How to Translate in Google Sheets: Easiest Way in 2024

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What is GOOGLETRANSLATE in Google Sheets?

The Google Translate function in Google Sheets refers to the integration of Google's language translation features within a spreadsheet. This integration allows you to translate text from one language to another directly within your spreadsheet using a simple formula.

GOOGLETRANSLATE Formula

The basic formula of the GOOGLETRANSLATE function is as follows:

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=GOOGLETRANSLATE(text, [source_language], [target_language])

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where:

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text: The text you want to translate.

[source_language]: The two-letter code of the source language (e.g., 'en' for English). This is optional; if you don't specify it, Google will attempt to auto-detect the language.

[target_language]: The two-letter code of the source language (e.g., 'en' for English). If you don't specify this, Google will attempt to auto-detect the language.

How to Translate in Google Sheets

Follow the steps below to translate text from one language to another directly in your spreadsheet.

1. Open Google Sheets and Type Text for Translation in a Cell

Open a new or existing Google Sheets document. Type the text you want to translate into a cell, such as "Hello World" in cell A1.

2. Click on Destination Cell and Begin GOOGLETRANSLATE Function

Click on the cell where you want the translated text to appear, like B1. In this cell, type =GOOGLETRANSLATE( to start the formula.

4. Reference the Cell Containing Text to Translate in the Formula

After the opening parenthesis, click on the cell with the text you want to translate, or type its cell reference. In our example, use A1.

6. Input Source Language Code After Text Reference (Optional)

After the text reference, type a comma. Add the source language code in quotes, like "en" if you want to translate an English word. You can find these codes in the Google Translate documentation or online. Skip this step if unsure of the language.

7. Specify Target Language Code in the Formula

Type another comma. Then, add the target language code in quotes, such as "es" for Spanish.

8. Complete the Formula and Press Enter to Translate

Type a closing parenthesis to complete the function, making it =GOOGLETRANSLATE(A1, "en", "es"). Press Enter, and the translation, like "Hola Mundo", appears in the cell.

9. Repeat Process for Additional Translations as Needed

To translate more text, repeat these steps. Change the source and target languages as needed for different translations.IMAGE

We hope that you now have a better understanding of the GOOGLETRANSLATE function and how to translate in Google Sheets. If you enjoyed this article, you might also like our article on how to set up t-test in Google Sheets or our article on how to see edit history in Google Sheets.