# Manual Translation

Manual TranslationThere are four methods you can use to translate a single message or a block of text:

* use the `Translate this message` shortcut to translate any message.
*  use the `Translate text` global shortcut to translate any text in any language, and then (optionally) post it to a channel.
* use a form to translate text (very similar to the method above).
* use the `/translate` slash command to to translate any text in any language, and then (optionally) post it to a channel.

For each of the above methods, translations are (initially) shown only to the user requesting the translation.

See below for more info about each method.

{% content-ref url="manual-translation/slash-command" %}
[slash-command](https://docs.translate.technology/features/manual-translation/slash-command)
{% endcontent-ref %}

{% content-ref url="manual-translation/translate-text-shortcut" %}
[translate-text-shortcut](https://docs.translate.technology/features/manual-translation/translate-text-shortcut)
{% endcontent-ref %}

{% content-ref url="manual-translation/translate-this-message" %}
[translate-this-message](https://docs.translate.technology/features/manual-translation/translate-this-message)
{% endcontent-ref %}