{"id":651,"date":"2025-04-17T12:42:04","date_gmt":"2025-04-17T11:42:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.qub.ac.uk\/studentatguide\/?p=651"},"modified":"2025-12-08T16:14:21","modified_gmt":"2025-12-08T16:14:21","slug":"speak-my-language-free-translation-transcription-tools-for-international-students","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.qub.ac.uk\/studentatguide\/2025\/04\/17\/speak-my-language-free-translation-transcription-tools-for-international-students\/","title":{"rendered":"Speak My Language: Free Translation &amp; Transcription Tools for International Students"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\ud83d\udde3\ufe0f From Speech to Screen: Free Tools for Live Translation and Transcription<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Navigating lectures and university life in a second language can be tough. Thankfully, there are some brilliant <em>free<\/em> tools out there that can turn spoken English into real-time text \u2013 even in different languages like Arabic, Punjabi, Mandarin and more. Here are some of our top picks for international students at Queen\u2019s \ud83d\udc47<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a href=\"https:\/\/support.microsoft.com\/en-gb\/office\/translator-in-outlook-for-windows-3d7e12ed-99d6-406e-a453-b9db0d9653fa\"><strong>Microsoft Translator for Outlook<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>What it does:<\/strong> Translates emails into your chosen language directly inside Outlook, so you can read and reply without copy-pasting into another app.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Great for:<\/strong> International students who want to keep on top of university emails, class updates, and group project messages in their own language.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a href=\"https:\/\/support.microsoft.com\/en-us\/office\/use-live-captions-in-microsoft-teams-meetings-4be2d304-f675-4b57-8347-cbd000a21260#setuptranslatedcaptions\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/support.microsoft.com\/en-us\/office\/use-live-captions-in-microsoft-teams-meetings-4be2d304-f675-4b57-8347-cbd000a21260#setuptranslatedcaptions\"><strong>Microsoft Translator in Teams<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>What it does:<\/strong> Enables real-time message and meeting translation through built-in features and an AI-powered Interpreter agent. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Great for:<\/strong> Online meetings and lectures providing real-time captions and transcripts translated into the language of your choice. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Where to find it:<\/strong> \n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Messages<\/strong>: Right-click on a message and select&nbsp;<strong>Translate<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Manage Preferences:<\/strong>&nbsp;To change settings, tap your profile picture, go to&nbsp;<strong>Settings &gt; General &gt; Translation<\/strong> (choose your preferred language)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>To Translate During Meetings\/Online Lectures:<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile is-vertically-aligned-center\" style=\"grid-template-columns:33% auto\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"651\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.qub.ac.uk\/studentatguide\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/68\/2025\/04\/Screenshot-2025-11-05-140316-1024x651.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1478 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.qub.ac.uk\/studentatguide\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/68\/2025\/04\/Screenshot-2025-11-05-140316-1024x651.png 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.qub.ac.uk\/studentatguide\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/68\/2025\/04\/Screenshot-2025-11-05-140316-300x191.png 300w, https:\/\/blogs.qub.ac.uk\/studentatguide\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/68\/2025\/04\/Screenshot-2025-11-05-140316-768x489.png 768w, https:\/\/blogs.qub.ac.uk\/studentatguide\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/68\/2025\/04\/Screenshot-2025-11-05-140316.png 1253w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p>Choose <em>&#8230; More &#8211; Language and Speech &#8211; Show Live Captions<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile\" style=\"grid-template-columns:33% auto\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"639\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.qub.ac.uk\/studentatguide\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/68\/2025\/04\/Screenshot-2025-11-05-141515-1024x639.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1481 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.qub.ac.uk\/studentatguide\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/68\/2025\/04\/Screenshot-2025-11-05-141515-1024x639.png 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.qub.ac.uk\/studentatguide\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/68\/2025\/04\/Screenshot-2025-11-05-141515-300x187.png 300w, https:\/\/blogs.qub.ac.uk\/studentatguide\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/68\/2025\/04\/Screenshot-2025-11-05-141515-768x479.png 768w, https:\/\/blogs.qub.ac.uk\/studentatguide\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/68\/2025\/04\/Screenshot-2025-11-05-141515.png 1245w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p>Choose <em>Language Settings<\/em> &#8211; toggle the translation button and choose your language.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"642\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.qub.ac.uk\/studentatguide\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/68\/2025\/04\/Screenshot-2025-11-05-141620-1024x642.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1482\" style=\"width:257px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.qub.ac.uk\/studentatguide\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/68\/2025\/04\/Screenshot-2025-11-05-141620-1024x642.png 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.qub.ac.uk\/studentatguide\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/68\/2025\/04\/Screenshot-2025-11-05-141620-300x188.png 300w, https:\/\/blogs.qub.ac.uk\/studentatguide\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/68\/2025\/04\/Screenshot-2025-11-05-141620-768x482.png 768w, https:\/\/blogs.qub.ac.uk\/studentatguide\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/68\/2025\/04\/Screenshot-2025-11-05-141620.png 1250w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/play.google.com\/store\/search?q=microsoft%20translator&amp;c=apps&amp;hl=en\">Microsoft Translator<\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>What it does:<\/strong> Real-time voice translation with over 70 languages supported.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Great for:<\/strong> Group conversations \u2013 each person can join via a code and speak in their own language.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Where to find it:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/play.google.com\/store\/search?q=microsoft%20translator&amp;c=apps&amp;hl=en\">Android,<\/a> <a class=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/apps.apple.com\/us\/app\/microsoft-translator\/id1018949559\">iOS<\/a>, and <a class=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/translator\/\">desktop version<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/translate.google.co.uk\/?sl=auto&amp;tl=en&amp;op=translate\">Google Translate<\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>What it does:<\/strong> Translates spoken or typed text between 100+ languages.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Why we like it:<\/strong> It has a conversation mode for back-and-forth chats and works offline if you download the language packs.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Where to find it:<\/strong> Free on <a href=\"https:\/\/play.google.com\/store\/search?q=google%20translate&amp;c=apps&amp;hl=en\">Google Play<\/a> and the <a class=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/apps.apple.com\/app\/id414706506\">App Store<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/play.google.com\/store\/search?q=live%20transcribe&amp;c=apps&amp;hl=en\">Live Transcribe<\/a><\/strong> <em>(Android only)<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>What it does:<\/strong> Converts live speech to on-screen text in over 80 languages.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Why it\u2019s fab:<\/strong> It\u2019s made with accessibility in mind and doesn\u2019t require an internet connection after setup.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Where to find it:<\/strong> Pre-installed on some Androids or free on <a href=\"https:\/\/play.google.com\/store\/search?q=live%20transcribe&amp;c=apps&amp;hl=en\">Google Play<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/apps.apple.com\/us\/app\/translate\/id1514844618\">Apple Translate<\/a><\/strong> <em>(iPhone\/iPad only)<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>What it does:<\/strong> Translates voice and text between 10+ key languages including Arabic.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Cool feature:<\/strong> Split-screen conversation mode so you can both see the translations as you chat.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Where to find it:<\/strong> Built into iOS (check your Translate app), or search in the <a href=\"https:\/\/apps.apple.com\/us\/app\/translate\/id1514844618\">App Store<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vidnoz.com\/ai-voice.html\"><strong>Vidnoz AI Voice Translator<\/strong> <\/a><em>(Web-based)<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>What it does:<\/strong> Translate voice to 140+ languages with natural-sounding voices.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Why it\u2019s unique:<\/strong> Ideal for presentations or recorded messages; includes lip-sync and voice effects.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Where to find it:<\/strong> Use straight from your browser: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vidnoz.com\/ai-voice.html\">vidnoz.com<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Final Tips<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Check your Wi-Fi or data if you&#8217;re using cloud-based tools.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Use headphones with a mic for clearer audio capture.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Try pairing these with screen readers or text-to-speech tools if you prefer hearing the translation read aloud.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":2401,"featured_media":652,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-651","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-study-tools-resources"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/blogs.qub.ac.uk\/studentatguide\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/68\/2025\/04\/Translator-post-image.png","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.qub.ac.uk\/studentatguide\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/651","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.qub.ac.uk\/studentatguide\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.qub.ac.uk\/studentatguide\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.qub.ac.uk\/studentatguide\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2401"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.qub.ac.uk\/studentatguide\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=651"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.qub.ac.uk\/studentatguide\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/651\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1484,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.qub.ac.uk\/studentatguide\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/651\/revisions\/1484"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.qub.ac.uk\/studentatguide\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/652"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.qub.ac.uk\/studentatguide\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=651"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.qub.ac.uk\/studentatguide\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=651"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.qub.ac.uk\/studentatguide\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=651"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}