Grammarly is venturing into the realm of translation with the launch of Grammarly Translate, a feature that allows users to translate text directly within the Grammarly interface, reflecting the increasing convergence of writing assistance and translation technologies.
Grammarly Translate is accessible to members of any paid Grammarly plan, provided that generative AI is enabled on their accounts. The feature supports translation across major languages like Chinese, Spanish, and French, as well as regional variants like Argentine and Mexican Spanish. It is currently available across several Grammarly platforms, including Windows, Mac, and Chrome, and even within the Grammarly plugin for Figma.
By integrating translation directly into its platform, Grammarly aims to allow users to maintain focus while writing and editing. According to Grammarly’s official announcement, “you can stay focused on your current work and minimize the need to switch to external translation tools.”
However, Grammarly Translate comes with certain limitations. The feature supports a maximum translation of 4,000 characters at a time, and alternative translation options are available only for texts under 10 words. Additionally, it is designed to work only with text that the user is actively writing, rather than with static text, such as that found on webpages or in received emails. This focus on active text creation may limit its usefulness for users seeking to translate existing documents or other non-interactive content, as noted in Grammarly’s guidelines.
The launch of Grammarly Translate draws comparisons to DeepL’s Write, a tool introduced in early 2023. According to TechCrunch’s report on DeepL Write, DeepL’s tool focuses on enhancing written communication by offering suggestions for style, tone, and phrasing. DeepL CEO Jarek Kutylowski emphasized their approach, stating, “We are always in race mode… part of our culture is to push forward through that.”
Grammarly’s entry into the translation space signifies more than just a new feature; it reflects the broader trend of integrating generative AI into language services. As these tools evolve, the boundaries between writing assistance and translation may continue to blur, leading to new opportunities and challenges for users and professionals alike.
