Frequently asked questions

English and German, in both directions. Also German ↔ Spanish, German ↔ Portuguese (Brazil) and German ↔ French. Every pair has German on one side: Dolmi doesn’t translate English and Spanish with each other, for example. More about the German ↔ English pair is on the German English translator page.

In a face-to-face conversation, with one tap: whoever wants to talk taps “I’ll speak” on their half of the screen first. In a call, you choose your language and the language of the others, and the way you choose sets the direction: subtitles translate into your language, the voice into the language of the others. For texts and files, you choose the direction.

Yes, in the browser, without installing an app. On a phone, you can use face-to-face conversations, subtitles for a call that plays through the speakers of the laptop next to it, and translations of texts and files.

What doesn’t work on a phone: sending your translated voice into another app, such as the Zoom app or a WhatsApp call. A phone browser can’t use a virtual microphone and can’t access the audio of other apps. For that, you need a computer.

The first 60 seconds of face-to-face conversation or live translation in a video call are free, with no payment and no card. After that, you buy a pack from CHF 4.90 or a subscription. With text, audio and video, Dolmi shows you the first sentences of the translation before you pay.

For face-to-face conversations and subtitles next to the laptop, a phone with an up-to-date browser is enough. For your voice in a call and the floating subtitle window, you need a Windows PC or a Mac with an up-to-date version of Chrome or Edge. Other desktop browsers don’t offer everything that’s needed.

The phone lies on the table between you and the other person. The screen splits in two, and the top half is turned towards the person opposite. Whoever wants to talk taps the button on their half: “I’ll speak” on yours, “Ich spreche” on theirs. Dolmi says the translation out loud and shows the text in large letters on the other person’s half. There’s nothing to set up. Step-by-step instructions are on the face-to-face conversation page.

The same as one live minute in a video call: 2 credits. Only the time in which Dolmi translates speech counts; pauses cost nothing.

Less well. Like any speech recognition, Dolmi understands less in a noisy restaurant or next to a building site. Find a quieter corner and take turns rather than talking at the same time as the other person.

There are about 1 to 3 seconds between your sentence and the spoken translation. That’s enough for a normal conversation if everyone pauses briefly after making a point. When everyone talks at once, any real-time voice translator struggles.

No. Either you put your phone next to your laptop, with the call playing through the speakers, or on a computer you share the call’s audio with Dolmi, for example a browser tab. The details are on the live translator page.

Only for your voice in a call, when you use Dolmi as a live translator for video calls. Zoom, Teams and Meet only take sound from a microphone. The virtual cable is that microphone: Dolmi speaks the translation into it, and the call app listens. On Windows, it’s VB-Cable; on a Mac, BlackHole 2ch. Both are free. Dolmi guides you through the setup step by step and checks everything with a test tone. What you then change in the call app is in the guides for Zoom, Teams and Google Meet.

On a Mac, the browser only shares the audio of a browser tab, not the audio of other programs. For the Zoom or Teams app on a Mac, use your phone next to the laptop, or open the call in the browser: Google Meet runs there anyway, and Zoom and Teams can be used in the browser too. The voice through the virtual cable works with all apps on a Mac.

No, as long as the virtual cable is selected as the microphone in the call app. Then they only hear the translation, spoken by an AI voice. If you want to speak for yourself for a moment, choose your headset as the microphone in the call app again.

Not for Meet calls, if your subscription includes Meet’s speech translation (Google AI Pro or Ultra, or Google Workspace from Business Standard). It only works in Meet, though. Dolmi helps in Zoom, Teams and other call apps, at the table and with files. There’s more in the comparison.

Audio and video files of up to 200 MB and 30 minutes. You type or paste text directly, up to 20,000 characters per translation.

Yes. Upload the file, choose the direction German → English, and Dolmi gives you the translation as a spoken MP3, as text and as SRT subtitles. Before you pay, you see the length, the cost and the first sentences. More on the translate text and audio page.

No. Dolmi always speaks in one of six AI voices: Achird, Charon, Algenib, Kore, Aoede or Sulafat. Dolmi doesn’t offer voice cloning.

An AI does the translating. For conversations, voice messages and videos, it usually works well. For contracts, court documents or official papers, you need a certified translation by a person. Before you pay, Dolmi shows you the first sentences of the translation so you can judge the quality.

1 credit translates one minute of audio or video. For text, 900 characters count as one minute. One minute in live mode costs 2 credits. Live, only the time in which Dolmi translates speech counts.

In your account, through the Stripe customer portal, any time, for the end of the current month. Until then, you can use the credits for that period. Subscription credits you don’t use expire afterwards.

12 months from purchase. If you buy another pack, your whole pack balance is valid for 12 months again. Packs never renew on their own.

By card, for both subscriptions and packs. Payments are processed by Stripe, and Dolmi never sees your card details.

If a translation fails for technical reasons, Dolmi refunds the credits automatically. You don’t need to do anything.

Your account is created with your first translation and linked to a cookie in your browser. For other devices, you have a personal access link, which you’ll find in your account. Keep this link safe like a key: anyone with the link can get into your account.

Translation and the voice are handled by Google’s AI services; payments by Stripe. Dolmi only uses the cookies it needs for your account and your language, and no trackers. The details are in the privacy policy.

Dolmi deletes uploads and results after 30 days. Download your translations before then.

Yes, any time. Dolmi then also deletes your translations and files. Payment records that the law requires us to keep are kept for as long as required.