Japanese

How To Find A Good Japanese Translator App

When looking for a Japanese translation app you don’t want to waste your time scouring through models that are difficult to use, have too many ads or crash often. You also don’t want to find ones that give you incorrect translations too often because it can get you into bother and it can also hinder your Japanese learning.

So you want to know how to find a good Japanese translator app to help you communicate effectively in Japanese or to enhance your learning. Well don’t worry we can help you out with that.

Our Japanese Translation Apps

We’ve looked at all of the Japanese translation apps currently available and come with our list of the top ones. Make sure you take a look and find out which ones we recommend, and which ones we don’t.

How To Select A Good Japanese Translation App

• Check out the reviews. It’s important to check out the reviews that other users have left. You don’t want to be downloading an app that has loads of negative reviews otherwise you’ll be wasting your time
• Check out the features. Different apps have different features available that may or may not be beneficial to you. Take a look at the features the different apps offer when choosing which one to download and see which one works for you.
• Remember they’re free. It’s important to remember that the majority of the apps are actually free. So it’s not like you pick one and then you’re stuck with it. You can always try one out and then delete it at a later date.
• Check out your app stores. The app stores for your phones have algorithms which will push up the more popular apps to the top so chances are if you’re on the app store you’ll be able to find the best quality apps relatively quickly.
• Test out a couple. Why not download a couple of different apps and test them out. Then you can compare them yourself and see which one works for you. Make sure you leave reviews after you’ve tested them out so you can help out other people with the same question.
• Ask on forums. Another thing you can do is ask other Japanese learners which app works best for them. Getting recommendations from other people who are learning can be one of the most useful ways to find the best quality apps as the chances are they’ve already tested out a few for themselves.
• Double check the translations. Don’t just blindly accept the translation from the first app you choose. Translate it across more than one different platform to make sure the translation is accurate.

The best thing for you to do would be to check out our list of recommended Japanese apps, but don’t worry if the one you choose isn’t the same as the ones we’re recommending, it’s important that you find something that works for you and everyone has different language learning requirements. And remember! If you don’t like the app you’ve downloaded, you can just download a different one because the majority are free!

Next is learning how to use a Japanese translator app to ensure the best translations.

Will Using A Japanese Translation App Stop Me From Learning Japanese?

A Japanese translation app can be incredibly useful. In Japan the level of English isn’t great and Japanese is quite a difficult language for a native English speaker to master. Not only that but Japan is a fascinating country with an amazing culture and so much to see. So with that in mind lots of people are downloading Japanese translation apps to help them out.

However one of the big concerns of these apps is that fi you download one and start using it will it stop you from actually learning Japanese? Or could it harm your Japanese if you’re currently studying? The simple answer for that is no.

If the app could stop you learning Japanese then you realistically probably weren’t going to learn Japanese in the first place. People who want to learn a foreign language won’t be stopped from doing so just because they’ve downloaded a translation app.

In fact, a translation app could greatly help someone to learn Japanese. It doesn’t have to be you speak Japanese or you use the app, you can do both. When you’re out and about having conversations in Japanese you can use the app to look up single words and add them into your conversation. Then put your phone away and continue the conversation.

Also when you’re walking around Japanese and you see a word that you don’t know, you can use the app to find out what that word means and add it to your vocabulary list. Then you can look at your list later in the day and memorise all of the new words you’ve learned.

The only way that a Japanese translation app could harm your learning was if you were to use it instead of speaking. If every time you had the chance to have a conversation with someone you held up your phone to show them a typed out message and then asked them to type back their response then you might have problems. However, assuming you don’t do this there is no reason a translation app should harm your learning at all. It should really only help you to learn more and improve your Japanese.

Of course there are two main reasons people download one of these apps:

• To improve their Japanese
• To communicate when travelling around Japan

If you’re in the second camp then there’s nothing wrong with using one of these apps for a purely communicative function. It’s just important to remember that this isn’t the only way you have to use the app. And even if you’re not actively studying Japanese you can still use the app to pick up a few new words for fun.

So should I use a Japanese translation app? Yes you should! If you’re still not convinced then read here to find out why but hopefully we’ve managed to show you why it won’t harm your Japanese learning and how instead it can actually help you.

How To Use A Japanese Translator App

Although language translation apps are becoming more and more advanced, they still aren’t perfect. And there are certain ways you can use them to prevent embarrassing translations and also to get the most out of your translations.

Ways To Use Your Japanese Translation App To Avoid Mistakes

• Keep it simple. Don’t type in long, complicated sentences that need translating completely. If you do this you’re setting yourself up for problems. Instead you’re more likely to have translation success if you keep it simple. Instead of a whole sentence, try using words or short simple sentences to translate. The more simple the sentence the less chance of mistake the translator will have to make.
• Give the translator some context. Some words in English can have different meanings depending on the context. With this in mind, if a word has several definitions the translator doesn’t always know which translation to choose. A way to get around this is to give your translator some context. For example if I wanted to translate the word atmosphere, my translator doesn’t know if I mean the Earth’s atmosphere or the party’s atmosphere. So when you type in atmosphere, also type in Earth atmosphere and party atmosphere to check if they have different words. Then from the context given, you’ll know which one to choose.
• Cross compare. If you really need a translation to be accurate then there’s nothing wrong with doing a cross compare. Put the same word into more than one Japanese translation app to see if each app says the same thing. That should give you a good idea of how accurate your translation is and it should also show you which translators function in the most effective manner and which translators are going to get you in trouble.
• Try more than one. Before you settle on just one Japanese translation app try a couple to see what works for you. You may find that some are easier to use or that some have better translations than others. there’s nothing wrong with shopping around before you find the translation app that works for your Japanese needs.
• Use it as a supplement to your Japanese not as a replacement. You don’t want to shove your phone in people’s faces every time you need to translate something. It’s impersonal and it won’t help with your Japanese learning. Instead use it to look up the odd word that you then add to a sentence when you try to talk to someone. You’ll have much more personal experiences and be happier with your Japanese this way.

Another question that lots of people ask when they’re deciding whether or not to download one of these apps and working out how to use one is: will a Japanese translator app help my Japanese? If used well then the answer can be yes, very much so but make sure you read our article to find out how it can help with your Japanese learning.

Now you know how to use a Japanese translator app, it’s time to find one. Don’t worry about not finding the perfect one straight away. Most of the apps currently available are free, which means you can download and delete as many as you want until you find the one that fits your needs.

Should I Use A Japanese Translator App?

Whether you’re planning a trip to Japan or you’re studying Japanese, you may find yourself asking, should I use a Japanese translator app. Many people are sceptical over the accuracy of these apps, some people fear that using one will hinder their Japanese learning. Whatever your issue, there is definitely a debate over whether you should be using these apps.

So we’ve decided to take a look at them and tell you why there’s no harm in using a Japanese translation app and why you should consider using one to meet your Japanese language needs.

Why You Should Use A Japanese Translator App

• Most of them are free. To use a Japanese translation app it’s really not going to cost you anything. The majority of apps currently available are free so you won’t be spending any money to use them. Therefore you’re not losing anything by downloading one, at least not in a cost sense.
• They can help improve your Japanese. A translation app isn’t just for getting a translation to communicate. They can also help you to greatly improve your language skills. If you’re out and about and you’re learning Japanese, you can use your Japanese language app as a translation tool to help you learn new words and phrases. If you want to say something to someone but you don’t know how to, then simply look it up on your app, go and talk to them and you’ll have had a chance to practise and to learn a new word or sentence.
• English is not commonly spoken in Japan. If you’re considering getting one because of a planned trip to Japan then this is definitely something we would recommend. The level of English in Japan is surprisingly low and outside of the tourist areas, you’re probably going to have a difficult time communicating and getting around. To make your life easier, we would definitely recommend taking a Japanese translation app with you just in case you get yourself into a situation where you’re unable to communicate.
• They’re easy to use. Most of the apps available are very intuitive and easy to use. You’re not going to have an issue getting them to work because they’re so easy to work like many of the apps we have on our smart phones nowadays. And if you download one that is difficult to use, simply delete it and get a different one: problem solved!
• You can learn new vocabulary. After you’ve translated new vocab you can keep a list of all the words that you’ve learned and then study them later. This can be a super useful way to acquire new vocabulary.

If you’ve decided that a Japanese translator app is for you, then the next questions you probably have is: how to find a good Japanese translator app. Well you’re in luck because here we have collated the best Japanese translation apps currently available and put them into a useful article to get you started with your Japanese needs.

Will A Japanese Translator App Help My Japanese

A Japanese app alone won’t help your Japanese but it can definitely make a difference along with other learning methods. One of the main worries is that a Japanese translation app will prevent them from learning Japanese but this doesn’t have to be the case.

As long as you don’t replace speaking Japanese with the app and instead supplement your communication then a Japanese translation app can be incredibly helpful when learning Japanese. Let’s take a look at some of the ways you can use a Japanese translation app to improve your Japanese.

How I Can Use A Japanese Translation App To Improve My Japanese

• Use it to further a conversation. Instead of replacing the conversation with the app, only use the translator when you get stuck on a word or phrase. This can actually help you to continue a conversation that might otherwise have gotten stuck if you both weren’t able to communicate effectively. Once you’ve gotten the word or phrase, make sure you make the effort to switch back to speaking and don’t rely on the translation app to continue the conversation for you.
• Use it to look up new words. Don’t just use it in a conversation. Every time you come across a new word, make sure you use your app to look it up and commit it to memory. At the end of the day you can make a list of all of the new words you learnt that day and use that list to revise and improve your Japanese.
• Don’t rely on the translation alone. If you want the sentence to be perfect so you want to use the translator then hold off. Why not first try creating the sentence yourself. Then put it into the translator and see how close you were. If you do this each time you translate something you’ll notice your Japanese improving very quickly.
• Remember translators can make mistakes too. Although the technology is improving every day. Japanese translator apps are not perfect and will sometimes give you a slightly incorrect translation. You can use this to your advantage as a way to improve your Japanese skills. Look out for these errors and when you start noticing them you’ll know that your Japanese is starting to overtake the Japanese of the translation app.

We hope we’ve convinced you that a Japanese translation app can be a useful tool in improving your Japanese skills and needn’t serve as solely a way to translate phrases in a conversation. It can be a fantastic tool to help you learn, you just need to make sure that you’re using it in the right way.

If you’re currently studying Japanese or if you’re planning a trip to Japan and need something to help you communicate then take a look at the best Japanese translation apps here. We have taken a look at the Japanese translation apps and come up with our favourite ones to help you get started. And the best thing with our recommendations is that they’re all free.

Japanese translator apps are becoming increasingly popular as more and more people are tempted by the beauty of Japan. People want to visit the country but they also want to be able to communicate with the locals. That’s where Japanese translation apps come in. No longer do you have to worry about carrying a phrase book around with you, instead you can simply download a Japanese translation app and you’re on your way.

Now when we say Japanese translator apps, we mean a translator that does Japanese to English translations and English to Japanese translations.

The two-way translation is necessary in order to be able to communicate effectively in Japanese.

So let’s take a look at the best Japanese Translation Apps!

1. Google Translate – English To Japanese Two Way Translation
2. English To Japanese Translator – Kings & Queens
3. Japanese-English Translator – Klay’s-Development
4. Camera Translator – App World Studio
5. English Japanese Translator
6. Yomiwa

This is our list of the best Japanese translator apps available, now keep reading to find out which one is the perfect fit for you.

Best Japanese Translation Apps

This is our list of the top Japanese to English translation apps currently available to help you with your Japanese translations. Each app has something slightly different to offer but they all do the same job which is to translate Japanese to English and vice versa. (Some can even support translations across other languages!)

Google Translate – English To Japanese Two Way Translation

Our number one Japanese translator app is google translate.

Google translate has come a long way in the past decade. The translations are becoming more accurate and the features of the app are more futuristic.

With the google translate app you can take photos of text that you see and it will translate the text for you. You can also use the it for speech translation, hand written translation or just traditional typed translation.

And the best thing about the google translate app is that you can translate other languages, not just Japanese.

English To Japanese Translator – Kings & Queens

The English To Japanese Translator by Kings & Queens is a fun and interactive translator with attractive graphics.

The app is built with the idea that during your translation you’re wanting to learn Japanese as well. So if communication is your only objective then this app may not be for you but if you’re looking to learn as you communicate then we would highly recommend it.

Japanese-English Translator – Klay’s-Development

Camera Translator – App World Studio

The camera translator is the kind of technology that we’re beginning to expect from our translators.

No more sitting down and typing out a full translation, with the camera translator you simply point your camera to a piece of text and the app does the rest.

If you are a bit more old fashioned then don’t worry, with this app you can still input text but now you have the option for both.

This app does contain ads and in-app purchases.

English Japanese Translator

Our next Japanese translation app recommendation is simply the English Japanese Translator.

This English – Japanese translator is easy to use, has an attractive interface and is one of the most popular Japanese translator apps available.

With a built in dictionary and the ability to support typed, written and spoken translation, this app is the perfect companion for your trip to Japan.

Just like the other apps it’s also great to help with your studying and not just with translation for the function of communication.

Yomiwa

Our final Japanese translation app recommendation is Yomiwa.

Yomiwa uses real time camera translation which is great if you’re out and about in Japan and need something translating. You can also upload photos from you camera roll if you’ve already taken a photo but didn’t have time to translate it at the time.

Yomiwa is a fantastic Japanese tranlation app and is a must have is you’re planning a trip to Japan. But don’t just take our word for it, check out the Yomiwa app preview here:

If An App Isn’t For You….

So there you have our recommendations of best Japanese translator apps, but if an app isn’t for you why not consider something a bit more advanced?

How To Use A Japanese Translation App

Let’s face it, not translation app is perfect, at least not yet.

One day we might have translators that work flawlessly, but for now it’s important to note that they can and do make errors. Some of these errors are small and won’t hinder understanding but some are a bit more significant and can cause serious confusion.

With this in mind it’s important to know how to use a translator app to get the best possible results and to avoid unnecessary confusion.

So let’s take a look at how to get the most out of your English to Japanese translator app!

• Keep your sentences short – the longer the sentence the more chance of errors
• Keep your sentences simple – the more complex the more chance of errors
• Remember that some words have more than one meaning – if you translate a word and get an answer, it’s possible that word has another meaning. So if the translation doesn’t make sense, try again!
• If there’s confusion, use a second translator to compare
• Try to learn a bit of Japanese – if you have a basic understanding of Japanese then it’ll be easier for you to see if your app has made any errors

Hopefully with these tips you’ll have success with your Japanese translation.

Common Questions About Japanese Translator Apps

As translator apps are becoming more popular, as are the questions that come along with them.

Here are some of the most common questions we’ve come across regarding Japanese translators. We hope we’ve managed to answer them adequately for you!

Does using a Japanese translator app mean I can’t learn Japanese?

Of course not! You can learn Japanese and still use the translator app for situations where your Japanese may not be up to scratch yet.

A handy trick to use to stop yourself relying too heavily on your translator if you’re learning Japanese as well, is to start every conversation by speaking and then when you get stuck using your app rather than starting the conversation with the translator app.

Just because you’re using a Japanese translator doesn’t mean you can’t learn Japanese.

Is the translation perfect?

The accuracy of the translation will depend on which app you have.

All apps have the possibility of making small grammar mistakes but the translations are getting better everyday. And remember you’ll probably be using this app in order to communicate, not to speak Japanese perfectly.

Will I need to use the internet?

Unfortunately many of the apps do require internet access but the great news is that Japan is quite a well connected country as far as internet goes.

To find out if the app you’re using requires internet you’ll have to read the specs specific to that app.

Do I have to pay for a Japanese translation app?

Great news here is that the majority of Japanese translation apps are FREE. However you’ll have to check with the individual app that you want to use as there are some that do cost money.

But if you’re not fussy on which app you want to use then you will be able to find one that’s free.

Do I need to download a Japanese keyboard to use the apps?

If you want to use your app to translate from English to Japanese then you shouldn’t need a Japanese keyboard.

However if you want to translate things that you’ve seen in Japanese back to English then it would be beneficial to download the keyboard.

Check with the app you use to see what it recommends.

Are the apps ad free or not?

Again this depends on the specific app you’re using but the majority are not ad free. This is because if you can download them for free, the company still makes money, so they add ads to the apps.

But don’t worry, usually these apps aren’t intrusive and you can close them with the click of a button.

If you find ads becoming an issue with the app you’re using then maybe it’s time to switch apps.

Can a Japanese translation app help me learn Japanese?

Of course it can! Maybe not to a level of fluency, as you will need to study and practise speaking but a translation app is a great thing to have if you want to learn Japanese.

If you’re out and about in Japan then you can use your app whenever you see a new word to find out what it means. This way you can acquire new vocabulary to help with your Japanese while also understanding what is going on.

We hope you’re enjoyed our recommended list of the best Japanese translation apps available. Let us know which one you use and why in the comments below.

Will A Japanese Translation App Kill My Battery?

There is no reason that a Japanese app should kill your battery while you’re using it, but if you find your battery is going down just make sure you close the app properly when you’re not using it. That way even if it does use a lot of battery, it’ll only be doing so for the time it’s actually in use.

Will A Japanese App Take Up Lot Of Memory?

How much memory the app takes up really depends on which one you end up choosing. When you download a Japanese translation app make sure you take a look at how much memory it needs. If your translation requirements aren’t serious then it may be worth considering one that uses a bit less memory than if you need top of the range.

Should I invest in an electronic translator?

Sometimes an app on the phone isn’t enough and you need something a bit more powerful. A great option for this is an electronic translator. These devices work similarly to apps but are pieces of technology all by themselves. Whether or not you decide one is necessary is completely dependent on your translation requirements. They are really useful pieces of technology but can sometimes be on the pricey side. For that reason we would recommend downloading a Japanese translation app first and if it’s not meeting your requirements, then you can think about investing in an electronic translator device.

Is A Japanese Translation App Necessary For A Trip To Japan?

This really depends on your level of Japanese and also your ability to communicate without language. Although English is spoken in some of the tourist areas of Japan, the levels of English aren’t actually that great. If you’re going to do anything besides stay in an international hotel and go to major tourist hotspots then some level of Japanese is necessary. Without Japanese you won’t be able to do things, buy tickets for transport and eat in certain restaurants. And if you don’t want to learn Japanese yourself then we’d say a translation app would definitely be required.

Is A Japanese Translator App Better Than A Dictionary?

Whether an app is better than a dictionary is something up for debate. A translator app works very much in the same way as a dictionary, the different being that you can type in any word and see what comes up rather than looking up words in alphabetical order. It could be said to be preferable to a paper dictionary as it’s not something you have to carry around with you but electronic dictionaries and electronic translators are becoming more and more similar to the point that it’s different to classify which one is a dictionary and which one is a translator.