How to Price a Translation

In today’s globalized economy, communication requires the use of different languages, whether it is a document from your insurance company, a sales or purchase contract, your terms and conditions, or if you want to promote your products or services internationally.
Our translators are highly qualified professionals who have spent years studying languages and their socio-cultural aspects, as well as fields such as law, economics, technology and more.
Please note that Tradlation only works with professional translators who translate into their native language and have proven experience in the field of the documents you are assigning to us
Our translation services apply a per-word rates in the source language (the language of origin), as do most translation agencies around the world. This typically ranges from 0.08 to 0.16 EUR (USD0.09 to 0.17) per word.

Few people know how translation is priced. Therefore, we will explain the various elements of translation pricing:

• The source language and the target language

• The workload (calculated in words)

• The subject of the content to be translated

• The format of the document to be translated

• The turnaround time required by the client

• The level of quality required by the customer
  

Let’s look at these points in more depth:

The Source and Target Languages Involved

In today’s business world, English is spoken and understood by most people. However, it is obviously preferable to address your contacts or customers in their own language, for commercial reasons or for the sake of clarity. This is where professional translators come in. They always translate into their native language. While you can be a great bilingual, only a native speaker can capture all the subtleties of a language.
Translator rates vary by language (some are more expensive than others) and area of specialization. For example, the rate per word for the translation of a manual for a nail clipper from Spanish into Brazilian Portuguese will obviously be lower than the rate per word for the translation of a technical document on electronic sensors from German into Japanese...

The Workload

Depending on the number of words, the same type of translation between the same two languages can be charged at different rates. It makes sense that a 30,000-word document would be translated at a lower rate than a 200-word document... In both cases, part of the translation agency’s work and associated fixed costs remain the same: receiving and responding to the client’s request, receiving the document, selecting the right translator and forwarding her or him the text, returning the finished translation to the client, invoicing and follow-up, paying the translator are tasks that take the same amount of time, regardless of the size of the document. In order to cover their fixed costs, many translators charge a minimum fee for small jobs.

The Subject Matter of the Document That Needs to Be Translated

As mentioned above, the translator’s specialization comes at a price... Many translators have completed additional studies in science (medicine, chemistry, pharmacy, etc.), technology (engineering, architecture, mechanics, etc.), art (painting, literature, music, etc.) or other fields of specialization. It is only logical that these specialist translators charge more than “generalist” translators. Many translators continue to train and specialize throughout their careers. They may take courses, attend seminars, or subscribe to professional journals.

The Format of the Documents That Need to Be Translated

Obviously, not all texts are in Microsoft Word format... In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the variety of formats. While some documents are easy to convert for the translation process (text embedded in an image cannot be translated directly), others are more complex, such as brochures or catalogs that combine text, illustrations and graphics. Translators and agencies need specialized (and sometimes expensive) software to handle them.
This variety of formats is a source of headaches for many project managers... Therefore, it is sometimes necessary to hire a desktop publishing (DTP) specialist to convert certain files into documents that can be edited by the translator.

The Client’s Turnaround Time Requirements

Estimates are that a translator can do between two and three thousand words per day, depending on the complexity of the content. Sometimes a client will contact a translation company with an urgent request for translation. In this case, we assemble one or more translation teams. Sometimes translators have to work overtime to meet the client’s needs. Most of them have also had to work weekends. The client is then asked to pay a surcharge for night or weekend work.

The level of quality needed by the client

Are you with a tight budget and in need of the quick translation of a document for your personal understanding or for internal use as a working document? We can provide you such a translation, without proofreading by a second translator, with correct vocabulary, spelling and grammar, but which could be improved if the document were to be published. If your document will not be published (as is the case with a commercial offer, promotional brochure or website), sometimes a quick translation is enough to understand the essence of the text. We can also provide this type of translation at an affordable rate.

As you can see, the price of a translation can vary depending on a number of factors. Therefore, we ask you to provide as much information as possible when you send us an inquiry. In this way, we can fully understand your needs and provide you with a free quote on the basis of specific data. Do not hesitate to contact us for further information!