Papago
Naver's translator. Better than Google for Korean, Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese, Thai.
What Papago is
Papago is a translation app from Naver, South Korea's largest internet company, tuned especially for Asian languages. Travelers in Korea, Japan, China, Vietnam, and Thailand often prefer it over general-purpose translators because its handling of Korean and other regional languages tends to be more natural and context-aware.
What it does for travelers
- ✓Text, voice, and conversation translation across its supported languages
- ✓Image translation that overlays results on photographed menus and signs
- ✓Strong results for Korean, Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Thai
- ✓Conversation mode that lets two people speak in turn
- ✓Romanization help for reading non-Latin scripts aloud
Good to know
- Free to use, supported by Naver's broader services
- Most translation requires a data connection; offline capability is limited compared with some rivals
- Supports a focused set of mostly Asian languages rather than a very long global list
- No account is needed for basic translation
Tips from the road
- Use image translation on Korean and Japanese restaurant menus, where it often reads characters better than general translators
- For spoken exchanges, conversation mode keeps both sides of a dialogue translated in sequence
- Keep a data connection or pocket Wi-Fi handy since offline support is limited
- Try Papago and Google Translate side by side for tricky phrases and pick the clearer result
When to reach for it
Reach for Papago specifically in East and Southeast Asia, where its Korean, Japanese, and Chinese translations frequently outperform general-purpose apps. Use a broader translator elsewhere.
Travelers use Papago in
Papago — frequently asked
Is Papago better than Google Translate?
For Korean and several other Asian languages, many travelers find Papago's translations more natural. For most other language pairs, Google Translate's wider coverage is the better choice.
Can Papago translate menus and signs from a photo?
Yes. Its image translation captures text from a photo and overlays the translation, which is handy for menus and street signs.
Does Papago work offline?
Its offline support is limited, so plan to have a data connection for reliable translation while traveling.