LIST OF SOUTH AFRICAN LANGUAGES ON GOOGLE TRANSLATE

Google translate was launched in 2006 and has since developed, today it has a total of 133 languages added to the app. An app like google translate eliminates language barriers, making it easier to connect globally. The App even offers an offline version, meaning no need for an internet connection for it to translate. Google translate can be a great tool to use especially in a multi-cultural and multilingual country like South Africa.

South Africa has 11 official languages and about 34 historically rooted languages. Out of the 11 official languages, six South African languages are included on google translate. The languages are Afrikaans, Sesotho, IsiXhosa, Isizulu and Sepedi and Xitsonga have been recently added. This means you can use google translate to translate from English to any of the six South African languages and vice-versa. Below is a list of South African languages on google translate, which year they were added and how they became part of google translate.

South African languages on google translate

Afrikaans

The first on the list of South African languages on google translate is Afrikaans. Afrikaans is a language descended from the Dutch language and was brought into South Africa through colonialism during the 17th century. It is mostly spoken in the following African countries: Lesotho, Namibia, Malawi, Zimbabwe and Zambia. Afrikaans was added in 2009 and became available on the offline version by 2018. Afrikaans alongside Swahili were the first African languages to be added to google translate. This was a starting point for more inclusivity and to add more African languages to google translate.

English phrase translated into Afrikaan using google translate to test the accuracy:

“Afrikaans alongside Swahili were the first African languages to be added to google translate, this was a starting point for more inclusivity and to add more African languages to google translate.”

Afrikaans translation by google translate:

“Afrikaans was saam met Swahili die eerste Afrikatale wat by google translate gevoeg is, dit was ‘n beginpunt vir meer inklusiwiteit en om meer Afrikatale by google translate te voeg.”

Native speaker translation:

“Afrikaans sowel as Swahili was van die eerste Afrika tale wat by gevoeg was op Google translate. Hierdie was die eerste stappe van inklusiwiteit en om meer Afrika tale op Google translate te plaas.”

The google translate version wasn’t accurate when it came to some sentence construction though when read in Afrikaans it did make sense to some extent.

Isizulu

Isizulu is second on the list of South African languages on google translate. It was added to google translate in 2017 at the same time IsiXhosa and Sesotho were added and all three have since been recently added to the offline version. Isizulu is the most spoken language in South Africa and is also spoken in Lesotho, Botswana, Mozambique, Malawi and Eswatini. Hence it was added to google translate.

English phrase translated into IsiZulu using google translate to test the accuracy:

“Isizulu is the most spoken language in South Africa and is also spoken in Lesotho, Botswana, Mozambique, Malawi and Eswatini.”

Isizulu translation by google translate:

“Isizulu siwulimi olukhulunywa kakhulu eNingizimu Afrika futhi sikhulunywa naseLesotho, Botswana, Mozambique, Malawi nase-Eswatini.”

Google translate, translated the phrase correctly from English to Isizulu and this has been verified by a couple of native speakers.

IsiXhosa

The next language on the list of South African Languages on google translate is IsiXhosa. It was added to google translate at the same time Isizulu and Sesoth were added in 2017 and like the other two languages has recently been added to the offline version. IsiXhosa is a Bantu language mostly spoken in South Africa and is the second most spoken language there. Lesotho and Botswana also have Xhosa-speaking people.

English phrase translated into IsiXhosa using google translate to test the accuracy:

“IsiXhosa is a Bantu language mostly spoken in South Africa and is the second most spoken language in South Africa.”

IsXhosa translation by google translate:

“IsiXhosa lulwimi lwesiNtu oluthethwa kakhulu eMzantsi Afrika kwaye lulwimi lwesibini oluthethwa kakhulu eMzantsi Afrika.”

Google translate, translated correctly from English to IsiXhosa and this has been verified by a couple of native speakers.

Sesotho

Sesotho was added to the list of South African languages on google translate at the same time that Isizulu and Isixhosa were added. It is one of the 11 official languages in South Africa and also an official language in Lesotho and Zimbabwe. Sesotho has been available on google translate since 2017 but only became available on the offline version recently. It is the 7th most spoken language in South Africa and was added to google translate first before Northern Sotho (Sepedi) which is the 5th most spoken language in South Africa because of its high prevalence in Lesotho and Zimbabwe. While Northern Sotho is only spoken in South Africa.

English phrase translated into Sesotho using google translate to test the accuracy:

“Sesotho is one of the 11 official languages in South Africa and also an official language in Lesotho and Zimbabwe.”

Sesotho translation by google translate:

“Sesotho ke e ‘ngoe ea lipuo tse 11 tsa molao Afrika Boroa hape ke puo ea molao Lesotho le Zimbabwe.”

Google translate, translated correctly from English to Sesotho and this has been verified by a couple of native speakers.

Sepedi (Northern Sotho)

Next on the list of South African languages on google translate is Sepedi or Northern Sotho, also known as Sesotho sa Leboa. It has been recently added to google translate with 23 other languages. This recent addition happened in May 2022. Google translate uses a Zero-Shot-Machine translation to translate the recently added languages, it draws from the accumulated internet data based on the languages in order to learn them. The machine creates translations, which are then checked by professional translators, who then develop and improve on them and then feed them back into the machine. Sepedi hasn’t been added to the offline version yet, but hopefully, with more improvements, it will be added.

English phrase translated into Sepedi using google translate to test the accuracy:

“Sepedi has not been added to the offline version yet, but hopefully, with more improvements, it will be added soon.”

Sepedi translation:

“Sepedi ga se ya tlaleletšwa go phetolelo ya ka ntle ga inthanete go fihla ga bjale, eupša ka kholofelo, ka dikaonafatšo tše dingwe, e tla okeletšwa kgauswinyane.”