Apple’s built-in translation app that works with 11 languages

Apple on iOS 14 added a new translation app, which, as the name suggests, is designed to offer translations from one language to another. The Translate app has some useful features that are useful both when learning a new language and when trying to speak to someone who speaks a different language.

This guide explains all the features of the Translate app and how to use them.

Design

The Translate app has a simple and easy-to-use interface that allows you to select languages ​​to translate from and at the top, and options to write (or paste) text to translate or speak out loud after tapping the microphone option.

Translations are shown in large text, with the original phrase in black and the translation in blue. The iPhone can speak out loud when the play button is touched so you can get the correct pronunciation or play the translation to someone who speaks a different language.

Languages

The Translate app can translate to and from Arabic, Mainland Chinese, English (US and UK), French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.

Voice translations

With voice translation, you can tap the microphone in the Translate app and speak a phrase out loud to translate it into the target language. For example, if you selected English and Spanish as your chosen languages ​​and asked “Where is the bathroom?” the application will provide the appropriate answer: “Where’s the bathroom?”

You can speak in any of the supported languages ​​and translate the spoken language into any of the other languages. The Translate app works with simple phrases or long sentences and speeches.

Text translations

Text translations can be written in the Translate app, which is useful if you need to paste something from a website or document for a translation. To enter text, simply tap the phrase “Enter text” in the app and it will open in an interface where you can type or paste something with a tap.

You can type a single sentence or paste into long paragraphs of text, with the Translate app capable of translating everything in its entirety with a playable spoken translation so you can hear the pronunciation.

Conversation mode

Conversation mode is a small feature that allows you to chat back and forth with someone who speaks another language. To get to talk mode, simply turn ‌iPhone‌ to landscape mode.

In conversation mode, the PiPhone‌ listens both of them languages ​​and can translate directly between them. When you have a conversation with someone, just be sure to tap the microphone button when each person speaks and the PiPhone‌ will translate each person’s conversation into their language.

To use the talk mode with the automatic voice detection feature, make sure the setting is enabled by tapping one of the language boxes at the top of the application and scrolling down to make sure that “Automatic detection” is activated.

If automatic detection doesn’t work well, it can be helpful to turn it off and talk by tapping between the two microphones at the bottom of the app that appear when automatic detection is turned off. In this way, you can ensure that the PiPhone‌ is listening and translating the right language.

Note: The talk mode in the beta version of ‌iOS 14‌ seems to be somewhat flawed and does not always work well, sometimes it does not detect spoken languages. Apple will improve this feature during the beta testing period.

Attention mode

In the conversation mode with the ‌iPhone horizontal horizontally, if you touch the expansion icon (two arrows facing out), the translated phrase is displayed in attention mode, that is, large letters that occupy the entire screen of the PiPhone‌ to facilitate the reading.

In this mode, large text is useful for showing someone at a distance to convey their message when they cannot speak the language. Please note that this mode is better for short phrases and sentences rather than longer text due to zoom.

When you touch the play button, the translation will be heard aloud, and when you touch the conversation bubble icon it exits attention mode and returns to conversation mode.

Favorites

Any recent translation can be saved as a favorite through the “Favorites” tab so you can save and repeat your most used translated phrases when necessary. The Favorites tab also shows your recent translations.

Dictionary

If you touch any word in any language in the Translate app, the dictionary function will provide definition and usage examples, a function that is useful if you don’t know what a word means in another language.

Translations on the device

Translations by default are not done on the device, but if you download a language pack in the Translate app, translations to and from that language can be done on the PiPhone‌ for more privacy.

Translations that use offline languages ​​are private and on the device, and Apple does not have access to the content that was translated. Offline languages ​​can be downloaded by tapping one of the language boxes at the top of the Translate app, scrolling down to “Available offline languages” and tapping the download button next to the language you want to download.

Translate How Tos app

Guide Comments

Do you have any questions about the Translate app, know of a feature we missed, or want to comment on this guide? Email us here.