Quick Translate

A Spotlight-like launcher for learning a second language. Double-tap ⌘ to open it.

Website: raphaelkieling.github.io/quick-translate

▶ Watch the 20 s demo

• Translate: say it in your language, get natural ways to say it in the other.
• Translate back: paste something in the other language, get natural ways to say it in yours.
• Explore: type a word in the other language, see it used in example sentences, each with a simple translation.
• Listen: hear the answers in your second language read aloud by a macOS voice (pick one for each language in Settings). When translating back, ⌘↵ reads what you typed instead.
• The launcher opens in the mode and language you used last.
• History: your last answers show under the modes while nothing is typed. Click one (or ↓ to it and ↵) to see it again.
• Cache: asking the same thing again answers instantly, without calling the AI. Turn it off or clear it in Settings.
• Real Time Mode (optional, in Settings): finds the language you type in. Your main language translates to the second one, a second language translates back to yours.

Works with OpenAI, Claude or Gemini. Can send translations to Anki via AnkiConnect, with the phrase read aloud on the card.

Run

npm install
npm start

The demo video is drawn and scored in code: node video/render.mjs renders video/scene.html with headless Chrome, synthesizes the soundtrack (video/audio.mjs) and writes docs/demo.mp4. It needs Google Chrome and ffmpeg.

Install

Download the latest zip from Releases (a new one is built on every push to main), or build it yourself:

npm run build
osascript -e 'quit app "QuickTranslate"'   # a running copy keeps the old version
rm -rf /Applications/QuickTranslate.app    # mv can't replace an existing app
mv "dist/mac-arm64/QuickTranslate.app" /Applications/
open /Applications/QuickTranslate.app

On Intel Macs the folder is dist/mac/.

After each build, macOS sees a new app: turn Accessibility off and on again for QuickTranslate (see below), or the double ⌘ stops working.

First launch

1. Allow Accessibility in System Settings → Privacy & Security (needed for the double ⌘).
2. Fill in Settings: languages, API key, provider.

Find it in the menu bar: a square with 文 behind a square with A. Click it to switch between your second languages.