How to Have a Conversation with Someone Who Speaks Another Language (Relay)

The problem

Talking to someone who doesn’t share your language, a taxi driver, a host, a colleague, with a normal translator, means passing the phone back and forth, re-selecting languages each time and losing track of who said what. Both of you waiting for the app while the conversation stalls.

What Relay is

A session keeps the two languages (and the tone) fixed and shows the conversation as a timeline. Each person speaks or types in their own language, and each message is shown translated in the other’s language, with playback if you want to hear it.

There are two kinds of session: text and voice.

Free vs. unlimited

• Free: one text relay and one voice relay session.
• More sessions: watch an ad to add one, or unlock unlimited Relay sessions (a separate unlock, also in Pro).
• Voice length: up to 60 seconds per message, 180 with Long Text.

Steps

1. Create a session and choose the two languages.
2. Hand over the phone or set it between you.
3. Each person types, or holds to speak, in their own language.
4. Read or listen to the translation.
5. When you finish, clear the messages, or keep the session for next time.

Tips

• Short turns. One idea per message gives the best translation.
• Say names slowly. Dictation is the weak spot for names.
• Quiet place. Voice recognition is sensitive to noise.
• Check key facts (prices, times, addresses) by showing the text to the other person.

FAQ

How many Relay sessions are free? One text relay and one voice relay. You can watch an ad to add one more, or unlock unlimited sessions separately or with Pro.

How long can a voice message be? 60 seconds, or 180 seconds with the Long Text unlock (included in Pro).

Can I clear a conversation? Yes. You can clear a session’s messages without deleting the session; the languages and tone stay.

Does Relay work offline? Translation does, with an on-device engine. Voice dictation uses Apple’s speech recognition.