Google Translate for Android gets Conversation Mode

There was lots of laughter at Softonic today as we tried out the coolest feature in the new version of Google Translate for Android – Conversation Mode.

It is pretty revolutionary – but for the moment it’s only available in Spanish/English. Once you have installed Google Translate (you might also need to download text-to-speech software, but if you do, the app will prompt you), hit the little microphone and speak.

Google Translate quickly analyzes what you have said, translates it into Spanish (or vice versa) and plays it back – in Spanish – to the listener. To respond to what’s been said, press the Responder en español button, and speak Spanish. The original speaker hears your answer in English, and so on. Google Translate’s Conversation Mode allows you to have conversations in languages that you don’t actually speak!

If Google Translate isn’t sure what has been said, it will ask you for confirmation before translating – but you can turn this feature on or off. Even so, the app did pretty well when we tested it, often getting the translation more or less right on the first go, especially if you speak loudly and clearly. As you can see from the screenshots – even when it’s wrong, it’s pretty funny!