← Back to Blog Guide
May 22, 2025 · 4 min read

Translate Persian and Farsi to English in Real Time

Watching Iranian cinema without subtitles, following Persian YouTube channels, or catching up on BBC Persian news often means missing context or waiting for translations that never arrive. Seagull delivers real-time Persian to English translation by capturing system audio from any app and displaying live subtitles on your screen.

Why Most Persian Translation Tools Miss the Mark

Browser extensions only work inside Chrome or Firefox, leaving you stranded when watching Persian content in standalone video players, desktop apps, or streaming platforms. Copying and pasting text into translation websites interrupts the flow of watching films or following live news broadcasts.

Many Persian speakers in the diaspora want to connect with family over video calls or stay current with Iranian news sources, but existing solutions require constant tab-switching or don't work with desktop applications at all. The gap between needing immediate translation and getting it widens when you're watching a time-sensitive news segment or trying to follow dialogue in a film.

Seagull works with any app on your desktop. No browser extensions, no plugins, no setup wizard. Just download, pick your language, and start listening.

How Seagull Handles Persian and Farsi Translation

Seagull captures system audio directly from any desktop application without requiring plugins or browser dependencies. Whether you're streaming an Iranian film on a video player, watching YouTube channels in Persian, listening to BBC Persian or Iran International broadcasts, or taking a family video call, Seagull picks up the audio and translates it in real time.

The floating subtitle overlay stays on top of any window, so you see English translations while the Persian audio continues playing. With support for 60+ languages including Persian and Farsi, the translations appear with low latency, keeping pace with natural speech patterns. The app runs on Mac, Windows, and Linux, adapting to whatever platform you use for Persian content.

Real Situations Where Seagull Outperforms Alternatives

Iranian cinema fans can watch classics from Abbas Kiarostami or Asghar Farhadi in their original Persian without hunting for English subtitle files that may not exist or sync poorly. Persian YouTube creators covering topics from cooking to politics become accessible even when auto-generated captions fail or aren't available.

Family members in the Iranian diaspora can use Conversation Mode for two-way video calls, where Seagull translates both Persian and English in real time during face-to-face conversations. Following breaking news on BBC Persian or Iran International becomes straightforward when live subtitles appear instantly, no need to wait for official English coverage or rely on partial summaries.

How to Get Started

1
Download Seagull

Available for Mac, Windows, and Linux. The app installs in seconds and requires no configuration.

2
Pick your language

Choose the language being spoken and the language you want to see. Seagull supports 40+ languages out of the box.

3
Start listening

Seagull will transcribe and translate audio from any app in real time. Captions appear in a small overlay on your screen.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Seagull work with both Persian and Farsi?

Yes, Seagull supports Persian and Farsi as they refer to the same language. The app captures Persian audio from any desktop source and translates it to English in real time.

Can Seagull translate Persian YouTube videos that don't have subtitles?

Seagull captures the system audio from YouTube videos playing in your browser or desktop app, translating spoken Persian to English regardless of whether official subtitles exist. The floating overlay displays translations on top of the video window.

Will Seagull translate live Persian news broadcasts?

Yes, Seagull works with live streams from BBC Persian, Iran International, and other Persian news sources. It captures the audio in real time and displays English subtitles with low latency as the broadcast continues.

Download Seagull Free

Available for Mac, Windows, and Linux. 1 hour free trial included.