Many online tools are available to translate your web pages, text and expressions in different languages. When should you use such tools? What are the best automatic translators available? Some precautions to be taken and a list of available services.

Several software and web service providers offer free "machine translation tools".

Several factors to consider before using these services:

The quality of translations provided varies depending on the service and the target language(s).

These translators are often lighter versions of paid services (more efficient).

They have their limitations for the translation of technical documents (e.g manuals)

Although the algorithms of these tools are constanly being improved, they do not replace human operators (professional translators).

Word for word translation (dictionary)

translation of text and web pages

translation of business correspondence,

basic/comprehensive understanding of a text produced in a foreign language.

They are suitable for a word for word translation. One of the most used services is wordreferenceom which is available in 16 languages.

They are suitable for translation of text or web pages:

Google Translate: 72 languages

Bing Translator: 43 languages

Babylon: 30 languages

WorldLingo: 30 languages

Systran: 7 languages

Other: Reverso

These tools are very useful: they can translate expressions and groups of words (a sentence) based on a database of official documents translated into several languages. Translations are therefore very qualitative.