Google celebrates 20 years of translation with a new pronunciation feature

Language plays a major role in building connections. If you’ve ever needed a split-second translation or worked your way through foreign language lessons at school, you’ve probably used Google translation.

Over more than 20 years, Translate has evolved from a web browser tool into a free app for Android and iOS, helping people read and communicate in other languages. Today, more than a billion users ask Google for translation help every month.

Google Translate has now launched a new feature for Android users to help with pronunciation. The tech giant also published a list of Key ideas and fun facts Over the past two decades.

Read more: The 6 Google AI and Lens features I use to plan my summer trip

Google Translate’s new pronunciation tool

Google today is rolling out Pronunciation Practice for Android, so you can practice speaking another language and get real-time feedback. This builds on Google’s Ask and Understand features, which provide additional context for language learning. The new pronunciation tool uses artificial intelligence to evaluate your conversational skills and provide tips for improvement.

When you try the feature yourself, the translation service will prompt you to repeat phrases, then record your pronunciation and offer specific tips for improving sounds, stress, and pronunciation.

The pronunciation practice tool is available starting today in the US and India. Languages ​​offered include English, Spanish and Hindi.

How people use Google Translate

Translation is useful in everyday situations, from reading news from abroad to traveling to another country.

For quick offline use, you can download language packs within the app. Once the package is installed, you can translate text and speech offline, which is useful during flights or when roaming in a remote area.

Google Lens also works with translation to let you point the camera at a menu, sign, or board and see the translated text overlaid on the image. I’ve tested this feature beforewith my iPhone camera pointed at the restaurant menu, which then gave me translations within seconds.

Behind these translation features are years of machine learning improvements. Google Translate supports nearly 250 languages, covering an estimated 95% of the world’s population. The service handles trillions of translated words each month across Google products, including Translate, Search, Lens, and Circle for Search.

Google had previously introduced live experiences, a feature that… Translates conversations in real time Using headphones and Google Gemini models. The live translation option recently became available on iOS, and the company says it is working on expanding this capability to more countries around the world for Android and iOS users. To try it, open the Translate app, then tap Live translation And connect your headphones.

Many people use subtitles to practice speaking in the real world, and about a third of live sessions last longer than five minutes, indicating that they rely on it for real-time conversations rather than just quick searches.

English to Spanish is the most common language pair in translation. Other common language pairs include English to Indonesian, Portuguese, Arabic and Turkish. The most commonly translated phrases are about gratitude, connection and love.

The translation service also helps with slang terms and cultural phrases, and now supports emoji and some sign language interpretations through AI-powered modes.

For more you can also read How I use Google Lens on all my travels And to Exploring is my favorite hobby.