Deutsch · Camera, photo, text and voice · Offline
The German photo translator that reads signs and menus offline.
AI Translate is a German translator that reads signs, menus, tickets and packaging through the camera and overlays the English. The German pack works offline, which is useful on regional trains and in the countryside where data is patchy.
Free with your language pair · Premium from $1.99/month
Quick facts about the German translator
- Script
- the Latin alphabet with umlauts and ß
- Camera translation
- Yes, live overlay plus photo import
- Works offline
- Yes, after a one-time pack download. Voice input depends on your phone.
- Object scanner
- Yes, names 1,000+ objects in German and English
- Pronunciation
- Audio
- Account required
- No
What you can translate
Where a German translator earns its place on your home screen.
Menus and beer gardens
Tagesgericht boards, bakery counters and Christmas-market stalls are translated live.
Transport and parking
Deutsche Bahn platform notices, ticket machines and parking rules are notoriously wordy. Read them in English before you get fined.
Forms and supermarket labels
Read Pfand instructions, allergen labels and the paperwork in an Airbnb welcome folder.
Common German phrases
What you will actually see on signs and menus.
A handful of phrases worth knowing before you go.
| German | English | Seen on |
|---|---|---|
| Ausgang | Exit | sign |
| Tagesgericht | Dish of the day | restaurant board |
| Betreten verboten | No entry | sign |
| Wie viel kostet das? | How much does it cost? | shop |
| Die Rechnung, bitte | The check, please | restaurant |
How to
How to translate German from a photo or sign
- 01
Download the German pack
Open Settings, then Offline languages, and tap the download icon next to German. It is about 30 MB and only needs to be done once.
- 02
Point the camera at the text
Open the Text tab and aim at the German sign, menu or label. The English translation appears over the original text, block by block.
- 03
Freeze it, or import a photo
Tap Freeze to hold the frame while you read. For a picture or screenshot you already have, tap Import photo and the translated text opens in a sheet you can copy.
FAQ
German translator questions.
Does it work in Austria and Switzerland?
Yes. Written German is shared across Germany, Austria and Switzerland, so camera and text translation work the same everywhere.
Does the German translator work without internet?
Yes. Download the German pack once and camera, photo, text and object translation work offline. Voice input uses your phone's own speech recognition, so it works offline only where your phone supports it.
Can it translate a German document?
Yes, one page at a time. On the Text tab, tap Import photo and pick a photo of the page. The translated text opens in a sheet you can copy.
Guides
-
OCR Translator: How Text Recognition and Translation Work
An OCR translator reads the text in a photo or camera view, then translates it. Learn how each step works, why errors happen and how to get cleaner results.
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French Street Signs: What the Words Mean in English
French street signs in English: rue, impasse and place on name plaques, plus priorité à droite, parking, péage and words to know before driving in France.
-
Italian Road Signs: What the Words Mean in English
What Italian road signs mean in English: ZTL zones, parking lines, autostrada tolls and warning sign words, plus how to translate a sign with your phone.
-
German Road Signs: What the Words Mean in English
What German road signs mean in English: the words on Autobahn, parking and warning signs, the rules behind them, and how to translate a sign with your phone.
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Menu in German: Speisekarte, Menü and How to Read One
How to say menu in German, why die Speisekarte and das Menü mean different things, and the section names, cooking words and phrases you need to order.
-
How to Translate German to English From a Picture
Translate a German to English picture on your phone with the live camera or a saved photo, offline too. Tips for umlauts, ß, long compounds and Gothic fonts.
-
How to Translate a Picture on iPhone or Android (Offline)
Four ways to translate the text in a picture, screenshot or live camera view on your phone, including one that works with no internet. Steps and accuracy tips.
Related translators
Read German the moment you see it.
Download the German pack once to translate signs, menus, labels and objects offline. No account, no ad trackers, photos never uploaded.