I don’t have a smartphone and wondered if, on my next vacation, I should buy an electronic translator to have deeper conversations with the natives. I have used Google translate, combined with some basic proficiency, on the internet to do so; but do the electronic translators they sell on amazon have the same ability? Or is it just a dictionary with a few set phrases?
In particular I was looking at ones in the $20-40 range by companies like “Lexibook” and “Franklin”. The more expensive ones seem to only have more languages.
I don’t think any electronic translator can compete with Google since Google Translate is constantly updated and refined. The more it is used, the better it gets. There is a link included with each translation that allows fluent speakers to suggest a better translation. So it receives constant input.
The portable translators I’ve seen in the past only have single word and common phrase translation ability. But, admittedly, I haven’t played with one in over a decade, so they might be a lot better now.
i can also vouch for google-translate … was amazed, recently, at the proficiency from a year ago. in some cases, one can type a whole sentence. and, be cautious with your ad-lib tendencies … omission of one character can/does give exact opposite intent.