Talk across a language barrier with live translation

Set up the call together

1. Choose the language you’ll speak and the language you want to read.
2. Say hello, then try one short sentence each. Check that you can read the translation before moving on.
3. Take turns and give the captions a moment to catch up. You can listen first and glance at the text when you need it.

Recover when the meaning gets lost

Noise, overlapping voices, names, and informal expressions can affect timing and accuracy. If something sounds odd, ask the speaker to say it again in simpler words and read the original caption if you can.

Instead of repeating a long sentence about meeting after work, split it into two: “Let’s meet at the station.” Then “I’ll be there at seven.” Read the time back or type it in chat if it matters. Use a qualified interpreter for medical, legal, or other high-stakes conversations.

Which languages can I use?

English, Japanese, Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, Spanish, French, German. Host languages and available times vary. Check the person’s profile before booking. Read the privacy policy for speech processing and transcript retention.

If you want to spend part of a call speaking Japanese, try this spoken Japanese routine.

Using translated captions

• How live translated captions work
• Prepare a multilingual video call
• Recover from a mistranslation
• Check whether you understand each other
• Keep taking turns when captions lag
• Check what happens to speech and text