Google Translate has come a long way since its humble beginnings in 2006.
I fondly remember my high school French teacher telling us that under no circumstances were we to use Google Translate to help with our homework.
While we ignored him (of course), he was correct to inform us that the service was inadequate for anything beyond the most basic single-word translations.
But 20 years later, Google Translate is perhaps Google’s most effective app, merging decades of experience with the latest AI developments to produce a seriously effective app.
However, while Google Translate supports about 250 languages, it misses one core component of language education. Speech.
While Google has offered text-to-speech in Translate for years, it has lacked any way to practice speaking words. But now, as part of Google Translate’s 20th anniversary celebration, pronunciation practice is finally here.
I thought Duolingo was enough, but Google Translate is secretly a better teacher
I didn’t expect this shift at all
Pronunciation practice is the feature we’ve been begging for
Limited availability means you probably can’t use it yet
Google Translate’s new pronunciation tool uses AI to analyze your speech and provide feedback.
Tapping the Pronounce button reveals a phonetic breakdown of the sentence or word and a prompt for you to try it yourself.
The app will then analyze your speech and highlight the sounds you have improperly pronounced.
The service doesn’t seem to be geared toward teaching you to sound like a native, but it ensures each word is clear and easily understood.
As we see in the demonstration video from Google, the app will give you friendly and encouraging advice, but it doesn’t go much further than highlighting severe mistakes.
AI is capable of picking up the subtleties of languages, but don’t expect this to completely fix your pronunciation immediately.
The feature is currently available in the US and India in English, Spanish, and Hindi.
Pronunciation practice is a long-requested feature of Google Translate, and it builds on what has quietly become one of the most effective language apps.
Google Translate is the best reference for learning a new language
The ideal companion to real lessons
It’s worth prefacing this section with the statement that no app can replace the real-world equivalent of a teacher demonstrating the language in person. Even AI-powered apps that simulate a real teacher don’t come close to providing that experience.
Nevertheless, some apps do a better-than-average job of teaching you a language, and Google Translate is one of them.
Google Translate’s practice move launched in 2025 and transformed the app from a quick way to translate phrases to an effective way to learn and practice languages. While it relies heavily on AI, the experience is one of self-guided discovery rather than a rigid learning path.
I’ve used Google Translate’s practice mode on and off for a few months now, and I’ve learned that the lack of structure can be a problem.
I feel like I’m constantly discovering basics that I ought to have learned earlier in my journey, which makes me long for a structured approach.
Yes, it’s boring, but there is value in repeating the basic building blocks of a language.
Instead, Google Translate feels like the ideal tool if you’ve booked a holiday a few months away and need to ground yourself in a language.
The practice tools are tuned to exactly this experience, letting you learn the phrases you’ll need without burdening you with unnecessary phrases or words.
From planning to traveling, Google Translate is the best companion
It really has everything you need
What makes Google Translate stand out is that it has the complete package.
Let’s say that at the last minute, I decided to take a detour on my holiday to France to spend a day in Berlin to visit friends.
I’ll have German-speaking companions on my visit, so it’s not worth spending hours learning advanced interactions.
Instead, I can ask Google Translate to create a course on basic introductions and greetings (long trips abroad have taught me you can get very far by politely greeting someone in their language before admitting that’s all you know), while using the new tool to get to grips with the pronunciation (after Google supports German, that is).
While there, I can use the camera tool to browse menus and signs, and if I get separated from my friends, use the conversation feature to get around.
While other language apps can do a better job of teaching you a language from scratch, Google Translate is the app I go to if I need to learn phrases quickly and practice the basics.
Google Translate feels like Google’s best app
Apps like Google Translate make Gemini feel like an asset, not a devil’s bargain.
I’m constantly impressed by Google’s ability to turn the app from a quick way to identify a word to a fully-fledged education tool.
Pronunciation practice is the latest step on this journey, and I’m keen to see where the app goes next.
