Online translators are becoming more and more common and they are making our life and our travels easier. We ca argue that they are not always very accurate, but we can’t deny that they represent a tremendous resource for language learners and for travelers.
For example if you have some text in a language that you don’t understand, then you can input it in Google Translate and get a sense of what the meaning is.
You can also use online translators as dictionaries. You will get information about the word, some synonyms, the pronunciation, text to speech, etc.
You can look up the meaning of two or three words combined (for example the three Italian words “non c’e’ male” that translate as “not too bad”).
You can do the reverse search, starting in your own language and have the translator provide the same words in the language of your choice.
You can improve the pronunciation of the language you are studying, by listening to the words you input in the translator.
You can write or dictate a phrase and have the translator do the spell-check for you.
Translators like Google Translate can be used online and as an App. They can be downloaded to your phone and used offline, even when you are not connected to a wifi. They will help you communicate with the locals and find those tricky words you don’t know in the foreign language.
Translators can be a helpful tool for children that can play them as a game and can use them to get curious about learning a new language, or just try a few new words in a foreign language.
Translators can help translate simple phrases to be used in quick email communications or blog comments, reducing the language barrier while interacting online.
Finally, these handy translators can become part of a daily routine for language learners who want to increase their vocabulary daily. By simply saying 5 words per day and having the translator display and pronounce them back to us, we can acquire 1825 new words in a year. This number roughly equals the number of words that most people use when communicating in any language. So, there you have it: spend a year with a translator in your pocket and you will be on your way to fluency!