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🌐 Translations

Translations let a multilingual community talk across language barriers. You define rules that pair a source channel with a target channel, and the agent automatically translates every new message between them — no commands, no reactions, nothing for members to learn.

Overview​

When configured, the agent can:

  • Translate new messages from a source channel into a target channel in another language
  • Translate from a specific language or from "Any language" — anything not already in the target language
  • Post translations in one of three modes: as the agent, as the original author, or fully unified
  • Detect transliterated or romanized text — "Privet" is recognized as Russian
  • Support around 35 languages

Configuration​

To configure translations:

  1. Open your project in the Fren One webapp.
  2. Select the Discord server you want to configure.
  3. In the sidebar under Agent Configuration, select Translations.
  4. Select Add Rule and fill in the inline editor.

Translation rules​

Each rule pairs one source channel and language with one target channel and language.

OptionDescription
Source channelThe channel the agent reads original messages from. Required.
Source languageWhich language to translate from — around 35 languages, plus "Any language" to translate anything not already in the target language.
Target channelThe channel where translations are posted. Required.
Target languageWhich language to translate into. The source language is excluded from the list.
ModeHow the translation is posted — see below.

Each rule in the list also has its own enable toggle, which takes effect immediately.

Posting modes​

The Mode select controls how the translated message appears, with the chosen mode's description shown as helper text:

ModeDescription
Agent reposts (default)The agent posts the translation in the target channel, mentioning the member.
As original authorPosts the translation under the member's name and avatar via a webhook; the original message stays.
UnifiedDeletes the original and reposts the translation as the member — as if they wrote it in that language.
Unified mode deletes originals

In Unified mode the member's original message is permanently deleted and replaced by the translation. Test it carefully in a low-traffic channel before enabling it on a busy one.

How it works in Discord​

Translation is fully automatic: whenever a member posts a new message in a rule's source channel, the agent translates it and posts it to the target channel — members don't run commands or add reactions. Messages posted by the agent itself are skipped, so translations never loop.

In Agent reposts mode, the translation appears as "@Member said:" followed by the translated text. In As original author mode, the translation is delivered through a webhook named "Fren One Translator" so it carries the member's own name and avatar, while the original stays in the source channel. In Unified mode the original is deleted, so the translated message is all that remains.

Translations require the AI service — if it's unavailable, messages simply pass through untranslated.

Saving your changes​

Changes on this page apply immediately — creating or editing a rule saves it as soon as you confirm the editor, and each rule's enable toggle takes effect right away. There is no page-level Save bar. Deleting a rule asks for confirmation first, naming the source → target pair that will be deleted.

Best practices​

Multilingual channel setup
  • Use one channel per language and a rule in each direction so both sides of a conversation get translated.
  • Start with Agent reposts mode — it's the most transparent, since members can see which messages are translations.
  • Use "Any language" as the source for international channels where you can't predict what members will write in.
  • Disable a rule with its toggle instead of deleting it when you only need a pause — the toggle is instant and reversible.
Troubleshooting

Translations aren't appearing?

  • Check that the rule is enabled and points at the right source channel.
  • If the source language is specific (not "Any language"), messages in other languages are not translated by that rule.
  • Translation requires the AI service — if it's unavailable, the agent silently skips translation.

"As original author" or "Unified" mode isn't working?

  • Webhook modes need the Manage Webhooks permission. The default install grants the agent Administrator, which covers it — but check this if you've customized the agent's permissions.

Original messages are disappearing?

  • That's Unified mode working as designed — it deletes the original and reposts the translation as the member. Switch the rule to As original author if you want originals to stay.

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