3 websites to use instead of GoogleTranslate

I have to get this off my chest… as an educator, GoogleTranslate is the bane of my existence. I’m not exaggerating. In the classroom, nothing is more frustrating for me then when I ask a student to look up a word and they plug it into GoogleTranslate and give me gibberish in return.

My major issue with GoogleTranslate is that it is NOT a dictionary, I repeat, it is not a dictionary. It is also a pretty faulty phrase translator once you try to input idiomatic phrases that may or may not exist in your target language. The translations that it spits out don’t make sense about 80-90% of the time, and when students try to cut corners on take home compositions by using the app, it is very apparent. These are the reasons why, I do not allow the use of GoogleTranslate in my classroom.  All that being said, the app does have some pros and it can be a useful tool in certain situations, such as when you are traveling and you need to know how to say a word or short phrase in a pinch.  (ok… end rant)

The alternative that I offer my students are these three websites:

1. Wordreference.com

1. Spanishdict.com

1. Linguee.com (**Bonus- There is also an app for your phone)

These three sites are my language trilogy. All three are dictionaries which go beyond the surface definition of words and allow you to explore their actual meaning and real world use. These sites present the word you are searching in all of its forms, such as a noun, verb, adjective, with examples. They also provide verb conjugation charts and forums to discuss different regional and idiomatic uses of the word(s)/phrase(s). This forces you as a learner to move beyond simple input/output and towards authentic engagement with and manipulation of language.

Try them out and let me know what you think in the comments below!

Cheers to your success!!

~Dr. Cort