Most of the web is written in a handful of languages, but most of the people reading it are not native speakers of those languages. If a page is in a language you're still learning, or simply isn't your first one, you shouldn't have to give up on it.
This step-by-step guide shows you how to translate any website into your own language and, just as importantly, have it read aloud. Translating and listening together is one of the fastest ways to understand a page and to improve a language you're learning.
Can you translate any website into your own language?
Yes. You can translate a whole web page, or just the part you've selected, into your chosen language directly in the browser, without copying text into a separate translation site. It works on news, official forms, shopping pages, and articles alike.
Here's how to translate a whole page or selected text on any website in a couple of clicks.
Step 1: Set your language
Start by telling the tool which language you want to read in. Once that's set, it becomes your default, so pages translate into the right language every time without you choosing again.
Follow our guide to using Helperbird in your language to pick yours.
Step 2: Translate the whole page
When you land on a page in another language, translate the entire thing in one step. The page keeps its layout and images, but the words appear in your language, so you can read it as you normally would.
This is the quickest option for news articles, official notices, and anything you want to read top to bottom.
Step 3: Translate just a selection when you only need part
Sometimes you understand most of a page and only one paragraph or phrase is unclear. In that case, select just that text and translate the selection. It's faster and lets you keep practising with the original where you can.
This is especially useful if you're learning the language and want to check a tricky sentence without translating everything.
Step 4: Have the page read aloud
Reading and listening at the same time helps in two ways. It makes the meaning clearer, and it teaches you how the words are pronounced. After translating, use read-aloud to hear the page in your language while each word is highlighted.
Here's how to use text-to-speech on any website. You can change the voice and slow the speed down, which is a real help when you're learning. Our full guide to having any website or PDF read aloud covers every setting.
Step 5: Listen in the original language to learn pronunciation
If your goal is to learn the language, not just understand the page, try the reverse. Keep the page in its original language and have it read aloud so you can hear how it's meant to sound, then translate to check your understanding.
Switching between the two builds reading and listening skills at the same time.
Make a difficult page easier before you translate
If the original is dense or formal, it can be hard to translate cleanly. Two tools help here.
Immersive reader presents the page with comfortable spacing, syllable breaks, and built-in read-aloud, which makes long text far easier to work through. You can use immersive reader on any website.
Simplifying rewrites complicated language into plainer words, so the meaning is clearer before or after you translate. Here's how to simplify text on any website.
And if the page is cluttered with ads and pop-ups, reading mode clears everything away so only the text you want to translate remains.
Tip for writing back in another language
Reading is only half of it. If you need to reply, comment, or fill in a form in a language you're still learning, word prediction suggests the word you're reaching for as you type the first few letters, which takes the spelling worry away. Learn how to use word prediction on any website or in Google Docs.
A simple routine that works
For everyday browsing, this is all you need:
- Set your language once.
- Translate the whole page when you want to read it all.
- Select and translate a phrase when you only need part.
- Turn on read-aloud to hear it and check your understanding.
For learning, flip step four: keep the original, listen first, then translate to check.
Who this helps
This workflow is built for anyone reading across languages. If you're an English language learner, our roundup of browser tools for English language learners goes further with vocabulary and reading support. If you're helping an older relative who's more comfortable in their first language, our guide to the best free accessibility tools for seniors browsing the web pairs translation with larger text and read-aloud.
The short version
You can read any website in your own language, and hear it too. Set your language, translate the page or a selection, and turn on read-aloud to understand it and learn from it at the same time. Try it on the next page you can't quite follow, and it stops being a barrier.
