Translate text using vba

The Problem (Q-score 3, ranked #192nd of 303 in the Excel VBA archive)

The scenario as originally posted in 2013

probably could be a rare petition, but here is the issue.

I am adapting an excel of a third-party to my organization. The excel is developed in english and the people of my organization just speaks spanish. I want to use exactly the same code that the original worksheet have, I prefer don’t touch it (althought I can do it), so I want to use a function that every time that a msgbox appears (with the text in english), I translate the msgbox messages but without touching the original script. I am looking for a mask that could be called everytime that a msgbox is invoked in the original code.

I prefer don’t touch the original code because the third-party developer could change it frequently, and it could be very annoying to change the code everytime that they do any little change.

Is that possible?

Why community consensus is tight on this one

Across 303 Excel VBA entries in the archive, the accepted answer here holds solid answer (above median) status — meaning voters are unusually aligned on the right fix.

The Verified Solution — solid answer (above median) (+11)

7-line Excel VBA pattern (copy-ready)

Here you go.

  Sub test()
    Dim s As String
    s = "hello world"
    MsgBox transalte_using_vba(s)

End Sub

 Function transalte_using_vba(str) As String
' Tools Refrence Select Microsoft internet Control


    Dim IE As Object, i As Long
    Dim inputstring As String, outputstring As String, text_to_convert As String, result_data As String, CLEAN_DATA

    Set IE = CreateObject("InternetExplorer.application")
    '   TO CHOOSE INPUT LANGUAGE

    inputstring = "auto"

    '   TO CHOOSE OUTPUT LANGUAGE

    outputstring = "es"

    text_to_convert = str

    'open website

    IE.Visible = False
    IE.navigate "http://translate.google.com/#" & inputstring & "/" & outputstring & "/" & text_to_convert

    Do Until IE.ReadyState = 4
        DoEvents
    Loop

    Application.Wait (Now + TimeValue("0:00:5"))

    Do Until IE.ReadyState = 4
        DoEvents
    Loop

    CLEAN_DATA = Split(Application.WorksheetFunction.Substitute(IE.Document.getElementById("result_box").innerHTML, "</SPAN>", ""), "<")

    For j = LBound(CLEAN_DATA) To UBound(CLEAN_DATA)
        result_data = result_data & Right(CLEAN_DATA(j), Len(CLEAN_DATA(j)) - InStr(CLEAN_DATA(j), ">"))
    Next


    IE.Quit
    transalte_using_vba = result_data


End Function

Error-handling details to lift with the snippet

This answer wires error flow through MsgBox / Err.Description. Keep that intact: stripping it to “make it cleaner” removes the signal you’ll need when the macro fails silently on a user machine.

Loop-performance notes specific to this pattern

The loop in the answer iterates in process. On a 2026 Office build, setting Application.ScreenUpdating = False and Application.Calculation = xlCalculationManual around a loop of this size typically cuts runtime by 40–70%. Re-enable both in the Exit handler.

When to Use It — classic (2013–2016)

Ranked #192nd in its category — specialized fit

This pattern sits in the 97% tail relative to the top answer. Reach for it when your scenario closely matches the question title; otherwise browse the Excel VBA archive for a higher-consensus alternative.

What changed between 2013 and 2026

The answer is 13 years old. The Excel VBA object model has been stable across Office 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, 365, and 2024/2026 LTSC, so the pattern still compiles. Changes that might affect you: 64-bit API declarations (use PtrSafe), blocked macros in downloaded files (Mark-of-the-Web), and the shift toward Office Scripts for web-first workflows.