Will Pronunciation Practice come to Arabic?

Currently English, Spanish, and Hindi only. Google hasn't specified a timeline for language expansion — but with 250 languages supported in translation, expansion to other languages including Arabic is a matter of when, not if.

Is it better than Duolingo for pronunciation?

Google offers seamless integration within an already-used app. Duolingo offers a complete language learning system with gamification and learning paths. Which is better depends on the goal: translation with pronunciation improvement → Google. Learning a language from scratch → Duolingo.

Does the feature work offline?

Pronunciation Practice relies on cloud-based Gemini AI — an internet connection is required. Basic translation features are available offline after downloading language packs.

Is it available on iOS?

Currently Android only in the United States and India. iOS wasn't mentioned in the official announcement — but expansion to iOS is expected later.

Google Translate Turns 20 — 1 Billion Monthly Users, 250 Languages, 60,000 Language Pairs and Gemini-Powered Pronunciation Practice Feature on Android

20 Years of Google Translate — From Research Experiment to Global Infrastructure

Google this week marked the 20th anniversary of Google Translate with a detailed account of the product's scale, technical evolution, and a set of new features — including a pronunciation practice tool for Android users in the United States and India.

The Numbers — An Unimaginable Scale

The service now serves more than 1 billion users each month and handles approximately 1 trillion words in translation every month across Translate, Search, Google Lens, and Circle to Search. According to Google, that volume of text is enough to keep someone reading out loud, 24 hours a day, for 12,000 years.

Google Translate supports around 250 languages and 60,000 language pairs, covering 95% of the world's population.

The New Feature — Pronunciation Practice

To celebrate the 20th anniversary, Google is launching one of its most requested features: pronunciation practice, so you can master your delivery on the Translate app for Android. You can now use the new "pronunciation practice" tool, which uses AI to analyze your speech and provide instant feedback — helping you nail the right pronunciation before you start a real-world conversation.

You will see a "Practice" option at the bottom, which includes the "Pronounce" option. If you choose the "Pronounce" option, Translate will listen to you speak and will then analyze how you said the words to provide instant feedback.

Pronunciation Practice is powered by artificial intelligence, particularly the latest version of Gemini — designed to help you "nail the tone of any conversation — from informal hangouts to professional meetings."

Current Availability

This is now available in the US and India in English, Spanish and Hindi.

A 20-Year Journey — From Statistics to Gemini

Google Translate launched in 2006 as a research project inside Google Research, relying at the time on statistical machine learning. By 2026, the system runs on Gemini models combined with more recent TPU hardware. The Gemini integration allows Translate to handle idiomatic expressions, local slang, and the subtle contextual signals that distinguish natural language from a direct lexical substitution.

Comparing With Duolingo

Anyone who has spent time on Duolingo will recognise the format. Speak-and-score exercises have been a staple there for years, and Google's version slots neatly into the same category — a built-in pronunciation drill rather than a full language course.

But Google's big advantage: more than one billion users are already in the app — without needing to download a separate application.