7 Language Translation iPhone Apps for the Digital Traveler

Mike Sowden is a UK-based freelance writer specializing in tech, green and travel. His work has been featured in The Huffington Post, EcoSalon and the San Francisco Chronicle.

Language apps on the iPhone have come a long way over the past year. Some offer shiny new takes on the traditional language study process; others are trying to do all the work for us, arguably robbing us of the ability to learn a new language. While some language apps are limited in scope or sometimes wildly inaccurate, there are several proven educational options out there.

These seven such iPhone apps will aid you through the process of language education and translation. But keep in mind, quality translation comes at a price.

1. Google Translate

Google certainly knows how to pack the languages in: voice input for 17 languages, spoken translations for 24 languages and text translations for 63 languages. If you've used the online version of Translate you'll have an idea how it mangles more complex sentences, but for conveying the gist, this tool works just fine. Google earns further brownie points for its minimalist interface and the ability to save previous translations offline.

Price: FREE

Click here to view this gallery.

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, aluxum

More About: apps, contributor, features, iOS, iphone apps, language translation, travel