Document translation services
Contracts, manuals, reports, policies and records, translated by a native speaker and checked by a second linguist. You get each file back in the same format and layout you sent.
At a glance
- You send
- Word, Excel, PowerPoint, PDF or InDesign files, plus any glossary
- You get back
- Translated files in the original format and layout
- Checked by
- A second linguist, against the source, before formatting
- Priced by
- Word count and languages, as a fixed quote
What document translation includes
Document translation turns a finished document into another language and hands it back ready to use. We translate the text, then rebuild the tables, headers, charts and page layout so the translated file looks like the original.
The translator and the reviewer are both native speakers of the language you're translating into. Your terms stay consistent from one file to the next because we work from a glossary, either yours or one we build from your documents.
The parts that aren't plain text
Most documents carry more than paragraphs. Here's how we handle the rest.
- TablesTranslated in place. We adjust column widths when the new language runs longer.
- Charts and diagramsLabels translated in the source file, or rebuilt when the chart is only an image.
- Headers and footnotesTranslated with the body text, so references and numbering still match.
- Stamps and signaturesDescribed in brackets, such as [Stamp: Municipal Registry, Hamburg], so the reader knows what's on the page.
- Handwritten notesTranslated where legible, and marked [illegible] where they aren't.
- Form fieldsLabels translated and fields kept fillable in Word and PDF forms.
What's included
Every document goes through the same steps, whether it's a two-page letter or a 300-page manual.
Translation by a native speaker
A professional linguist who is a native speaker of the target language and knows the subject translates each document.
Review by a second linguist
A second linguist compares the translation with the source, line by line, and checks meaning, terms, numbers, dates and names.
Your terminology
We use your glossary and past translations, or build a glossary from your documents, so product names and legal terms read the same in every file.
Layout and formatting
Tables, footnotes, headers and charts stay in the original file. For InDesign and other layout files, our DTP team handles the pages.
Scanned and locked PDFs
We run OCR on scanned pages, correct the extracted text, and rebuild the document in Word or InDesign so you get an editable file back.
Updates to past translations
When a document changes, send the new version. We reuse the approved translation for text that hasn't changed and translate only what's new.
Documents we translate
Grouped by the teams that usually send them. Each project goes to a translator who works in that field.
Legal and government
- Contracts
- Terms and conditions
- Policies
- Public notices
- Letters to residents
Medical and pharmaceutical
- Patient leaflets
- Consent forms
- Product labels
- Instructions for use
Technical and manufacturing
- User manuals
- Safety instructions
- Specification sheets
- Release notes
Banking and finance
- Annual reports
- Account terms
- Fund factsheets
- Customer letters
Marketing and sales
- Brochures
- Catalogs
- Press releases
- Menus
- Product labels
Research and education
- Survey questionnaires
- Research reports
- Course handouts
- Exam papers
How a translation project runs
You know the price and the delivery date before any work starts.
Send the documents
Upload the files and tell us the languages and who will read them. Spanish for Mexico isn't the same as Spanish for Spain.
Quote and date
We count the words in each file, check the format and send a fixed price with a delivery date.
Translation
A native speaker translates with your glossary and reference files, and logs any questions about the source.
Second-linguist review
Another linguist checks the translation against the source for meaning, terms, numbers, dates and names.
Second check QAFormatting and delivery
The translation goes back into the original layout. We check the finished file for missing text and bad page breaks, then deliver.
File formats
- Office files
- Word, Excel and PowerPoint, including older DOC, XLS and PPT files
- PDFs
- Editable PDFs, plus scanned PDFs and photos of documents that need OCR first
- Layout files
- InDesign (INDD and IDML), QuarkXPress and Illustrator, laid out by our DTP team
- Other formats
- XLIFF from your CAT tool or content system, HTML and XML
Languages and regional variants
We match the translator to the market that will read the document.
Spanish
- Spain
- Mexico
- United States
- Latin America
French
- France
- Canada
Portuguese
- Brazil
- Portugal
Chinese
- Simplified 简体
- Traditional 繁體
- Cantonese
Arabic and Middle Eastern
- Arabic العربية
- Hebrew
- Farsi
- Kurdish
- Pashto
- Dari
English
- United States
- United Kingdom
We also translate into smaller languages that public-sector and healthcare notices often need, including Tigrinya, Somali, Karen, Rohingya, Hmong and Kirundi. If yours isn't listed, ask us.
What you get back
Ready to send, print or publish, with the notes your reviewer needs.
- Translated files. In the same format and layout as the source.
- A PDF copy. For quick review and sharing.
- A bilingual review file, on request. Source and translation side by side, for your reviewer in the market.
- Your glossary. The key terms we agreed, ready for your next project.
- A query log. Any questions about the source text, and how each one was resolved.
Related services
Questions about document translation
Can you translate a PDF and keep the layout?
Yes. If the PDF has selectable text, we extract it, translate it and rebuild the layout in Word or InDesign, then send you the editable file and a new PDF. If the PDF is a scan, we run OCR first and correct the extracted text before translating. If you have the original Word or InDesign file, send that instead. It's faster and costs less than a rebuild.
Can you translate a Word document and keep the formatting?
Yes. We translate inside your Word file, so styles, tables, headers and footnotes stay as they were. If the translation runs longer, we adjust page breaks and table widths so the document still looks right.
How do you work out the price?
From the word count of the source files, the language pairs, the file format and the deadline. Scanned files and complex layouts cost more because they need extra work. You get a fixed price in writing before we start.
Who checks the translation?
A second linguist who is also a native speaker of the target language. They compare the translation with the source and correct meaning, terminology, numbers and names. If you have your own reviewer in the market, we add their changes to your glossary for next time.
Do you translate confidential documents?
Yes. We sign your NDA before you send anything, and only the people working on your project open the files.
Which Spanish, French or Portuguese do you translate into?
Whichever your readers use. Tell us who the document is for and we'll match the translator to that market: Mexican or European Spanish, Canadian or European French, Brazilian or European Portuguese.
Send the documents you need translated
Upload them on the quote page, or send a message with the languages and your deadline. We'll reply with a fixed price and a date.
- Phone
- +44 20 3290 0116
- Phone hours
- Weekdays 9:30 to 16:00, weekends 9:30 to 12:00, UK time