The Android version isn’t quite as polished, but iPhone owners should definitely check it out.Īvailable on: Android, iOS SayHi Translate ($2) It has been updated for iOS 7 and has a nice, clear lay out that makes it very easy to use. It’s a well-made app that covers over 70 languages and provides a dictionary, text-to-speech, Romanization (which converts unfamiliar characters into English letters), and voice recognition via an in-app purchase. This is one of the most popular free language translation apps on iOS and it is now available for Android as well. It’s probably the best option for Android smartphones and the iPhone version is not far behind, but BlackBerry and Windows Phone users should look elsewhere.Īvailable on: Android, iOS iTranslate (Free, $3 for Voice Recognition) You can also download offline language packs so you don’t have to be connected to a network for the app to work. The Conversation mode is ideal for communicating with someone when you don’t share a common language, but it can struggle with some accents. It can translate between over 70 languages now and you can have the results spoken aloud.

You can use the free Google Translate app to translate speech, text, handwriting, and even text in images. You won’t get the nuanced skill of a real interpreter, but good language translation apps will get close enough for you to understand and be understood. We could all use a little help when conversing in an unfamiliar language, and our smartphones are equipped to provide it. According to the Census Bureau there are over 300 languages spoken in the US today. You don’t have to jet off to foreign climes to flex your language skills.

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