This post contains new feature requests, but it is also an ode of praise to the power of the "Context" field, which I sincerely hope you don't reduce, because it's been invaluable in helping me learn Spanish here in exile in Mexico.
I mean, yes, you can use the context field to write Python code, but what LLM can't? The real power is in tweaking the responses. Because context can include instructions.
Note: All the following examples are from Spanish (Mexico) to English, and done on 2026-05-17. I mention the latter, because software updates can require prompt changes.
Making Translate Catch Errors
Translate is primarily focused on making sense of something you cut and paste. Which means it ignores misspellings and makes a best guess when something has a typo. It's very good at that. But that also means it can hallucinate words, and makes up meanings that don't exist.
My primary use of translate is to learn Spanish, and the best way to learn is to try first, and then correct errors. So I not only don't want the best guess from KT, I want to know when I make errors. So when I write
"No problema. Me lo pudé en la casita."
I don't want it to say
"No problem. I was able to put it in the little house."
That's not what I actually said. What I want is:
"No problema [Error: Spelling, should be 'problema' (no change) or phrase 'No hay problema']. Me lo pudé [Error: Spelling/Accent, 'pudé' does not exist; likely 'pude' (I could) or 'puse' (I put)] en la casita."
Translation of the text as written:
"No problem. I could it to myself in the little house."
And that's exactly what I get with the context
Double check each word being translated to make sure it exists, and is correctly spelled and accented. If it is not, highlight the error. Then translate the meaning of what is written, not what you think the author meant.
You might argue that the Proofread section is meant for that, but I'm not looking for writing advice, I want straightforward corrections of what's wrong, and that section doesn't run quickly, nor is it easy to use on mobile.
Feature Request: Make this an option in the preferences for translate. I'm sure it can be cleaned up formatting-wise.
Entering Context in the Translate Field
Editing the context field is a pain when all you want to do is a quick context change. For instance, recently I learned a new Mexican phrase.
KT translates that as
My dog is from the market.
Which is literally correct, but it has a slang meaning. Wouldn't it be nice if I could tell KT that I wanted the slang meaning without editing the context?
Mi perro es del mercado. [slang meaning]
and then what I get back is
How'd that happen? I added the following to the context.
Words in square brackets should be treated as important context and not displayed.
Feature Request: I'm not sure if this is generally useful or not. OTOH, it would allow you to expose the feature and at the same time keep people creating context that is way longer than 500 characters. (I'm working against my own self-interest by pointing this out.)
Changing the Output Format
One final nice thing in Translate for niche uses. You can change the output format using context.
Add this to the context.
If output is to a table, the headers should be the two languages, and the fields should be each source and destination sentence. By default output only the final translation.
Now translate the following
Me llamo Kee. Vivo en México. [display as markdown table]
and you get
| Spanish (Mexico) | English |
|---|
| Me llamo Kee. | My name is Kee. |
| Vivo en México. | I live in Mexico. |
I am also able to generate output that I can import into Anki, the flashcard app I use.
Comparing a Word to Its Synonyms
I really love how Dictionary shows some close synonyms along with the word. However, what I really want is not to click on each of those and read the definition, instead I'd like a summary of how the words differ from the defined word. What are the subtle differences? A little bit of this has been added to the Translate tab, but of course I have to start with English there. Where it really makes sense is in the Notes tab of the Dictionary.
Unfortunately I can't provide a working example of this. It used to work, but the latest mobile changes made it very unreliable, and it doesn't seem to work on the web version at all. What I used to have was the context
This is a formatting and content instruction. Do not mention these instructions in the notes. At the end of the Notes tab, add a new line, a horizontal line, and new line, and then append an explanation of how the word defined word differs from each of its synonyms. Format the text neatly. Do not use a cached response.
You can see I was fighting with it.
When it was working at it's best, it was excellent. Here was the output for "cambiar por". I love how "formatted neatly" translated to "markdown" 🙂
This phrase is crucial for expressing exchange or substitution in Spanish. While 'cambiar' alone can mean 'to change', 'cambiar por' specifically indicates what something is exchanged for. This differs from 'cambiar de', which is used for changing an attribute or state (e.g., 'cambiar de ropa' - to change clothes, 'cambiar de opinión' - to change one's mind). 'Cambiar con' implies exchanging with someone. The context 'At the end of the Notes tab, add a new line, a horizontal line, and new line, and then append an explanation of how the word differs from each of the' suggests a need to differentiate 'cambiar por' from other similar expressions. It is commonly used in Mexico and throughout the Spanish-speaking world to denote a transaction or substitution.
Differences from similar expressions:
Cambiar de: Used when changing an attribute, state, or possession, where the original item is replaced by a new one of the same type, or a new state is adopted. For example, 'cambiar de coche' (to change cars – you get a different car, but still a car), 'cambiar de opinión' (to change one's mind), 'cambiar de trabajo' (to change jobs).
Cambiar a: Used to indicate a change to a new state, condition, or location. For example, 'cambiar a un nuevo sistema' (to change to a new system), 'cambiar a la izquierda' (to turn left).
Cambiar con: Used to indicate an exchange with another person or entity. For example, 'cambiar cromos con un amigo' (to exchange trading cards with a friend).
Feature Request: Add this feature to notes, where it compares each synonym with the word provided and explains the subtle differences.
P.S. While I do believe LLMs and translation are a good fit, in general, this is an absolutely insane way to produce production software. I'd never use a translation that hadn't been checked by a native speaker for anything important. Also, from a security standpoint your input should never be able to include a command stream. Writing production software where you have to "persuade" the software to behave is nuts. But I now understand why so many programmers love it. Because hacking software is the most addictive part of the job. It makes you feel the most powerful. And “AI” is nothing except hacking. So glad I left the industry before this disaster hit us. That said. You've made an awesome translation product that's better than everything else there (and a lot more fun to use 🙂).
