HoverTranslate

Translate the one word you don't know in YouTube subtitles

Point at a word in the subtitles and its translation appears right above them, while the video waits for you. A free, open-source extension for Chrome, Firefox and Edge, made for people who learn a language from videos.

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Free and open source · No account · Chrome, Firefox and Edge on a computer

HoverTranslate works in desktop browsers — open this page on your computer to install.

❚❚ Paused while you read
Mañana vamos a la beachplaya si hace buen tiempo.

Spanish → English, translated by Google

How it works

  1. Add HoverTranslate to Chrome, Firefox or Edge.
  2. Open a YouTube video and turn on subtitles — the creator's or auto-generated.
  3. Point at a word: its translation appears above the subtitles, and the video pauses until you move away.

Why HoverTranslate

Keep reading the original

Most subtitle tools translate the whole line or show a second line of subtitles under the first. HoverTranslate does something smaller on purpose: it translates the one word or phrase you point at, so you still read the original and only look up what you actually don't know. No copying words into a translator, no switching tabs, no losing the thread.

A second line of subtitlesYour eyes go to the translation, and the Spanish line becomes background.
HoverTranslateOnly the word you didn't know. No copying into a translator, no switching tabs.

Features

See it in action

Hold Shift for a whole phrase

Idioms and set phrases don't translate word by word. Hold Shift and move the pointer across the words to translate them together — here, Spanish alma gemela becomes “soulmate”. Or turn on “Always enable multiple selection” in the settings and leave Shift alone.

Click a word to save it

A click saves the word with its translation and the day you found it. Your list is on the Dictionary tab of the extension's popup, grouped by day, and you can export it as CSV or JSON — for a spreadsheet, or to review your new words later.

The meaning that fits the line, with DeepL

With your own free DeepL API key, each word is translated in the context of its whole subtitle line, so a word with several meanings gets the one it has there: “bank” in “we sat on the bank of the river” is a riverbank, not a bank. In the video, arma in “arma la carpa” is “set up” (the tent), not “weapon”. The line around the word is not counted against your DeepL allowance.

Chinese, Japanese and Thai, word by word

These languages are written without spaces between words, and HoverTranslate still picks out the single word under the pointer instead of translating the whole line — here, Japanese 旅, “travel”.

Everything else

Learn

Auto-pause
The video pauses while the pointer is on the subtitles and plays on when you move away. You can turn this off.
Copy instead of save
A click can copy the word or its translation instead of saving it, if you prefer.

Works where you watch

Auto-generated subtitles
Works with the subtitles YouTube creates itself, so videos without subtitles from the creator work too.
Embedded players
YouTube videos embedded on other websites — blogs, online courses, news articles — work as well, not only youtube.com.
Looks like your subtitles
The translation follows your YouTube subtitle style, or you can pick your own font, colors and size.

Translators

More than 240 languages
The subtitle language is detected automatically; you pick the language to translate into.
Google, Bing or DeepL
Google works out of the box. Bing asks for access to www.bing.com the first time you pick it. DeepL works with your own free API key, which is stored only on your device and sent only to DeepL.

Free and private

Your words stay in your browser

  • No account
  • No subscription
  • No ads
  • No analytics
  • Words you point atSent only to the translator you chose — Google, Bing or DeepL — to be translated. With DeepL, the subtitle line around the word is sent too, for context.
  • Word list and cacheYour word list and the translation cache stay in your browser.
  • SettingsKept in your browser's storage and synced by your browser if you use its sync.
  • DeepL API keyStored only on your device and sent only to DeepL.

Read the privacy policy · Check it in the code

FAQ

Questions

Is HoverTranslate free?
Yes: free and open source under the MIT License, with no account, no subscription and no ads. Only DeepL needs your own API key; its free plan covers 500,000 characters a month.
How do I translate a phrase?
Hold Shift and move the pointer across the words, or turn on “Always enable multiple selection” in the settings.
Which languages can it translate?
More than 240 with Google. The subtitle language is detected automatically; you pick the language to translate into.
Does it work on Netflix or other video sites?
No. HoverTranslate works on YouTube: on youtube.com and in YouTube players embedded on other websites. It does not support Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+ or other platforms.
Does it show dual subtitles or translate the whole subtitle line?
No. It translates the word or phrase under your pointer. The original subtitles stay as they are.
Does it work in YouTube videos embedded on other websites?
Yes, except videos embedded in privacy-enhanced mode (youtube-nocookie.com).
Where are my saved words, and can I export them?
In your browser, in the extension's own storage. Open the extension's popup and go to Dictionary to see them; you can export them from there as CSV or JSON.
Do I need a DeepL API key?
Only if you want to use DeepL. Google and Bing work without a key. DeepL's free API plan covers 500,000 characters a month; the key is free to create at deepl.com/pro-api.
Which browsers are supported?
Chrome, Firefox and Edge on a computer. There is no mobile version.
Are there known limitations?
Videos embedded in “privacy-enhanced mode” (youtube-nocookie.com) are not supported yet.

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