You Won’t Believe Some of These Epic Translator Fails

Translator fails are so hilarious. Here is a collection of some of the best on the web. Learn from the mistakes of others so they never happen to you.

Feb 7, 2025 - 12:39
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You Won’t Believe Some of These Epic Translator Fails

translator fails

Google Translate and other translation software can be valuable tools when a user needs to quickly translate a word or phrase from one language to another. It’s not always as accurate as human translators, however, and mismatched language pairs can result in some hilarious misunderstandings.

Sometimes, this technical error is merely a humorous mistake for an individual user; however, at other times, a translator fails can result in a confusing situation in a commercial context. Language translation can often be complex, and even the most advanced translation devices can produce significant errors.

 

 

Best Ever Translator Fails

Machine translation isn’t perfect, and even Google makes mistakes. In some cases, these translator fails turned into such hilarious errors we’ve found ourselves grateful for Google Translate’s imperfections.

That’s One Way to Keep People Out

Somehow, we don’t think the original message was a warning of death in progress, but the resulting translation failure on this sign is certainly effective at preventing unwanted entry.

Killing Two Birds with One Stone, Perhaps?

Accurate translations are important in the business world. After all, should some unsuspecting customers take this translator fail too seriously, it could result in a dangerous situation.

No Meal Is Complete Without Mountains of Rape

It can be a tricky process to translate one language to another. Unfortunately, menu translation fails are all too common, leaving diners to wonder exactly what it is they are ordering, such as in the translator fail above.

Who Wants to Watch ‘War Salvage Destroyer Future?’

Movie titles apparently are subject to becoming lost in translation. In this translator failure example, a traveler was left to ponder whether they should watch “War Salvage Destroyer Future” or “Was Godzilla.”

That Pesky Goat Won’t Stop Raining

Excessive translator fails often, leaving users confused about the intended meaning of the original text. In this example, it’s clear that there isn’t actually a goat in the budget, and even if there were, we seriously doubt he is raining badly!

The Devil’s in That Wine!

The introduction of Google Lens’ translation capabilities opens the door for all sorts of new translator fails. Want to read a label in a different language? No problem! No problem that is, until the tool creates a hilarious translator fail like this one!

Just Ask Google Cannibal

Sometimes, a translator’s failure can be downright creepy, leaving a user to wonder just who is behind the responses from Google Translate. In this example, one Twitter user shared their disturbing translation that promises to taste the young.

Is Cow Dung a Delicacy?

Menus are often the victim of a Google Translate fail. In this example, machine translation somehow determined that cow dung would be an appropriate ingredient for a dish made with shark and beef. We wonder if the users ever found the correct ingredients or if they become another victim of Google Translate fails.

Funniest Google Translate Fails

There are so many funny Google Translate fails that it can make it hard to ever trust Google Translate. Fortunately, many Google Translate fails are fairly harmless, and the only harm done is a few chuckles and maybe a roll of the eyes. And apparently, any language is subject to misinterpretation. Even in Canada Google Translate can make humorous mistakes translating from one English dialect to another.

Thou Hast Some Strange Taste in Teas

Google considers it perfectly acceptable to mix a bit of fireman into your matcha latte. This Google Translate failure also believes it can accurately translate Finnish words into Shakespearean English. Hast thou never tasted steamed fireman?

Want a Little Cat In Your Dumpling?

Why do so many Google Translate fail to want to insert cats into Asian menus? Somehow, we don’t think this curious diner was expecting a side of a feline with their shrimp entree. Was it a Google Translate fail or a mysterious dum sum ingredient?

Don’t Ignore the Mermaids

It’s easy to understand how someone learning a new language might make some of these mistakes, but we aren’t sure how Google Translate has so much trouble translating from Spanish to English. When translated, did this warning really advise to list to the mermaid… or could there be another word that means the same as “sirens.??

When You Have to Translate the Translation

At times, translations are so inadequate that users of Google Translate are left puzzled about the intended meaning of a sentence. No matter which languages Google users are attempting to translate, language mistakes like this one are often amusing enough to prevent them from becoming a lasting frustration.

At Least Google’s Heart Was in the Right Place

In this example of a translator failure by Google Translate, the software recognized that it was translating a holiday greeting, but it miscalculated the date. Should we overlook this mistake by Google? After all, isn’t it the thought that matters across all languages?

But Can We Fault Google Translate for Trying?

In yet another hilarious example of a Google Translate failure, the AI decided to suggest translating a DNA sequence. We have to commend Google for attempting to decipher what was never intended to be a sentence, and we’re sure the user got a good laugh from the suggestion in this hilarious example.

Who Knew the English Alphabet Was So Interesting?

What occurs when you use the internet to translate the English alphabet from Chinese back to English? You receive more than just a handful of random words. Instead, Google interprets the characters as referring to grooming a goose. One must question the context that was applied to generate this translation.

Season Your Meal with Child Poison

In which language are the salt ingredients printed that Google Lens translates to indicate it’s poisoned with children? Sorry, Google, your technology still needs improvement, but thanks for the laugh in this instance of a translator failure!

Image: Envato Elements

This article, "You Won’t Believe Some of These Epic Translator Fails" was first published on Small Business Trends