How to add a translation bot to Discord

Adding a translation bot to Discord takes about two minutes. This guide walks through installing Talksy, the webhook-native translation bot, choosing where it translates, and how members opt in so their messages are posted in another language as them. You can also install Talksy on your own Discord account, with no admin permissions, to translate messages anywhere.

Step 1: invite the bot

You have two options, depending on whether you want translation for the whole server or just for yourself in every server you are in:

The server install asks for Send Messages, Manage Webhooks, Read Message History, and Use Slash Commands, among others. Don't deny these: they're what make webhook-based translation work (posting as the original speaker instead of as a bot reply).

Step 2: pick the channels to translate

When Talksy joins, it posts a welcome message in your server's language. An admin clicks ⚡ Set up, picks the channels where translation should run, and confirms. Prefer commands? These do the same:

/server enable
/server channel add channel:#general

This allows translation in those channels. Nobody is translated yet: each member decides for themselves.

Step 3: members opt in

Each member who wants their messages translated picks the language their messages should also appear in, once per server. From then on, when they post in an enabled channel, Talksy posts the translation right under it, as them (same avatar, same name, with a small flag).

/talksy language:spanish

Pick from the autocomplete (100+ languages) or type the language name. To stop: /talksy off:true. To check your settings, run /talksy on its own.

Step 4: three ways to translate on demand

Beyond auto-translate, anyone can translate a specific message three ways:

Slash command

/translate text:Bonjour to:english

Translates anything you type into the chosen language. Only you see the reply.

Flag reaction

React to any message with a country flag (🇫🇷 = French, 🇪🇸 = Spanish, 🇯🇵 = Japanese and so on). Talksy replies to that message with the translation in that language. No setup and no account needed.

Right-click menu

Right-click any message → Apps → Translate Message. Talksy translates it into your preferred language, and only you see it. With the personal install this works everywhere, even in servers where the bot isn't installed.

Optional: more admin commands

• /server route add source:#general target:#general-fr language:french mirrors a whole channel into another language, for everyone. One route is free per server; unlimited with Pro.
• /server glossary add term:Valorant keeps game, character and brand names from being translated. Pro feature.
• /server settings shows what's enabled.

Bot not translating? Common fixes

• Server or channel not enabled. An admin needs to click ⚡ Set up, or run /server enable and /server channel add channel:#general.
• The member hasn't opted in. Inline translation only runs for members who ran /talksy language:… in that server.
• Bot missing webhook permission. Check the Talksy role has Manage Webhooks on the channel.
• The message is already in the target language. There's nothing to translate, so Talksy skips it. That's by design.

Full troubleshooting: Discord bot not translating? 7 quick fixes, or the troubleshooting docs.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to add a translation bot to Discord?

Adding Talksy takes about 30 seconds: click invite, pick your server, approve permissions. Picking the channels to translate takes about another minute with the ⚡ Set up button, and each member who wants their messages translated runs /talksy once. The whole server is set up in about two minutes.

Do I need to be a server admin to add a translation bot?

To install the bot on a server, yes: you need the Manage Server permission. But for personal use you can install Talksy to your own Discord account (no admin needed), and /translate and right-click → Apps → Translate Message work in every server you are in.

Is a Discord translation bot free?

Talksy is free up to 100 inline translations, 100 /translate and right-click translations, and 50 flag-reaction translations per member per month, across all 100+ supported languages. No credit card required. Pro is €8.99/mo for unlimited usage.

What permissions does a translation bot need?

Talksy asks for Send Messages, Manage Webhooks (to post translations as the original speaker), Read Message History, Use Slash Commands, Embed Links, Add Reactions, and Manage Messages (for stealth mode, which deletes the original after translating). All are requested automatically during install.