1. A computer-implemented method comprising: displaying a graphical user interface for a language translation application on a user device, the graphical user interface comprising a first graphical representation identifying a source language, a second graphical representation identifying a target language, and a third graphical representation indicating the user device operating in a listening mode that is arranged adjacent to both the first graphical representation identifying the source language and the second graphical representation identifying the target language; animating, in response to a request to initiate listening for an utterance in the source language, the third graphical representation indicating the listening mode while the language translation application prepares to listen for the source language; highlighting, in response to the language translation application completing preparations to listen for the source language, the third graphical representation indicating the listening mode while also highlighting the first graphical representation identifying the source language to create a visual correspondence between the first graphical representation identifying the source language and the third graphical representation indicating the listening mode indicating that the language translation application is prepared to receive voice input in the source language; receiving an utterance spoken in the source language for translation into the target language while the third graphical representation indicating the listening mode and the first graphical representation identifying the source language are highlighted to create a visual correspondence between the first graphical representation identifying the source language and the third graphical representation indicating the listening mode; replacing, in response to the language translation application preparing an output of a translation of the utterance into the target language, the third graphical representation indicating the listening mode on the graphical user interface with a fourth graphical representation indicating a translation transcription mode on the graphical user interface; and highlighting, in response to the language translation application completing preparations to output the translation of the transcription into the target language, the fourth graphical representation indicating the translation transcription mode while also highlighting the second graphical representation identifying the target language to create a visual correspondence between the second graphical representation identifying the target language and the fourth graphical representation indicating the translation transcription mode indicating that the language translation application is outputting a translation of the utterance in the target language.