Email just became a lot simpler for people who don't speak the same language. Google has added automatic message translation to Gmail. The feature has been available from Google Labs for almost three years, but has now earned a permanent place in Gmail.
Translation will roll out to all Gmail users over the next few days, Jeff Chin, product manager for Google Translate, wrote in the Gmail blog. When you receive an email in a language other than your own, click "Translate message" in the header and your email will be instantly translated into your language.
Bilingual speakers can turn the feature off and those who want a translation each time they receive an email can select "Always Translate" to avoid having to make the selection in the future.
Want to play with Translate? Open any email and click on the dropdown arrow next to the larger reply arrow to find "Translate." From there you can select from 53 languages — Afrikaans to Yiddish — and Google will translate your email.
