Google Translate marks its 20th anniversary with a new AI pronunciation practice feature that analyzes user speech and gives instant feedback, currently available on Android in the United States and India for English, Spanish, and Hindi.

The pronunciation feature mirrors language apps like Duolingo by providing real-time feedback and phonetic guidance to improve accuracy.

A new Practice button appears in the app, offering options to pronounce translated text or listen to native-speaker pronunciations.

Beyond pronunciation, more than a third of live Translate sessions run longer than five minutes, signaling longer, more meaningful conversations.

Google Lens now overlays translated text onto real-world images, such as menus and signs, for better travel context.

Lens translations have become a daily travel staple, visually guiding users by superimposing translations through the camera.

The piece highlights ongoing machine-learning improvements in Translate and its real-world use for travel, news, and daily communication.

Gemini-powered models enable real-time conversations with more natural, context-aware translations that go beyond word-for-word text.

Users are increasingly using Translate for ASL translations, AI-driven search modes, Gen Alpha slang, and emoji translations.

AI upgrades address slang, idioms, and local phrases, with growing support for translating emojis, internet slang, and sign-language queries.

Google Translate has evolved from statistical translation in 2006 to neural networks, now supporting nearly 250 languages and serving over a billion monthly users, with about 1 trillion words translated monthly across Google platforms.

CEO Sundar Pichai says Translate aims to connect people across languages and will continue evolving with AI to help people talk, learn, and connect in real life.