Traveling abroad can be so much more fun (and meaningful!) if you at least have a clue as to what the people around you are saying. Getting that clue can be easy with a handful of amazing apps that can translate various languages on the spot. We scoped out the best apps for translating the most widely spoken languages in the world so we could give you a quick and easy rundown.
Chinese
If you happen to find yourself in a land packed with any of the nearly 1.2 billion folks who speak some form of Chinese as their first language, the way to go is Waygo. Waygo ranks as one of the best apps for translating for its ability to serve up instant visual translations of Chinese characters, with Japanese and Korean translations also on the list.
Spanish
If you’re heading to Mexico, South America or Spain, you’re likely to encounter at least a few of the 414 million people who speak Spanish as their first language. Google Translate wins hands down for translation of Spanish and dozens of other languages, depending on the translation tasks you’re looking for.
- 90 languages: translated by typing your text
- 26 languages: translated from visuals from your camera Â
- 40 languages: translated through two-way automatic speech results
Google Translate can take care of Spanish as well as languages that use the same characters as English, with limited abilities for those that use other characters in their alphabets.
Hindi
More than 260 million people speak Hindi as their first language, both in India and other areas across the world with large Indian populations. Hindi Translate can take care of quick translations of English to Hindi as well as Hindi to English using typed text or spoken words. The app can also double as a dictionary, putting hundreds of entries at your fingertips.
Arabic
From Egypt to Saudi Arabia and beyond, more than 237 million folks speak some form of Arabic as their first language. The aptly named Arabic English Translator app ranks among the best apps for translating Arabic to English, or vice versa. Typed text, spoken words and the ability to share your translations with contacts are just a few of the perks.
For the record, English ranks right after Spanish on the list of most widely spoken languages, with more than 335 million who speak English as their first language. While you may not need an app to help with your English while abroad, you may want to check out the top five travel apps that can help you with other tasks.
Still have questions? Feel free to contact Swift; we’re always happy to help!
