Chat with automatic translation: talk to the whole world in your own language
Talking to someone on the other side of the world always runs into the same wall: you need a common language, and school English rarely lasts more than three sentences. On PLOXX, you write in English, the other person writes in Spanish, German or Dutch, and each of you reads the conversation in your own language. The translation happens on its own, the original stays visible, and nothing is sent to a third-party service.
The world room: one chat for the whole planet
The world room is PLOXX's public chat. Every country mixes in a single thread, and every message reaches everyone in their own language: the original text is displayed, and the translated line appears right below it. Nobody has anything to set up.
You can reply to a specific message (its author gets notified), leave a heart, and a squad can post a card to recruit or throw down a challenge. A message is 300 characters at most, and there's a fifteen-second wait between two: it's a room, not a feed.
How the translation actually works
- Six languages: English, French, Spanish, German, Italian and Dutch, the languages of the interface. Not one more, so each one is served properly.
- In your browser first. When it can translate on its own, it does so, on your device. Otherwise our own server takes over. Never a paid service: no message is ever sent to a third-party translator.
- The language you write in is learned from your messages, not guessed from your interface. An English speaker living in Germany is translated from English.
- The original stays on screen. Automatic translation is never perfect, especially with slang; the source text is always there to clear up a doubt.
Also in 1v1, in private messages and in the HQ
Translation doesn't stop at the room. In a 1v1 encounter from the random chat, in private messages with a friend, or in your squad's HQ, messages received in another language are translated the same way, below the original.
That's what makes international encounters possible without a language filter: when you don't share a language, you still understand each other. If your real goal is to improve a language, talking to strangers every evening is the most direct way to practise.
A public room, but moderated before it's broadcast
Every message in the world room goes through moderation before it's broadcast, never after. You can delete your own, report others', and sexual content or harassment means a ban. From the room, nobody can invite you into their squad unless you've posted a "looking for a squad" card yourself, and private messages stay friends-only: a stranger doesn't message you without your consent.
The site is for ages 15 and up, and one-on-one encounters never mix minors and adults. You appear as your avatar; your camera is never required.
Why a translated chat rather than a language filter
A language filter empties the queue: split six ways, it matches no one. Translation does the opposite. Instead of pushing away the people who don't speak your language, it lets you talk to them. It's also why the page on games to play with long-distance friends works with a friend living abroad, and why the challenges of the Arena don't need words: statements come from a translated bank, and a drawing has no language.
If you would rather start with the queue itself, the random chat app page says who you will meet, and the free video chat page what you do not have to create.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to switch anything on?
No. A message written in another language arrives with its translation below it, automatically.
Which languages are translated?
The six languages of the site: English, French, Spanish, German, Italian and Dutch.
Are my messages sent to Google or another service?
No. Translation happens in your browser when it's capable of it, otherwise on our own server. No third-party service receives your messages.
Is the translation reliable?
It's automatic, so imperfect, especially with slang. That's why the original always stays displayed above the translation.
Is the world room open all day?
Yes. Only one-on-one encounters with strangers open in the evening, from 9 pm to midnight Paris time. The room, private messages and the HQ stay open.
Is it free?
Yes, like everything else: the room, the translation, the encounters, the games and the levels. Only avatar cosmetics are optional.