Using translation apps
Never decide on a contract or a medical explanation from a translation app alone.
Using them well
- Enter short, simple sentences. Long ones produce more errors.
- Use the camera translation feature — good for notices, menus and labels.
- For voice translation, speak clearly in a quiet place.
- Translate back to check. Putting the result back into your language catches errors.
- Write numbers, dates and amounts as digits and confirm them.
Where they help
- Reading official notices and post.
- Checking medicine packets and dosage instructions. See medicine-safety.
- Restaurant menus and food labels — especially useful for allergens. See food-allergy.
- Second-hand trading and simple conversation. See second-hand.
- Directions and signs.
Where you need a human interpreter
- Signing an employment contract — see contract-language.
- Tenancy contracts — see lease-contract.
- Medical consent forms and explanations — see hospital-interpretation.
- Police interviews and legal procedures — see interpreter-right-police.
- Residence application documents — request interpretation from 1345.
Where to go
- 1345 Immigration Contact Centre (20 languages)
- 1577-1366 Danuri Call Centre (13 languages)
- 1330 tourist information (24 hours)
- Local foreign residents' support centres (accompanied interpretation)
- Hospital international healthcare centres
Questions people ask
The translation comes out strangely. Break the sentence into shorter parts and try again. Honorific speech, dialect and technical terms produce many errors.
Can I use it without internet? Download the offline language pack in advance and you can. Prepare before travelling.
Can I submit an app translation as an official document? No. Official submissions may require certified translation and notarisation. See document-translation-notary.
What about emergencies? Call 119 and say "English" or your language to request an interpreter. See emergency-interpretation-1345.
Take care
Never sign on the strength of an app translation alone. One mistranslated line in a contract can cost you dearly. Don't sign what you don't understand — that is the rule. For important occasions, arrange an interpreter in advance. Free services exist.
Related
apps-essential · contract-language · hospital-interpretation · interpretation-service · document-translation-notary
Source
National Institute of Korean Language www.korean.go.kr / As of 2026-08