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3 Easy Ways to Use Google Translate that You Probably Don’t Know

Google translate tips and tricks that I show you in this post can be used anywhere in the world. I believe this information will help you in your travels.

What is Google Translate? 

Google Translate currently supports 109 languages and voice input for 45 languages.

Google Translate is a free tool designed to remove language barriers. You can access this app also with your smartphone as well as your pc. 

With google translate, 

  • you can translate any website  
  • you can understand any image with writing on it (You can translate website images, street labels, handwriting, and restaurant menus)
  • You can have daily conversations with people without knowing their language.

How to translate and use websites written in foreign languages?

Let me try to explain by example. 

Think that you are in Turkey, China, Serbia, or a similar country, and you want to shop online. Yet, the most popular online shopping websites do not support English.

The solution is simple. You can use google translate to browse these websites. Let me show my point by translating Trendyol, one of Turkey’s most used online shopping websites.

Translating and Changing the Language of Trendyol

The Trendyol website has nearly 80% market share in the Turkish e-commerce market. Trendyol’s website looks like this. Yet, you can shop from Trendyol without knowing any Turkish Language.

BEFORE GOOGLE TRANSLATE

All the text is Turkish on Trendyol’s website

Probably you do not know Turkish, and you can not understand anything, but Google Chrome’s Google Translate will do the trick. 

  • Open the Google Chrome browser.
  • Right-click on the website you are browsing and select the “Translate to English” option.

TIP If you are using a PC with a Turkish language setup, this option reads as “İngilizce diline çevir.”

By the way, Trendyol recently opened a new multi-language website (including English and German languages). You can click to go to Trendyol’s homepageTrendyol’s English website, or Trendyol’s German Website.

AFTER GOOGLE TRANSLATE

After Google translate, all the text is translated to English.

All is done. Now you can understand everything. You can translate websites with your Android and ios mobile phones as well.

How to translate websites with your Android phone?

  • Open the Google Chrome browser.
  • Go to the webpage you want to translate and click on the three dots symbol at the top of the screen.
  • Choose the translate option.

TIP If you are using an Android system with a Turkish language setup, this option reads as “Çevir.”

How to translate websites with your iPhone or iPad?

  • Open the Google Chrome browser.
  • Go to the webpage you want to translate and click on the Settings at the bottom of the screen.
  • Select the “more languages” option, then select the language.

To get quick advice on how to shop for clothes, food, electronics, books, event tickets, second-hand products, cars, and property read my Guide to Online Shopping in Turkey

How to translate menus, images, and handwriting with Google Translate?

With the above process, Google Translate did not translate the text on images. Here is the solution for translating any foreign writing placed on any image.

This Google Translate feature is not available on PC as of now. You can only access it with a mobile phone or iPad. 

Google Translate can literally save your life. This is how it works.

A RANDOM STREET LABEL IN TURKEY

First, you need to install the Google Translate app to use this feature.

Google Translate app is free and easy to access. If your phone uses Android, go to Google Play and download it.

The app is also available in the Apple store if you use an iPhone or iPad.  

Best of all, you do not need an active internet connection to use it. Once you load the language data, you can use it offline. However, some claim it translates better with an internet connection.

You can translate website images, street labels, handwriting, and restaurant menus. Here is how to do it.

  • Open the Google Translate app. 
  • Select the Camera function and
  • point your cell phone camera to the image you wish to translate. That’s it.

How to have multi-language conservation with locals?

Google Translate is the ultimate tool to remove language barriers and blend with the locals. Do you want to converse with someone who does not know your language? It is easy.

  • Open the Google Translate app 
  • Select the Camera function and
  • Select the language pair. 
  • Google Translate will translate everything you say and say it in the other language selected.

A Case Study on Google Translate – Could you trust Google Translate with your Life?

In a recent study, 100 sets of Emergency patient instructions were translated by a group of researchers. The researchers examined how Google Translate was translating them. 

They found out Google Translate has an accuracy between %81-%92 percent depending on the language.

If the doctor were to act as the translation suggested, the inaccuracies on the remaining part would be life-threatening.

Yes, Google Translate can help you tremendously with regular daily issues. Yet, it can be disastrously wrong. Do not depend on Google Translate for important matters.

Google Translate is still in the development phase. This app is not yet ready to replace human translators. Use it with caution and common sense.

If you are here to learn how to shop with Turkish shopping websites, you may like my other articles.

My Shopping Guides For Turkey

If you are not looking for a specific guide, you can also check “Online Shopping in Turkey (Everything from Homes to Food)” containing a summary of all.

ElectronicsSupermarket and GroceryBooksPork products
Fast Food DeliveryTurkish TowelsTurkish FigsTurkish Apricots
Turkish Cologne “Kolonya”ShoesTurkish Clothes Turkish Supermarkets
Shopping Guides for Turkish Things

Suraya ZIN

Monday 14th of February 2022

Thank you. I am residing in Ankara now and I have difficulties to shop online. I hope your advise will help me. I am still struggling to shop outside and also get on the private buses. Asking for directions was challenging. My husband has been great in being my interpreter but I am used to being independent and without him around it is challenging for me.

Efe Genit

Thursday 17th of February 2022

I am glad the article helped.