> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://kagi.micr.dev/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# translate

> Complete reference for *kagi* translate command - translate text through Kagi Translate with session-token auth.

# `kagi translate`

Translate text through Kagi Translate and return one JSON envelope with the core translation plus the auxiliary text-mode sections.

<img src="https://mintlify.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/kagi-cli/images/demos/translate.gif" alt="Translate demo" />

## Synopsis

```bash theme={null}
kagi translate [OPTIONS] [TEXT]
```

## Description

`kagi translate` uses your existing `KAGI_SESSION_TOKEN`, bootstraps a `translate_session` at runtime, then calls the live `translate.kagi.com` endpoints over HTTP.

By default the command fetches:

* language detection
* translated text
* alternative translations
* text alignments
* translation suggestions
* word insights

If an auxiliary section fails, the core translation still succeeds and the failure is recorded in `warnings`.

Plain `kagi translate "..."` means `--from auto --to en`. The CLI detects the source language first, then translates to English unless you pass `--to`.

## Authentication

**Required:** `KAGI_SESSION_TOKEN`

The command follows the same Session Link auth story as other subscriber features. Save the full Session Link URL with:

```bash theme={null}
kagi auth set --session-token 'https://kagi.com/search?token=...'
```

## Bootstrap

The CLI uses your existing `KAGI_SESSION_TOKEN` to fetch `https://translate.kagi.com/`, reads the returned `translate_session` cookie from `Set-Cookie`, then uses normal Rust HTTP requests for the rest of the flow.

## Arguments

### `<TEXT>`

The text to translate. If omitted, the command reads text from stdin.

```bash theme={null}
kagi translate "Bonjour tout le monde"
echo "Bonjour tout le monde" | kagi translate --to ja
```

## Core Options

### `--from <LANG>`

Source language code. Default: `auto`.

### `--to <LANG>`

Target language code. Default: `en`. `auto` is not accepted for the target language.

### `--quality <QUALITY>`

Quality preference passed through to Kagi Translate.

### `--model <MODEL>`

Model override passed through to Kagi Translate.

## Context and Style Options

### `--prediction <TEXT>`

Bias translation toward a predicted completion.

### `--predicted-language <LANG>`

Predicted source language code.

### `--formality <LEVEL>`

Formality hint.

### `--speaker-gender <GENDER>`

Speaker gender hint.

### `--addressee-gender <GENDER>`

Addressee gender hint.

### `--language-complexity <LEVEL>`

Language complexity hint.

### `--translation-style <STYLE>`

Translation style hint.

### `--context <TEXT>`

Extra translation context.

### `--dictionary-language <LANG>`

Dictionary language override.

### `--time-format <FORMAT>`

Time formatting style.

### `--use-definition-context <true|false>`

Toggle definition-aware translation behavior.

### `--enable-language-features <true|false>`

Toggle language-feature enrichment.

### `--preserve-formatting <true|false>`

Preserve formatting when possible.

### `--context-memory-json <JSON>`

Raw JSON array passed through as `context_memory`.

```bash theme={null}
kagi translate "Bonjour" \
  --context-memory-json '[{"kind":"glossary","value":"Use Hello, never Hi"}]'
```

## Auxiliary Section Controls

### `--no-alternatives`

Skip the alternative translations call.

### `--no-word-insights`

Skip the word insights call.

### `--no-suggestions`

Skip the translation suggestions call.

### `--no-alignments`

Skip the text alignments call.

## Output Format

```json theme={null}
{
  "bootstrap": {
    "method": "reqwest(set-cookie bootstrap)",
    "authenticated": true
  },
  "detected_language": {
    "iso": "fr",
    "label": "French"
  },
  "translation": {
    "translation": "Hello everyone",
    "source_language": "fr",
    "target_language": "en"
  },
  "alternatives": {
    "elements": []
  },
  "text_alignments": {
    "alignments": []
  },
  "translation_suggestions": {
    "suggestions": []
  },
  "word_insights": {
    "insights": []
  },
  "warnings": []
}
```

## Examples

### Basic Translation to English

```bash theme={null}
kagi translate "Bonjour tout le monde"
```

### Translate to Japanese

```bash theme={null}
kagi translate "Hello everyone" --to ja
```

### Provide Style and Context

```bash theme={null}
kagi translate "Can you review this?" \
  --to fr \
  --formality more \
  --translation-style natural \
  --context "Professional email to a client"
```

### Fastest Core Output Only

```bash theme={null}
kagi translate "Bonjour tout le monde" \
  --no-alternatives \
  --no-word-insights \
  --no-suggestions \
  --no-alignments
```

### Extract Just the Translated Text

```bash theme={null}
kagi translate "Bonjour tout le monde" | jq -r '.translation.translation'
```

## Exit Codes

| Code | Meaning            |
| ---- | ------------------ |
| 0    | Success            |
| 1    | Error - see stderr |

## Troubleshooting

### Bootstrap failure

If translate bootstrap fails before detection or translation starts, the session token is likely invalid for the current account state or Kagi changed the cookie bootstrap behavior.

### Invalid session token

Refresh your Session Link and save it again:

```bash theme={null}
kagi auth set --session-token 'https://kagi.com/search?token=...'
```

### Auxiliary section warnings

If `warnings` is non-empty, the translation succeeded but one or more optional follow-on calls were rejected or unavailable.

## See Also

* [Authentication Guide](/guides/authentication)
* [Auth Matrix](/reference/auth-matrix)
* [Coverage](/reference/coverage)