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Faster Ways to Translate WhatsApp conversations automatically? (English -> Spanish)


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I am still learning Spanish but talk to a lot of Spanish-only people on WhatsApp.

Recently, I used WhatsApp to get TotalPlay Internet installed (new Lake Chapala optical fiber ISP).  I was able to pull it off with no phone calls.

What's the easiest method of translating WhatsApp conversations as automatically as possible?

Current Method: WhatsApp via Chrome Browser

I use the phone, but it's faster to translate via desktop Chrome browser with https://web.whatsapp.com
because Chrome has a built-in automatic translator.  So I begin chat on the web-based version of WhatsApp.

Spanish WhatsApp Chat in Google Chrome

Many services can help me fix problems in Spanish:

            image.png.80ab7f39eafdefdf94218a5e3fb495e6.png

 

Activate Automatic Translator

It is sometimes difficult to enable the automatic translator on https://web.whatsapp.com because WhatsApp replaces the right-click menu with its own custom menu. Also, the translate icon is missing from the browser bar at first! 

SOLUTION: If you  right-click the EMPTY area near the top of the chat, then IT WORKS

Then I use Chrome browser to force translation:
1. Right-click on the empty area at the top
2. Select "Translate to English"

             image.png.16128d79c02794c6f7e810af2c059092.png

Now you can read your Spanish chats as if they were natively speaking to you in English.  This works for the remainder of the chat session, as long as you do not close the browser window.

English-Translated WhatsApp chat

             image.png.988d21193e680bdf569f7aedc3d67056.png

Sometimes New Messages Are Not Translated

To fix this,
1. Click the Translate icon. 
2. Then switch back and fourth (Click "Unknown" then click "English"). 
3. That will refresh the whole WhatsApp screen into 100% English.

          image.png.2fb813c8879e1fb9d07f920124b4f5a3.png

My Method of Responding in Spanish: Copy+Paste from Google Translate

Even though the chat "looks" like it's in English, the chat is still in Spanish -- the browser is simply automatically translating English to Spanish.

So I have to type in Spanish back.  I'm not good yet in Spanish (still learning), so I have to use Google Translate (translate.google.com) and use copy+paste to WhatsApp then hitting Enter to send my chat message.

If you are still new to Google Translate, double check translation in both directions (click the ↔️ button two times) to make sure your original English isn't scrambled when translating back.  This works very well most of the time for English-Spanish verification, as Google Translate has become very good with this language pair.

When you paste into WhatsApp, your typing will be translated to English.  However, if you do not start typing more text after your Copy+Paste, then hitting Enter on your pasted message will send the original Spanish to them.  And they will be able to understand what you are trying to say.

TIP: Use two browser windows side-by-side, one for Google Translate, and one for WhatsApp.  So you don't have to switch tabs. That saves one step.

 

Tips Wanted - Any Solutions for More Automatic Operation / Faster Responding in Spanish?

I am computer literate and software developer -- but this is a new frontier for me, being my first snowbird year.

I have researched and there are some third party software and browser extensions (Chrome Extensions), but I'm a little leery of installing too much third-party software -- so that's why I am asking you (Chapala Weboard audience), what's your favourite software for responding?   Faster than switching between two windows, and faster than Copy+Paste?

Do any of you have software that allows quicker responding to WhatsApp without copy and pastes?

What's your favorite method of translating WhatsApp automatically faster with fewer steps?

As I am still relatively new around here, I'd like to know what techniques for easier Spanish WhatsApp chatting you use while you're still new to Spanish.

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Can't help with your question but I wanted to thank you for your very down to earth and easy, logical ways of writing explanations on a number of threads. I do so wish that you were writing manuals... or teaching tech companies how to write manuals!!!!

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  • GDouglas changed the title to Faster Ways to Translate WhatsApp conversations automatically? (English -> Spanish)
9 minutes ago, Ferret said:

Can't help with your question but I wanted to thank you for your very down to earth and easy, logical ways of writing explanations on a number of threads. I do so wish that you were writing manuals... or teaching tech companies how to write manuals!!!!

That's what I used to do!  I wrote manuals at my job!

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Even this iPhone/iPad user (me) has to use a Google Translate product in one form or another (the app).  

It’s more well-integrated on Android.  Google automatic language translation has improved a lot over the years.

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