Do you want to share your content with people around the world? Language doesn’t need to be a barrier in this technological world. Even if you only speak English but would like to reach a Spanish audience, you need not look far for help. You can write in a different language without mastering it with the help of Google Translate.

Google Translate was introduced by Google as a free tool to better communicate with different language speakers. With over 100 languages available on the platform, translation is a quick and easy task.

While it’s fun converting everyday phrases and words into another language, you can also have Google translate your entire document as well. The software can easily and quickly translate websites, Word documents, PDFs, and even Excel sheets.

Through the instructions in this article, you will learn how to use Google Translate to translate a document efficiently.

Method #1

Are you working on Google Docs? If yes, this method is for you.

  1. Open your browser and open your document in Google Docs,
  2. In the top ribbon or menu, click the “Tools” option,
  3. From the menu, select the “Translate” option,
  4. Name your document,
  5. Select the language you want it translated to,
  6. The translated version of your selected document will open in a new window and will also be available in your Google Drive.

Note: You will require to sign in to your Google account to translate your document through this method.

Method #2

If your file is a Word file or a PDF, don’t despair, there is a method you can follow to translate your file.

  1. Open your browser and open Google Translate.
  2. On the top left side of the webpage, select the button called “Documents”,
  3. From the language options on the left, select the language the document is already in,
  4. From the language options on the right, select the language you want the document translated to,
  5. Next, click on the “Browse your computer” option,
  6. From the pop-up file manager, select the document you need translated,
  7. Click the “Translate” button,
  8. Download the translated version of your document.

It is worth noting that the limit for uploading a file on Google Translate is 10MB, meaning the size of your file must not exceed this limit, or it won’t translate.

Method #3

If the above-mentioned methods of translation are not to your liking, there is still one more trick you can use.

  1. Open your browser and open Google Translate.
  2. On the top left side of the webpage, click the button labeled “Text”.
  3. From the language options on the left, select the language the document is already in,
  4. Copy-paste the text of your document in the left dialogue box,
  5. From the language options on the right, select the language you want the document translated to,
  6. Copy the translated text in the right-side dialogue box and paste it into a new document.

This model has a nifty trick to check the translated words. Simply hover over or double-click a translated word to find out the corresponding original word. For example, if you’re translating English to Spanish, click on a Spanish word in the right-side box to see what it means in English.

However, the dialogue box has a word limit of 5000. If your document exceeds this limit, you might have to translate it into chunks of 5000 words.

Caution

Google Translate is a handy tool, but it is not perfect. While the translated text is often reliable and well-translated, we recommend you exercise caution. Since its launch in 2006, the software has come a long way, mainly thanks to the machine learning software it adopted in 2016.

However, a machine can not fully comprehend the complexities of human language. The translation you get might not convey the context and purpose of the original text.

It might not cause any harm to everyday tasks or small matters, but if you need the translation for official business, it is best to get hands-on professional help. When it concerns business matters, you don’t want there to be any miscommunication that might jeopardize your project.

Hiring a translator or a native speaker to translate or check the Google translated file might be a good option.

Conclusion

Language is a beautiful testament to the uniqueness of humans. The hundreds of languages spoken in the world indicate the versatility of our species. The fact that we can communicate with each other without hindrances, all thanks to translation software, is something of a marvel.

We hope that through the instructions provided in this article, you were able to translate your document and share it with a broader audience.

Is there something you would do differently? Let us know in the comments below.