How to Use Baidu Translate's Voice Translation to Talk with Locals
Last updated: 2026-04-30
Pointing at a menu or typing a phrase works for simple situations, but sometimes you need a real back-and-forth conversation — asking for directions, negotiating at a market, explaining a problem to hotel staff. 
Voice Translation Modes
Baidu Translate has two distinct voice modes. Understanding which to use saves time:
- Voice input (单向语音): You speak in English, Baidu translates to Chinese text on screen. Show the screen to the person you're talking to. Good for one-way communication — telling a driver your destination, ordering food, asking a simple question.
- Conversation mode (对话翻译): Two-way real-time translation. You speak English, the other person speaks Chinese, Baidu translates both sides. Good for actual back-and-forth conversations.
Using Voice Input
1. Open Baidu Translate and set the language pair
Open the app. Make sure the language pair is set to English → Chinese (英语 → 中文). Tap either language to change it.
2. Tap the microphone icon
On the main screen, tap the microphone icon (麦克风). Baidu starts listening. Speak your phrase clearly in English.
3. Show the translation to the local
Baidu displays the Chinese translation on screen. Turn your phone toward the person so they can read it. The text is large enough to read at arm's length.
4. Tap the speaker icon to play audio
Tap the speaker icon next to the Chinese translation to have Baidu read it aloud. This is useful when the person is at a distance or when showing the screen isn't practical.
For taxi drivers, type or speak your destination in English and show them the Chinese translation on screen. Most drivers can read the address even if they don't speak English.
Using Conversation Mode
1. Open conversation mode
On the main screen, tap the conversation icon (对话) — it looks like two speech bubbles. This opens the two-way translation interface.
2. Set the two languages
The screen splits into two halves — one for each language. Set one side to English and the other to Chinese (中文).
3. Speak on your side
Tap the microphone on your side (English) and speak. Baidu translates your speech to Chinese and displays it. The app may also read the translation aloud.
4. Hand the phone to the local
The local taps the microphone on their side (Chinese) and speaks. Baidu translates their speech to English and displays it on your side.
5. Continue the conversation
Keep alternating. Each person taps their microphone, speaks, and the other sees the translation. The conversation history scrolls up so you can review what was said.
Conversation mode works best in quiet environments. Background noise — street traffic, restaurant chatter, market noise — reduces accuracy. If accuracy is poor, switch to voice input mode and type the response instead of speaking it.
Practical Scenarios
Asking for directions: Speak "Where is the nearest subway station?" Baidu translates to 最近的地铁站在哪里？ Show the screen or play the audio. The local can point or speak back into the phone.
At a market: Use voice input to say "How much is this?" (这个多少钱？) and "Can you give me a discount?" (能便宜一点吗？). Show the screen for each phrase.
At a restaurant without English menus: Ask "Do you have a picture menu?" (有图片菜单吗？) or "What do you recommend?" (你推荐什么？).
Explaining a problem to hotel staff: Use conversation mode for more complex issues — a broken air conditioner, a billing question, a request for extra towels.
At a pharmacy: Describe your symptoms in English. Baidu translates to Chinese so the pharmacist understands what you need.
Tips for Better Results
- Speak in short sentences. Long, complex sentences reduce accuracy. Break "I need to get to the airport by 8am and my flight is at 10am" into two sentences.
- Speak clearly and at normal pace. Don't slow down artificially — it can confuse the speech recognition. Normal conversational speed works best.
- Use simple vocabulary. Idioms and slang translate poorly. "I'm lost" works better than "I have no idea where I am."
- Download offline packs first. Go to Settings → Offline Translation and download the Chinese-English pack. Voice translation requires internet, but having the offline pack as backup is useful.
- Check the translation before showing it. Glance at the Chinese text before turning the screen toward someone — occasionally the translation misses the meaning and you can re-speak the phrase.
- Mandarin only. Baidu's voice translation targets Mandarin (普通话). It won't help with Cantonese, Shanghainese, or other regional dialects.