Google Translate can now show gender-specific translations for some languages, in an effort to reduce gender bias by the tool.
Previously if you used Google Translate to translate a word that has feminine and masculine forms, you would only get one translation—and that translation would be based on the gender Google suspected you may be seeking. For instance, the service would always provide the masculine translation for “doctor” while “nurse” would be a feminine one, The Verge notes.
Now, translating those words will result in translations for both gender forms so users can choose which one is appropriate for the particular situation.
Currently, gender-specific translations are only available for a few languages: from English to French, Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish. Translations from Turkish to English is the only combination in which he/she translations will be available for English.
For now, the gender-specific translations are only available on the web, and not mobile. But they’re expected to come to Google Translate’s iOS and Android apps in the future along with additional languages.
Google says it’s also considering how to address non-binary gender in translations.
