How to Find an Online Translator

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By melwetzel
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Find an Online Translator

Translating documents from one language to another has never been easier or faster. You can find online translators for free or for very little money. If you need a more professional translation service, you can also find highly qualified translators on several respected websites.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

A document to translate
internet connection

Step 1

You can try a free online translator. These are computer generated translations, so sometimes they are not perfect. But they are getting better each year, and many are now user updated which is improving their accuracy. translate.google.com is the best option (Google Translate) and you can also try babelfish.yahoo.com (Yahoo Babelfish). These free online translators allow a user to input their text by copying and pasting, or by directing the browser to a file or website. The results could contain errors, especially in slang or complex verb forms, or words with more than one meaning. It is, however, free, fast and private.
Step 2

You may need a more accurate or grammatically correct translation for your business correspondence or marketing materials. You can hire a professional translator who will be able to tweak your material with a human touch. Quality varies depending on the skill of the translator, but there are literally millions of individuals working in translation online. You may find a low priced translator for your personal correspondence or reading material. You might need a specialized translator, or one that is totally fluent in two or more languages. These professionals will generally charge higher prices, but you will have a faithful and accurate translation.

You can locate freelance translators working online at Proz.com, elance.com, rentacoder.com and other popular freelance networking sites. These sites may provide some feedback on the translators previous work, and allow users to search by price, language pairs, proficiency and cost.
Step 3

If you need a translator or interpreter in person, you have several options for hiring a local translator. Check with temp agencies, or organizations offering services to immigrants. You can check with the embassy or consulate for official translation services (for example, the Italian embassy in the US can offer translation recommendations).

Comments

kslossner said

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on 6/11/2009 If hiring a human translator, remember that the old maxim often applies: "you pay peanuts, you get monkeys". If your business depends on the results, be very, very careful about the quality of work your translator is capable of.
Consulates often have downloadable lists of local translators online. Most of these individuals are capable of producing translations which are certified for use with domestic authorities.