I fondly remember the days when my high school French teacher would tell us, in no uncertain terms, never to use Google Translate. He was correct.

The tool at the time could only accurately translate single nouns or simple sentences. Throwing a complex sentence into the app would return a grammatical apocalypse.

Nowadays, things couldn’t be more different. In one study, Google Translate’s accuracy rate for English to Spanish in 2021 was 94%.

Google Translate has been my loyal companion on holiday for years, but despite its accurate translations, I never use it at home.

While it was great for checking a translation, apps like Babbel and Memrise were my go-to for learning.

However, if the recent Google Translate update is anything to go by, I may ditch them and replace them with Practice mode.

How Google Translate powers language learning

A gold star if you guessed Gemini

The Practice feature in Google Translate is accessed directly in the app, and to absolutely no one’s surprise, it’s powered by Gemini.

Considering the colossal amount of resources that Google is pouring into AI, I’m amazed it’s taken it this long to get around to a language-learning feature. It’s probably the best use of AI I’ve ever seen.

Language apps generally start by priming you with basic grammar and vocabulary, so you can build on these skills to string together complex sentences. However, this is boring.

Learning a language can be exciting, but practicing vocabulary and grammar structure is the most tedious aspect. Google Translate circumvents this by throwing you straight into the deep end. Somehow, it works.

Google Translate starts your learning journey by asking you why you want to learn a language. Then, it’ll generate a series of scenarios you would likely encounter.

For example, if you select “Practice basic social interactions,” one of the first scenarios is “Ask if someone speaks English.” Each scenario includes a vocabulary list, a listening exercise, and speaking practice.

All of this is created by Gemini, including the voices.

I checked some of the basic French and Spanish sentences against different translation tools, and barring some stylistic choices, they were 100% accurate.

What makes Google Translate’s Practice mode stand out

It feels like you’re talking with a real person

When you select a scenario’s listening exercise, there’s no mandatory vocabulary review.

The app generates a short sentence, then asks you to select the words you recognize. You can then see if you spotted all the words and check the translations.

Finding it too hard or too easy? You can adjust the difficulty of the next exercise and return to old exercises to practice again.

Speaking scenarios are where the AI magic comes to life. The app places you on one side of a conversation, and tasks you with using a selection of words and phrases in your responses.

You can read out the prompts on screen, or hide them for a greater challenge.

It’s simple on the surface, but when you start improvising, the AI turns a basic language app into a great one by adapting on the fly.

These dynamic conversations are what make Google Translate feel like a teacher rather than a textbook.

Even if I could only remember basic phrases that didn’t match what the prompt said, the AI would understand and prompt me to continue.

It’s just like practicing a limited vocabulary on holiday, but without the awkward pauses and stammering.

I’m seriously impressed by how Google Translate pairs realistic learning with boring-but-necessary aspects like vocabulary revision.

I felt ridiculously proud of myself when I strung together a few Spanish words, a language I hadn’t practiced in over a decade, and the AI understood me.

It’s the little victories that motivate you to learn, and the app knows it.

This feature is in beta for good reason

Hopefully, you just want to learn French or Spanish

At the time of writing, Google Translate’s Practice mode has been in beta for just over two months. English speakers can only practice Spanish and French, while Spanish, French, and Portuguese speakers can practice English.

I’m not surprised by the limited selection of languages, and I’m grateful for it.

It would have been easy for Google to link Gemini to Google Translate and create a functional learning app in weeks. But a strong human touch is needed to create accuracy and nuance, so I’m glad Google is rolling this feature out slowly.

I also think that the app is missing core features I’m used to on other language apps.

While you can ask the feature to create scenarios based on words you’ve already learned, a simple translation quiz is a great warm-up for exercises.

I also don’t like how it doesn’t try to dial in on words or scenarios I’m struggling with. Positivity is great, but I need to know where I’m struggling.

The feature also does not accommodate beginners. The “Just starting” proficiency level is greyed out, so you have to dive into Basic at the lowest level.

It’s great for those who need to brush up on half-remembered language classes, terrible for those who want to start learning from scratch.

Practice mode has incredible potential

I can’t wait for Practice mode to exit beta. Spanish and French aren’t directly relevant to me right now, and I’ll need that beginner level once the app adds German and Portuguese.

Nevertheless, if you’re even remotely interested in learning French or Spanish, I can’t recommend Google Translate’s Practice mode enough.

It’s free and available on iOS and Android. It’s turned what was already a brilliant app into the best language companion you can have.