Never be ‘At a loss of words’ with these Translation Apps

Struggles to translate road signs and menus or strike basic conversations with locals are not uncommon when travelling abroad. And then begins the inevitable series of ‘if onlys’ - ‘If only you had taken those French lessons seriously’; ‘If only you’d heeded your parents’ advice and learnt that foreign language’…To save you from these, our UNIGLOBE experts have carefully compiled a list of ‘Top 3 Translation Apps’, so you never have to be at a loss of words in a foreign country.

Google Translate

The app generates a written translation for anything that you type, speak, photograph or draw on your touch screen. It also offers audio translations for almost half of its supported languages. The app also offers downloadable translation packs for 50 languages that you can use while offline. Besides language translations, the app is also savvy with brand names.

Free; Android, iOS

Number of Languages – 90

Word Lens

This app is best for translating signs and menus. It gives you the meaning of any word or phrase you point your smartphone’s camera at. It supports translation between English and Russian, Spanish, French, Italian, German and Portuguese, and works best with large, clear fonts. Best of all for travelers, it works completely offline – so you'll know what you're ordering from that little restaurant down the road, even if it doesn't have wi-fi.

Free; Android, iOS, and Google Glass

Languages supported: Russian, Spanish, French, Italian, German and Portuguese

TripLingo

This voice translator offers several translations for formal, casual, and slang versions of nearly any given phrase. Besides, it also includes helpful phonetic guides, instructional phrase books, audio lessons, and tip sheets on local etiquette. The phrase books and tip sheets work connection-free.

$9.99 per month; Android, iOS

Number of Languages: 23

Before you take that next trip abroad, make sure to download these apps recommended by our UNIGLOBE experts. Rest assured, there’ll be no more awkward fumbles with words or losing your way around menus abroad.