Use case
Subtitles for learning a language
Material made for learners runs out quickly, and it rarely sounds like the way people actually speak. Real video does not run out, and a video you already wanted to watch is the one you will finish.
What one job gives you
- The video with subtitles burned in, in whichever language you chose.
- An SRT in the original spoken language and an SRT in the target language, both carrying the same timings.
- Plain TXT versions of both, which is the form worth reading away from the screen.
The two subtitle files sharing timings is the part that matters. It means any line in one language has an exact counterpart in the other, so a phrase you did not catch can be looked up rather than guessed at.
Two ways to use it
| Target language on screen | You hear and read the same language at once, which is how listening and spelling get connected. Best when you can follow most of it already and are filling gaps. |
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| Your own language on screen | You follow the content while the unfamiliar audio runs underneath. Best early on, or with fast and idiomatic speech where the alternative is losing the thread entirely. |
The transcript is the study material
Watching is the easy half. The transcript is what you can mark up, look words up in, and come back to a week later, and it is searchable in a way a video never is. Reading the passage first and then watching it is a different exercise from watching cold, and both are more useful than replaying a clip hoping it resolves.
For teachers
The same output makes classroom material out of authentic video: a clip subtitled in the target language, a parallel text in both, and a transcript that can be turned into exercises. If you are building a course rather than a lesson, subtitles for teachers and online courses covers the delivery side.
What it is not
It is a translation of what is said, not a lesson. It will not explain why a construction works, and machine translation smooths out idiom, dialect, and register, which are frequently the interesting parts. Treat a mismatch between the two files as something to look into rather than as an error, and see how to translate subtitles well for where translated subtitles drift from the original.
Subtitle something you actually want to watch. 50 free credits.
Continue with Google50 free credits. No credit card needed.Frequently asked questions
Can I get subtitles in both languages on screen at once?
Not burned into the picture. One language is burned in, and you get subtitle files for both, which is the practical way to read them side by side.
Which languages can I learn with this?
Any of the 30 available languages, in either direction. The languages page lists them all with notes on what changes once each one is on screen.
Is the translation literal enough to study from?
It aims to read naturally, which means it is not word for word. That is better for understanding a scene and worse for parsing a sentence, so use the two files together rather than trusting either alone.
Can I use it on video of my own conversations?
Yes. Recording yourself speaking and reading the transcript back is a blunt but effective way to hear what you actually said rather than what you meant to say.