• Enhanced user engagement with pronunciation through an in-app AI tool
• The feature remains limited to Android users in the United States and India for now

Google has introduced a new pronunciation training feature within its Translate app, coinciding with the service’s 20th anniversary. The update aims to improve users’ ability to speak foreign languages more accurately.

The new feature is currently available on Android devices in the US and India, supporting English, Spanish, and Hindi, with plans for broader expansion to other regions and platforms. No timeline has yet been announced for its arrival on iOS.

The feature appears via a “Practice” button beneath translations, offering two main options: listening to native pronunciation of translated sentences or attempting to speak them. AI then provides real-time analysis of the user’s speech.

After speaking, the system evaluates performance, highlights mistakes, and presents phonetic breakdowns to help correct pronunciation at the word level, in a format similar to language-learning applications.

Usage data indicates that around one-third of mobile users already rely on the app to practice speaking and listening in real-life situations, reinforcing the value of the new addition.

The update is part of a broader series of enhancements to the app, including improved understanding of idioms and slang, allowing meaning-based rather than literal translations.

More recently, iPhone users gained access to live translation through headphones, a feature previously limited to Android devices, reflecting a gradual expansion of capabilities.

With the addition of pronunciation coaching, Google Translate is increasingly positioning itself as a language learning platform rather than a traditional translation tool.