Travel Interpreter adds to the arsenal of apps for international travel with access to many of the key phrases one may need.

Most likely the language you are looking for will be here, as choices include Spanish, French, Chinese, Arabic, Italian and Hebrew (23 in total). After selecting a language the categories are then divided by specific topics; such as hotel, shopping or beauty care. There is even a section detailing how to call the police and describe particular crimes.

After picking a category there are sub-categories that get a bit more specific. After selecting one of these, tap on a phrase. Travel Interpreter includes audio of the phrase, an illustration of its meaning and the text (for some languages, such as Arabic, it is also written in phonetic English).

If you would like to hear this same phrase in one of Travel Interpreter’s other languages available, then tap the world icon in the upper right-hand corner. This brings up the list of languages with an accompanying nation’s flag. Then tap on the one you wish to hear and it plays. This is handy for comparing languages that are similar, such as Spanish and Portuguese. After listening to a phrase you can either flip through the rest in that section or go back to the parent categories.

Travel Interpreter’s simplicity is a real strength given that many of the times its in use may be while on the go and you quickly need to call up a phrase. Probably its only downside is the price: $9.99 is on the expensive side of the App Store, especially since many other translation apps are $0.99 or free (including the Google Translate web app). However, if you are willing to spend the cash and would like to browse and learn specific phrases, Travel Interpreter is a good option.

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app category: Editor's Picks, Travel