do you think google translate works?

[xiaonu]

It's very iffy. There are times it may get a word correct , but put into a sentence it gets easily confused. I laugh hard at this example. 美死了 (Mei si le) means its extremely beautiful , a phrase in Chinese , 死了 means to death, emphasizing the adjective. (Like I'm starving to death). Mei is also the first word of America 美國. (Mei guo). Meaning America, but it does not literally mean beautiful country, it just sounds like America sort of. Anyway , google always translates it as "the United States is dead!" And I laugh every time LOL. Its so off. Grammar plays a huge role and some words are translated too literal.

 

[Sanaki]

Barely, if at all.

 

[Ashtot]

Grammar plays a huge role and some words are translated too literal.

This is basically why it isn't that useful. It can't take words in sentences and put them into context of a situation etc.