A vehicle mounted translation system for providing language translation to a driver of a vehicle. The translation system may be associated with a vehicle navigation system. The translation system includes a translation device and a storage unit for storing language and translation information. The system further includes the ability to enter information to be translated into the system, data processing for retrieving a translation from storage based on the input of the first information, and the ability to provide the retrieved translation to the driver. Output of the translated information may be accomplished by, speech-to-speech and/or text-to-speech conversion of words and/or a text or image output to a visual display.