FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

A short list of regular questions and comments from our clients.


1. We need to translate our user's guide in 5 languages, how much is it going to cost?

The price is based on the numbers of words in the manual. We will need to analyze the files to produce an exact word count. The price per word also varies according to the languages needed.



2. How long will it take to translate this manual into German?

It depends mainly on the word count, and on the difficulty of the source text, the format of the files, etc. Generally, one translator can handle an average of 2000 words per day.

Please note that it is always better to plan and allow enough time for one translator to handle your project. This will ensure better quality and consistency. Of course, for very large cases, several translators might be needed for each language. In that case, one lead translator generally oversees all the translated files, again for optimal consistency.



3. We have a series of products with very similar contents; can you give us a discount?

We use CAT tools to perform analysis and subsequent translation of the files. This means that the repeated parts in the files can be "reused" once they have been translated. This allows us to offer a reduced word count for similar material.



4. I need to translate my birth certificate / driving license / diploma... into Chinese.

Sorry, we mainly work on IT material and other technical contents.



5. We extracted all the UI strings into an Excel file for translation.

OK, but we would rather work directly on the resource files if possible. This will help the translators to know what the strings are and where they appear (buttons, messages, menus, tooltips...). It is often quite difficult to translate accurately lists of words without context in languages with different syntax/grammar than English.

And of course, you won't have to recopy back manually the strings in 12 languages.



6. Can you translate this file for free as a test for our client? They want to see if you can do the job.

Sorry, we do not generally do unpaid test translation. We trust our translators (some of them having worked with us for many years) and we don't think it is necessary for us to perform tests. We will gladly provide you with some translation samples.

We can also translate first a short section of the files for the normal fee: if for some reasons you are not satisfied, you can then reuse the translation with your next provider, for a minimal fee.



7. We collected several quotes from different agencies, and some are much cheaper than yours... Can you reduce the price?

You can always find a cheaper price for everything. Many language providers readily offer fantastic quality (we have 1750 translators with PhDs!), incredible prices (the lowest price on the Web!) and super fast delivery (50K words per day in any language combinations!)...

Well, would you trust a restaurant sign that says, Top quality ingredients, Renowned world-class chefs, Cheapest meal in town? If it sounds too good to be true...

Our prices are very reasonable, and reflect the tasks that our translators perform.

Please contact us if you have any questions or for a quote for your next project.