Let's take a look at some of the best translation exercises to improve your grammar understanding and vocabulary.
1. Translate your own diary
If you keep a diary, why not translate it? Most people agree that their own words are the best thing to learn from because they contain information that is very relevant to their lives. I don't realize that.
The diary contains frequently used words, so translating this diary will help you expand your vocabulary quickly and efficiently.
You also don't have to worry about imitating someone else's communication style or voice. Over time, you will find that the process of translating your personal writing allows you to express yourself more fluently and fully.
Once you've translated your text, you can check your work in Google Translate.
2. Use social media
Broaden the topic by translating something that is personally relevant to you. Social media posts provide easy, fun, and relevant language practice, giving you a strong vocabulary and a relaxed tone.
You've probably noticed that language books and courses have a formal, somewhat academic feel to them. As a language develops, it is temporarily very beneficial to develop a personal tone that native speakers use in their daily lives, both online and offline. This allows you to connect with natives on a more personal level.
Translating social media posts allows you to maintain a relaxed atmosphere while learning new words, structures, internet slang, and more. The good thing is that many social media sites have built-in translation features, so you can easily check your work. The best way to do this is to set Facebook as your target language by clicking on Settings, Language, and selecting your language from the drop-down menu at the top. Next, remove English from “What languages do you understand?” A field appears and the target language is selected.
Now you can scroll back through your timeline and try translating older posts (which are still in English). Once you're done, click the auto-translate option at the bottom of your post and Facebook will provide you with a translation in your target language so you can compare.
The advantage of this method is that you can read it in your target language every time you log into Facebook. Of course, if you get too confused, you can always return to the Language tab and change your settings back until you're ready for another translation exercise.
3. Translate subtitles of your favorite YouTubers
If you want to learn a new language and expand your vocabulary, YouTube is your paradise.
By translating your favorite YouTube videos, you'll increase your knowledge in the areas that are important to you, and you'll also gain vocabulary that will help you talk about the things you love in that language in the future.
Translating something that is far away from you is an extremely valuable academic task. However, translating your favorite YouTuber's subtitles will give you skills that you can use not only in academic settings but also in everyday life. Plus, it's a lot of fun, so why not give it a try?
This is another exercise where you can check your work against Google Translate. However, if you're watching a very popular video, YouTube may already have captions in your target language that you can refer to. Simply click the gear icon to access your caption settings and select your target language if available.
4. Become a TED Talks translator
For advanced or advanced language learners who want to take their language skills in a more academic direction, TED Talks are a great starting point. TED Talks expand vocabulary and teach academic-level phrases while maintaining a personal tone. In that sense, it's a really versatile and great translation option.
Also, since this organization is dedicated to spreading knowledge around the world, there is an existing platform for you to get your videos translated and your work modified. The TED Talks website has a well-organized video translation system that connects you with language and translation experts who can correct your video transcription and give you constructive feedback on your work.
To be accepted as a TED talk translator, you must answer four questions about your foreign language skills and motivation for translating.
We currently have over 30,000 translators, and TED Talks is always looking for new translators.
Not interested in joining a translation team or don't have the time to translate an entire video? You can always choose a video that already has professional translations added. Try translating a few minutes of speech yourself and check your work using translated subtitles.
Use Google Translate strategically
You may know that Google Translate used to get a bad reputation for its poor translation quality, but it's actually gotten better recently.
While most other translation exercises have built-in functionality to check your work, it's important to use Google Translate as a self-checking tool. That way, you can freely practice translating all kinds of content.
Still, Google Translate should be used carefully and strategically. There are several ways to get the most out of Google Translate, but here are two of the most important.
First, when performing translations using translation software, always provide context for the translation. This allows the system to choose the correct word depending on the situation. Rather than translating individual words by themselves, you can provide context by translating sentences or paragraphs.
Second, always pay attention to synonyms and alternative translations that appear below the main translation. Google Translate may choose a word from among several suggestions. That's why it's so important to explore other options and find the words that best fit the message you want to convey.
