apps we can find our way around the world. There are quite a few translation apps available for this purpose. Here are the best ones we’ve found:
Fortunately, technology has made it possible for us to use something we’re already carrying, our smartphones, and with the help of translation apps we can find our way around the world. There are quite a few translation apps available for this purpose. Here are the best ones we’ve found:
Google Translate:
This app is hands down our favorite. Why? Because unlike almost every other translation app out there, it does not require an internet connection. For those of us that try to keep our roaming data to a minimum, or for when we’re in countries where a cellular data connection is not yet as ubiquitous as it is in the United States, this is possibly the most valuable feature a translation app can have.
To use it with a Android phone, download it from the Google play store before your travels.
On top of that, Google Translate is free! With over 70 languages built into the app, you will be covered no matter where on the planet you happen to be!
Languages:
The Languages app by Sonico GmbH comes in at a VERY close second. Languages also offers a translation dictionary that does not require an internet connection. Although Languages is not free, it is still very inexpensive (only $2.99 in the Apple App Store). For a one-time price you get English, Spanish, German, Italian, Dutch, Portuguese, French, and Swedish built in. The only real issue we have with this app is that it is limited to those languages, so if you’re going to a country where another language is spoken, you’ll have to choose a different app.
This app is hands down our favorite. Why? Because unlike almost every other translation app out there, it does not require an internet connection. For those of us that try to keep our roaming data to a minimum, or for when we’re in countries where a cellular data connection is not yet as ubiquitous as it is in the United States, this is possibly the most valuable feature a translation app can have.
To use it with a Android phone, download it from the Google play store before your travels.
On top of that, Google Translate is free! With over 70 languages built into the app, you will be covered no matter where on the planet you happen to be!
Languages:
The Languages app by Sonico GmbH comes in at a VERY close second. Languages also offers a translation dictionary that does not require an internet connection. Although Languages is not free, it is still very inexpensive (only $2.99 in the Apple App Store). For a one-time price you get English, Spanish, German, Italian, Dutch, Portuguese, French, and Swedish built in. The only real issue we have with this app is that it is limited to those languages, so if you’re going to a country where another language is spoken, you’ll have to choose a different app.
iTranslate:
iTranslate is another translation app by Sonico GmbH. Unlike Languages, iTranslate is free to download! iTranslate does need an internet connection to work and its dictionary and quick translation is great when you are on the go! iTranslate offers a “Premium Package” that includes voice recognition and Romanization, which means turning non-Latin language symbols (such as Chinese) into a Latin phonetic spelling. The Premium Package has a price of $4.99 per year, well-worth the cost for any regular travelers!
World Nomads:
The World Nomads app works differently than the previous three. Instead of translating specific phrases that you type into it, World Nomads has easy to access prebuilt categories. For example, “Food and Eating” has a list of phrases for ordering food, paying bills, etc. “Transport” tells you what to say when catching a cab or trying to figure out a train schedule. World Nomads is free and works offline, so it’s a great complement to one of the three apps above, but we don’t recommend that you rely on it alone, as it can be somewhat limiting, especially when it comes to understanding what others are saying to you in response to the phrase you just said to them!
SpeakText:
SpeakText is offered for $16.99, but it has a free, albeit limited, version available for you to try before deciding if it works for you. SpeakText is primarily used to translate documents and have documents spoken aloud. This can be very useful for business meetings where a lot of content needs to be translated and there aren’t the types of time constraints you might have when stopping someone on the street asking for directions.
iTranslate is another translation app by Sonico GmbH. Unlike Languages, iTranslate is free to download! iTranslate does need an internet connection to work and its dictionary and quick translation is great when you are on the go! iTranslate offers a “Premium Package” that includes voice recognition and Romanization, which means turning non-Latin language symbols (such as Chinese) into a Latin phonetic spelling. The Premium Package has a price of $4.99 per year, well-worth the cost for any regular travelers!
World Nomads:
The World Nomads app works differently than the previous three. Instead of translating specific phrases that you type into it, World Nomads has easy to access prebuilt categories. For example, “Food and Eating” has a list of phrases for ordering food, paying bills, etc. “Transport” tells you what to say when catching a cab or trying to figure out a train schedule. World Nomads is free and works offline, so it’s a great complement to one of the three apps above, but we don’t recommend that you rely on it alone, as it can be somewhat limiting, especially when it comes to understanding what others are saying to you in response to the phrase you just said to them!
SpeakText:
SpeakText is offered for $16.99, but it has a free, albeit limited, version available for you to try before deciding if it works for you. SpeakText is primarily used to translate documents and have documents spoken aloud. This can be very useful for business meetings where a lot of content needs to be translated and there aren’t the types of time constraints you might have when stopping someone on the street asking for directions.
SpeakText also allows you to copy and paste newspaper articles and web pages from the country you’re visiting into the app so you can keep up with the local news. This app is not designed for recreational users, but it is a powerful way to get a rough translation of large quantities of text on the go.
Although these apps are essential when you’re traveling, they still are going to leave you with a rudimentary translation that would be considered unprofessional in a formal setting. For this reason, it is crucial that you get professional translation anytime the content is for legal, technical, or business purposes.LanguageTran is an industry leader in providing professional translations in any language at a price that makes sense for your business. For a free quote and more details on the types of services LanguageTran offers, click here.
Although these apps are essential when you’re traveling, they still are going to leave you with a rudimentary translation that would be considered unprofessional in a formal setting. For this reason, it is crucial that you get professional translation anytime the content is for legal, technical, or business purposes.LanguageTran is an industry leader in providing professional translations in any language at a price that makes sense for your business. For a free quote and more details on the types of services LanguageTran offers, click here.
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