Translation software on cell phone

[Chuck Cunningham]

I was wondering if any of you all have used a translation program on your cell phone like Google Translate or any ot the others available. If so could you please share your experiences.
Thanks in advance.

 

[Robo]

Yes. Google translate. It was very useful. Sometimes I would check phrases and pronunciation before I tried to speak. A couple of times for something more complex I just spoke into the phone and showed the translation.

 

[Chuck Cunningham]

Yes. Google translate. It was very useful. Sometimes I would check phrases and pronunciation before I tried to speak. A couple of times for something more complex I just spoke into the phone and showed the translation.

I was hoping for a reply like yours ! Awesome, thanks!

 

[NomadJMJ]

iTranslate

 

[dougfitz]

Google Translate worked well for me. I downloaded several language files beforehand, and had a small selection of phrases that I saved and could then easily modify to suit the particular circumstance.

 

[Hutton24]

I used a few different ones I downloaded - Can't remember which ones but got them through Google store - worked really well. I had a chat with a lady in a café one day about her cute little perro (dog). It is helpful but to be honest I rarely used it because most people could speak enough English so you could both understand what you wanted.

 

[kmrice]

Google Translate is great - but don't forget to download the language files you need. Otherwise, it only works when you have cell data (expensive) or WiFi. Once you download the file, it works off line.

 

[notion900]

Even for quite long pieces of text it does a not bad job. Here is an example, using a poem I like:

Caminante no hay Camino by Antonio Machado
Caminante, son tus huellas
el camino y nada más;
Caminante, no hay camino,
se hace camino al andar.
Al andar se hace el camino,
y al volver la vista atrás
se ve la senda que nunca
se ha de volver a pisar.
Caminante no hay camino
sino estelas en la mar.

Inelegant literal translation by me a real live person (feel free to correct it, native speakers!)
Wayfarer, the way is your footprints
And nothing more;
Wayfarer, there is no way.
The way is made by walking,
By walking, one makes the way,
And turning to the view behind,
One sees the path to which one
may never return to step.
Wayfarer, there is no way,
Only wakes on the sea.

Google's version
Walker, are your footprints
the road and nothing more;
Walker, there is no way,
Road is made by walking.
Walking the road becomes
and again look back
is the path that never
He has to step on.
Walker there is no way
but wakes in the sea.

 

[Chuck Cunningham]

Google Translate is great - but don't forget to download the language files you need. Otherwise, it only works when you have cell data (expensive) or WiFi. Once you download the file, it works off line.

Glad it works offline... that was going to be my next question. Sweeeeeeet!

 

[Anniesantiago]

Even for quite long pieces of text it does a not bad job. Here is an example, using a poem I like:

Caminante no hay Camino by Antonio Machado
.

Yes, but how about for short pilgrim phrases like

Do you have a toilet I can use?
Where is the albergue?
Is there a bar in this town?
Which way is the Camino?

 

[Kitsambler]

Google Translate was essential for me in rural Czech Republic, where very few people speak English (or German). I was able to have decent conversations with my Czech hosts, and they were thrilled to see technology was so helpful. In rural France, where the accent is so thick even Parisians have trouble, it's also very useful. Do be careful, as mentioned above, regarding the file downloads and European cell data charges.

 

[notion900]

Yes, but how about for short pilgrim phrases like

Do you have a toilet I can use?
Where is the albergue?
Is there a bar in this town?
Which way is the Camino?

yes, and

My feet hurt!
Is that a bedbug?
Stop snoring for pity's sake!

 

[notion900]

Prefer your translation. Have you heard Juan Manuel Serrated singing this?
One of my favourite singers and one of my favourite songs.
This poem is probably the reason I am walking the road next week.

Yes I love it. It's a bit hard to translate because I think some of it has a double meaning - does one make the way or does it make itself ??? There are some more poetic translations that do it more justice, but would not have demonstrated my point that Google is pretty good.

Here it is for those that have not heard it:

Link to full lyrics
Buen Camino @Jimmy Smith, golpe a golpe, verso a verso

 

[Scottlovelace87]

It also helps when you are ordering off of a Spanish or French menu It helps you get the food you want and like.

 

[HighlandsHiker]

Glad it works offline... that was going to be my next question. Sweeeeeeet!

Chuck, will you have international service with your home plan? I had trouble using Google translate along with other countries' SIM cards. Don't have enough tech savvy to say why, exactly, but I'm able to get international service that I can use for 24-hr periods at a time for a flat rate. That way I can group things I want to do into 24-hour time periods to save paying for days I don't need.

 

[HighlandsHiker]

I like the "expand" function so I can type, translate and show someone the enlarged print on the screen for longer questions. Sometimes people don't want to communicate that way, which is no problem, and sometimes they just look confused like the translation isn't just right, but it has really helped, especially hiking alone and having little Spanish to work with.

 

[Mike Savage]

It also helps when you are ordering off of a Spanish or French menu It helps you get the food you want and like.

I like to use it for menus and click on the camera icon (inside of the Google Translate app) you then point the phone at the menu as if you are taking a picture and you see the translation on your phone as you scan the menu.

Mike

 

[jmcarp]

Google Translate worked well for me. I downloaded several language files beforehand, and had a small selection of phrases that I saved and could then easily modify to suit the particular circumstance.

It may have changed since the last time I checked, but if you're using an iPhone, Google will not let you download language libraries like you can on an Android phone -- Apple and Google are not very friendly competitors. However, Google Translate works fine on an iPhone if you have wifi or a data plan.

 

[Chuck Cunningham]

Chuck, will you have international service with your home plan? I had trouble using Google translate along with other countries' SIM cards. Don't have enough tech savvy to say why, exactly, but I'm able to get international service that I can use for 24-hr periods at a time for a flat rate. That way I can group things I want to do into 24-hour time periods to save paying for days I don't need.

 

[Chuck Cunningham]

What I ended up doing was to buy a cheapo , unlocked flip phone,GSM and dual sim on ebay for $23.00 Will get a sim in Paris. I have a link on another post if you follow me...Then at home here i use a pay as you go verizon.. i have 8 days left on it which will give me plenty of time to download google translate and appropriate off line files for French and Spainish and then just use that phone for a translation device and use my flip for communications in france, then spain with another sim. I only need the french for calling in reservations, etc and not for calling home, etc. so i don't need a ton of extras...hope it works...

 

[Chuck Cunningham]

I like to use it for menus and click on the camera icon (inside of the Google Translate app) you then point the phone at the menu as if you are taking a picture and you see the translation on your phone as you scan the menu.

Mike

Unbelieveable.

 

[Chuck Cunningham]

What I ended up doing was to buy a cheapo , unlocked flip phone,GSM and dual sim on ebay for $23.00 Will get a sim in Paris. I have a link on another post if you follow me...Then at home here i use a pay as you go verizon.. i have 8 days left on it which will give me plenty of time to download google translate and appropriate off line files for French and Spainish and then just use that phone for a translation device and use my flip for communications in france, then spain with another sim. I only need the french for calling in reservations, etc and not for calling home, etc. so i don't need a ton of extras...hope it works...

If it doesn't work then I guess it's back to my old pidgin english, hand gestures with lively expression, awkward, confused stares from the locals and seeing mothers holding their child close to their breast as they run away.

 

[Chuck Cunningham]

yes, and

My feet hurt!
Is that a bedbug?
Stop snoring for pity's sake!

Who farted?

 

[trecile]

I like to use it for menus and click on the camera icon (inside of the Google Translate app) you then point the phone at the menu as if you are taking a picture and you see the translation on your phone as you scan the menu.

Mike

I used it inside cathedrals in Germany to read phrases inscribed in the stone!

 

[camino-david]

I had to see a medical practitioner on the Via de la Plata and she could not speak any English and I had only a basic knowledge of Spanish, but we communicated, including medical terms, using Google translate. It is amazing. Also can be used offline

 

[Chuck Cunningham]

I had to see a medical practitioner on the Via de la Plata and she could not speak any English and I had only a basic knowledge of Spanish, but we communicated, including medical terms, using Google translate. It is amazing. Also can be used offline

Several years I took my first trip overseas. As a rookie traveler I just assumed that english was an international language spoken by tons of people in almost any country and i would have no problem communicating or finding english speaking types. I bummed around Spain for a few weeks and was surprised how little english was used. I had a hell of a time communicating. It really detracted from the enjoyment of the trip. I can definitely see how a translate program would have been a real blessing. Also I want to learn all the French I can while there and i think the translate program will really help as you can see the words that you want to know immediately. You probably won't have much problem communicating on the Camino Frances as it has been/is so well traveled by english speakers but for me i want to take a translate program. Plus I think it would be great to communicate and understand the other person. A real win win for me.

 

[Lmsundaze]

At one albergue we met a pilgrim from Korea who spoke no English or Spanish or any language other than Korean. Through using google translate on all of our phones we were able to communicate with him some. He was a really nice guy who loved beer and the memory of the evening is a happy one. I haven't read all the replies, but you can now download google translate to your iphone (for Spanish anyway) and use it off line. I do recommend it -- even if your Spanish is reasonable there may be something you can't thing of how to say.

 

[Rod Murray]

I was wondering if any of you all have used a translation program on your cell phone like Google Translate or any ot the others available. If so could you please share your experiences.
Thanks in advance.

I used Google Translate a number of times, but especially in Galicia where some places we stayed there was definitely a language barrier. GT was able to do basic translations from English to Galician.

 

[Robo]

I like to use it for menus and click on the camera icon (inside of the Google Translate app) you then point the phone at the menu as if you are taking a picture and you see the translation on your phone as you scan the menu.

Mike

What phone are you using Mike. I don't get that icon

 

[Mike Savage]

Rob, I use an android phone. Look on the bottom left of the window below where it says "Tap to enter text"

 

[Jeff Crawley]

Yes, but how about for short pilgrim phrases like

Do you have a toilet I can use?
Where is the albergue?
Is there a bar in this town?
Which way is the Camino?

I used the camera icon to snap the screen - the app comes up with

¿Tienes un baño que puedo usar?
¿Dónde está el albergue?
¿Hay un bar en esta ciudad?
¿Qué camino es el Camino?

So yes I especially like the last one . . . which camino is THE Camino?

 

[Anniesantiago]

I used the camera icon to snap the screen - the app comes up with

¿Tienes un baño que puedo usar?
¿Dónde está el albergue?
¿Hay un bar en esta ciudad?
¿Qué camino es el Camino?

So yes I especially like the last one . . . which camino is THE Camino?

Yeah, that's Mexican Spanish I think.
You're asking where the bathtub is, maybe? lol!
Maybe not.
I always ask for the servicios, myself.

 

[notion900]

Google Translate is pretty good for getting the gist of Spanish into English, but I have doubts about it translating whole sentences of English into Spanish.
I agree with @Anniesantiago above, and am just not feeling the first one at all. I would say '¿Se puede utilisar los servicios?' or '¿Perdoname, hay aseos aqui?'
I think it literally translates each word (sometimes to inaccurate effect) but doesn't get the word order of Spanish at all.
Yesterday a selection of its efforts was posted on this thread, and I just got a bad feeling about most of them.
Can any native speakers comment on this?

 

[Jeff Crawley]

Yeah, that's Mexican Spanish I think.
You're asking where the bathtub is, maybe? lol!
Maybe not.
I always ask for the servicios, myself.

Well Google probably uses US English so washroom/bathroom . .
I always look at the door where there's a queue of perigrinas and take the door next to it

 

[notion900]

@Jeff Crawley sure, but it's taking idioms and rendering them strangely. ¿Tienes un baño que puedo usar? to me sounds a bit like you're asking a theoretical question about the state of maintenance of the bathtub in the bartender's house. And even if you were, I think you'd say podría or pueda, because the using isn't a certainty. I can't give definitive reasons why it's wrong, other than it sounds weird to me.

Whatever happened to old school Phrase Books? Aren't there apps for that now?

 

[notion900]

OK Google is officially scaring me now. Yesterday I was out in a car in the UK, using Google Maps on my phone to find our way. We were listening to its directions in English, and meantime chatting in Spanish. Get this: IT WAS LISTENING... It started giving directions in Spanish. Sorry but this freaks me out.

 

[Bradypus]

If you have an Android phone for internet access you may find it useful to use Google Chrome as a web browser. If you view a site in Spanish (or many other languages) it will give you the option to translate the page automatically. The translation will not be perfect but should give you the gist of what you are looking at.