Translation Apps Stumble on Idioms

Article Highlights:

• Translation apps are improving regarding real-time conversation and image translation but struggle with cultural nuances and idioms.
• DeepL and Google Translate lead in AI-driven contextual accuracy, while others like Duolingo and iTranslate focus on spoken ease.
• Literal translations often misfire with idioms, causing confusion instead of clarity for international travelers.
• New features across translation apps include offline mode, camera input and more intelligent AI that better understands tone and intent.
• Idioms like “push with the belly” and “to sing in yogurt” stump even the most advanced apps, revealing the limits of machine learning

Translation apps are becoming essential travel companions. From snapping photos of menus in Tokyo to conversing in Paris, these digital linguists are helping travelers navigate foreign lands more easily than ever. The likes of Google Translate, Deepl, Microsoft Translator, iTranslate, Duolingo and Apple Translate dominate this space, each offering unique strengths and growing capabilities. Yet even with their rapid progress, these apps continue to struggle with one thing: idioms.

An idiom is more than just a quirky phrase. It carries cultural weight, paints imagery and relies on shared context. And this is exactly where even the most innovative translation apps often fall short. Literal translations can make no sense or, worse, completely misleading. Consider the English idiom “piece of cake.” A straightforward request to Google Translate turns this into “un morceau de gâteau” in French, a literal but baffling result. The real idiomatic match in French would be “les doigts dans le nez” — literally “fingers in the nose” — which still doesn’t mean anything to non-native speakers unless they understand the cultural intent.

DeepL Translation App

Translation apps like DeepL have made impressive strides in overcoming such challenges. DeepL, built around artificial intelligence and neural networks, often delivers more context-aware translations. In contrast, older rule-based systems or simple word-for-word converters frequently botch idiomatic phrases. For example, the Spanish idiom “A otro perro con ese hueso,” which means “Try that on someone else,” was interpreted correctly only by DeepL. The rest, including Google Translate, Apple Translate and Duolingo, translated the phrase literally as “To another dog with that bone,” a sentence that might raise eyebrows instead of understanding.

The problem lies in the way idioms are baked into culture. They are not universal, and even if two languages share similar imagery, the meanings may diverge.

Duolingo and iTranslate

The French expression “chanter en yaourt” describes singing in a made-up or misheard language. It’s like singing along to a foreign pop song and botching every word. Most apps, including iTranslate, Duolingo and DeepL, captured the essence. Google Translate, however, served up the surreal “to sing in yogurt,” missing the point entirely.

Still, the race to improve translation accuracy is heating up. AI is rapidly refining vocabulary, grammar and the ability to decipher tone, context and even humor. Google Translate recently expanded its real-time conversation mode. DeepL added a writing assistant that catches nuances in tone. Microsoft Translator continues improving its image-based translation feature, a helpful tool for travelers needing to decode signage or packaging. Offline translation has also become a must-have, with Apple Translate leading the way in iOS environments where cellular access may be limited.

Microsoft Translator

Yet, while these advancements are impressive, they don’t fully resolve the idiom issue. One Portuguese idiom that exposes this gap is “Empurrar com a barriga.” Literally, “push with the belly” captures the feeling of procrastination. DeepL, Duolingo and iTranslate interpreted it well. Microsoft Translator offered a reasonable cultural equivalent — “kick the can down the road.” Apple Translate and Google Translate, however, defaulted to the literal phrase, which lost all meaning in English.

Translation apps serve a range of purposes beyond travel. Duolingo is known as a language-learning app, but many travelers use it for quick, helpful translations. iTranslate offers smooth voice interactions that come in handy during conversations abroad. Microsoft Translator provides an enterprise edge with multilingual collaboration features often used in business settings. Apple Translate, built into iPhones, is convenient for offline use and integrates well with Apple’s ecosystem. Google Translate, the behemoth in this space, supports over 130 languages and handles images, voice and text across platforms.

What’s Next?

Translation apps offer international travelers invaluable support in real-time conversations, restaurant orders, transportation and directions. They enable smoother interactions with locals, help decode signage and packaging and bridge linguistic gaps in emergencies. Reliance on these apps, however, requires caution. Even the most sophisticated app might falter when dealing with idioms, regional slang or emotional expressions.

What’s next for this fast-evolving field? Expect more innovative algorithms capable of learning user behavior, better handling regional dialects and slang, and enhanced idiom databases trained on culturally rich data. AI will soon be able to offer multiple translation options depending on tone — whether formal, humorous or sarcastic. Contextual sensitivity is no longer a nice-to-have; it’s essential.

The Global Rescue Connection

The biggest challenge ahead lies not in translating words but in conveying meaning. Language is alive and ever-changing, and no app can grasp every nuance, no matter how intelligent. Translation apps have come a long way. Their ability to scan, interpret and vocalize foreign languages is a marvel of modern technology.

But for travelers, especially those navigating idioms and cultural expressions, it’s still wise to keep a phrasebook or local insight on hand. After all, a mistranslated idiom can quickly turn a piece of cake into a confusing mess.

Is there a local language barrier you need to overcome? Your Global Rescue membership provides services beyond emergency field rescue from the point of illness or injury and medical evacuation. You’re just one call away from help from travel advice experts who will keep you safe and prepared, whether that means finding translation services, identifying where you can refill a prescription, changing your destination to avoid a natural disaster threat or getting emergency help if you become sick or injured. It’s all part of your membership.

In a world where cross-cultural communication is more common than ever, translation apps will continue to play a vital role. They are companions, guides and sometimes comic relief when a mistranslation makes you “sing in yogurt.”