What Is It?
Learning new languages doesn’t come easily to 99% of the population. But when you travel, it’s not only respectful to attempt to communicate in the local language, but it can also make the difference between having a great travel experience versus being frustrated or lost the entire time!
We’ve looked at all of the major translation apps, and Google Translate is still our favorite. It will translate anything you write, speak, draw, or shoot on your camera…into 103 languages (and growing). It’s hands down the most comprehensive translation app. on the market with the greatest breadth of languages.
That being said, it isn’t perfect. Occasionally you will experience an inaccurate translation, particularly with a longer sentence translating into a lesser-supported language. But overall, this is the perfect language companion that will help you bridge the language gap wherever you travel. Plus, it’s free!
Our Favorite Part
Google Translate allows you to use your camera to take photos of menus, signs, or even handwritten notes. You simply take the photo, use the “tap to translate” feature to translate it into your selected language, and “voila!” (that’s French for BOOM!) your image is translated.
TIP: Download the offline application if you will be traveling without access to WIFI. It works remarkably well.
Get It Now
Krista’s passion for exploration and world travel was ignited in college when she packed her suitcase and moved to Sweden to study International Business for a year. She hopped on a train or plane every weekend from her home in Uppsala and traveled throughout Europe, making new friends and new memories along the way. Soon after her college career ended, she felt the tug of wanderlust again, and this time went even further…to live on the beach down under in a little place called Australia! Krista’s traveling habit started stacking up frequent flyer miles and she didn’t have a way to organize or utilize all of the points she was earning. So she decided to take matters into her own hands and founded UsingMiles , a company that would help frequent flyers and road warriors become mile moguls. Fast forward to today and you will find Krista engaging with travelers from all over the world to help them find the perfect bag. And of course, planning her next trip.