The dangers of having Google Translate as your sole tool in French class are illuminated here and here.
Instead, consider these three tools (click on the title to be directed to the site):
This site is set up like a very thorough dictionary. If you enter a word in English, it will translate it into French, show you whether it is masculine or feminine (if a noun), and show the plural form (if a noun); and also give you examples of how the word is used in a sentence and show you all the different meanings it can have, including slang. Great for real, conversational French.
This site is a great tool for checking your spelling and grammar in French. Copy and paste the French sentence(s) you have written into the window, press `check text,`and then see if you have made any mistakes – they will be highlighted. If you have, hover your mouse over the highlighted text, and the site will tell you how you went wrong and offer possible solutions.
The first time you use the site, you will have to close a window that offers the paid version of the site. The free version is great, so just press the `x` in the top right corner of the window that pops up.
Letter accents are important, but you cannot use the site`s accent tools without using the paid version. Instead, copy your text, with accents, from a Word document or from Google Translate, and then paste it into BonPatron.
This text-to-speech site is a must-use for practicing French pronunciation.
Choose `French` in the Language window, and then type your word or sentence into the text box, press `say it` and hear the word(s) spoken in French. (Again, accents are important – they will affect the pronunciation). You can choose French or French-Canadian accents and male or female voices. You can also slow down the speed to concentrate on the individual sounds. For fun, try having Bernard or Charlotte `whisper` the text. I encourage you to use this site! A lot!