How to translate foreign language caches descriptions int English

[+Kansasshiels]

I am planning to travel to a country whose language I do not know at all.  I would like to download a few caches from my desktop to my Garmin to take with me, but I don't know how to get them into English.  My cell phone will not work there, so I will be only using my Garmin gps that I must load here in the states.  I have heard of google translate, but don't know if or how I can use it somehow for the geocaching.com site.  I am not technologically astute and need some simple instructions about how I can read the cache info in English rather than its original language.  Any suggestions?

[RuideAlmeida]

19 minutes ago, Kansasshiels said:

Any suggestions?

 

Google (Translate) is your best friend!

[+CAVinoGal]

1 hour ago, Kansasshiels said:

need some simple instructions about how I can read the cache info in English rather than its original language.  Any suggestions?

 

If there are only a few caches, then use Google Translate. (if using Chrome, it's an extension you can download and it actually "offers" to translate web pages when it recognizes a language other than English!  I'm sure it's available in other browsers as well.)  There is also a small icon in the URL bar that says "Tanslate this page?" if you don't get the pop up. With the page translated into English, print out the cache page, at least the first two pages with the description, hints, waypoints, etc.

 

Having the cache page translated on the fly on your GPS or app is probably not easily doable.  Getting the pages translated and printed before you go is the way I would do it .

 

 

[+cerberus1]

15 hours ago, Kansasshiels said:

I am planning to travel to a country whose language I do not know at all.  I would like to download a few caches from my desktop to my Garmin to take with me, but I don't know how to get them into English.  My cell phone will not work there, so I will be only using my Garmin gps that I must load here in the states.  I have heard of google translate, but don't know if or how I can use it somehow for the geocaching.com site.  I am not technologically astute and need some simple instructions about how I can read the cache info in English rather than its original language.  Any suggestions?

 

I'd probably do similar to CAVinoGal,  but maybe not even bother to print anything,  simply taking notes in a small notebook. 

I do that now... 

Coordinates don't need translation, so I'd only need the little things like rough description, hints, and helpful mentions by others. 

[+CAVinoGal]

On 9/28/2019 at 6:46 AM, cerberus1 said:

I'd probably do similar to CAVinoGal,  but maybe not even bother to print anything,  simply taking notes in a small notebook. 

I do that now...

 

We each work in our own way - I print out EC pages, Puzzle pages. Multi pages - those pages are what forms my notebook!  I make notes on those printed pages too - whatever works for you is what you do, and I've found that everyone has their own way of caching and keeping track of things....

[+colleda]

On 9/28/2019 at 7:56 AM, Kansasshiels said:

I am planning to travel to a country whose language I do not know at all.  I would like to download a few caches from my desktop to my Garmin to take with me, but I don't know how to get them into English.  My cell phone will not work there, so I will be only using my Garmin gps that I must load here in the states.  I have heard of google translate, but don't know if or how I can use it somehow for the geocaching.com site.  I am not technologically astute and need some simple instructions about how I can read the cache info in English rather than its original language.  Any suggestions?

I've been to many countries where I don't know the language. I load up my Garmin (using GSAK) and off I go. On the type of organized tours I've done (especially in Europe, UK and USA) I often don't have much time for geocaching so I filter out, mostly, all but Traditionals and Virtuals. A couple of times when I thought I needed a translation I would fire up my phone on International roaming to quickly find what I need then switch it off. A few extra bucks may get added to my phone bill so I weigh that up against what I am after.

[+31BMSG]

15 minutes ago, colleda said:

I've been to many countries where I don't know the language. I load up my Garmin (using GSAK) and off I go. On the type of organized tours I've done (especially in Europe, UK and USA) I often don't have much time for geocaching so I filter out, mostly, all but Traditionals and Virtuals. A couple of times when I thought I needed a translation I would fire up my phone on International roaming to quickly find what I need then switch it off. A few extra bucks may get added to my phone bill so I weigh that up against what I am after.

Since you're using GSAK you should try the TranslateCaches macro, it translates the cache page and you load the translated GPX to your GPS. I've used it several times to translate GPX files for a fellow cacher and it seems to work fine, the translation isn't 100% but it's no worse than Google. You do have to get a free Yandex API key and add it to the macro but that's a simple process.

[+wally_k]

I use my phone to have the information on hand. I create PQs and download the data in the GC app for offline use. This way you can use your phone for offline use. If I need info about a cache in a foreign language, I copy from the web, run it through Google translate and paste into a word processor and print. I also load the PQ into my Garmin, just in case the phone app doesn't work.

[+idocdlw]

Agree that google translate is a lifesaver...I was stationed in Germany for two years. My background is math/science and I am not gifted in music or languages. The German that I did manage to learn was due to having to painstakingly translate German text & communicate with the shop owners in the little village I lived in. I don't remember what the German word was for one multi-cache, but it translated on most translation sites to "corner". I spent several weekends in the forest in the snowy winter just to learn that the German word actually meant "niche". I learned the painful way...but it was an adventure! (Kind of painful as my father is German whose parents only spoke German (a rural dialect) and my mother was a formal German language instructor!).

Edited October 15, 2019 by idocdlw
addition

[+hzoi]

On 9/27/2019 at 11:56 PM, Kansasshiels said:

My cell phone will not work there

 

If your phone is compatible with the cell network, and it's just that you would be roaming expensively, consider getting a local SIM card and a cheap pre-paid plan at the airport. 

 

Or at least bringing the phone, using on airplane mode, and then using hotel or other wifi as needed.  If this, you can still use your phone in the field - bookmark the caches you want to hunt ahead of time, save them offline in the app, and then download the language pack you'll need to Google translate ahead of time.  Not perfect but helpful.

 

Where are you going?

[+colleda]

On 9/30/2019 at 1:03 PM, 31BMSG said:

Since you're using GSAK you should try the TranslateCaches macro, it translates the cache page and you load the translated GPX to your GPS. I've used it several times to translate GPX files for a fellow cacher and it seems to work fine, the translation isn't 100% but it's no worse than Google. You do have to get a free Yandex API key and add it to the macro but that's a simple process.

I would possibly do that if I was more au fait with GSAK. ATM I only use it for loading my Etrex and two Nuvis. I enjoy trying to figure out foreign words. A few years back on a vacation in Greece, before GC and mobile phones, I found my high school algebra came in handy (and fun) when deciphering road signs.

Edited October 17, 2019 by colleda
spelling typo

[+IceColdUK]

31 minutes ago, colleda said:

I would possibly do that if I was more au fait with GSAK. ATM I only use it for loading my Etrex and two Nuvis. I enjoy trying to figure out foreign words. A few years back on a vacation in Greece, before GC and mobile phones, I found my high school algebra came in handy (and fun) when deciphering road signs.

I did a maths degree ... a long time ago.  Can’t remember much of the maths, I’m afraid, but I still know my Greek alphabet! ;-)