Professional translations for various types of text
Would you like to have your company’s business reports translated, or do you need professional transcreations of websites and social media content? We transfer your text into your desired language – always with a keen eye on what is written between the lines.
Would you like to have your company’s business reports translated, or do you need professional transcreations of websites and social media content? We transfer your text into your desired language – always with a keen eye on what is written between the lines.
More than translations – thanks to transcreation
As neighbours to renowned publishers, advertising agencies and shipping companies, we ensure the messages of your communications are both understood and make a good impression on your target group. We translate your marketing and advertising assets, your PR publications and corporate communications – and then go a step further. Instead of just translating the text word for word, we focus on transcreation: considering cultural aspects so that plays on words and impactful expressions remain. In the best case, no one will ever notice the copy is a translation. Before we start implementation, we advise you individually and work with you to find solutions that are precisely tailored to your needs.
Our translation services at a glance
Translations into Easy Read
Certified translations
AI translations
Our languages
German, English, French, Portuguese and Spanish are our five key languages. We offer translations in these languages with the following language combinations:
- German–English/English–German
- German–Spanish/Spanish–German
- German–French/French–German
- German–Portuguese/Portuguese–German
- English–Portuguese/Portuguese–English
- English–Spanish/Spanish–English
- English–French/French–English
We also have a network of translators who offer the following languages:
- German–Italian/Italian–German
- German–Dutch/English–Dutch
- German–Danish/English–Danish
- German–Swedish/English–Swedish
- German–Polish/English–Polish
- German–Russian/English–Russian
- German–Czech/English–Czech
Do you need a translation into another language? Would you like to request a quote directly?
This is how we handle translations
1. You send us your translation request, ideally with the text to be translated.
2. We review your text and clarify with you if a special format or wording requirements are needed, and then we advise you on language variants, terminology, etc.
3. We provide you with a non-binding offer.
4. Once we have received your go, we begin our work: text analysis, selection of suitable translators, internal quality control, approval, etc.
5. You receive the finalised translation.
We are always there for you should you have any questions.
All the strings come together at our translation office in Hamburg, Germany. We are your sparring partner, project manager and quality assurer in one.
For every project, we harness our extensive pool of roughly 30 language experts to create a team for you that perfectly matches your needs. Should you have any questions, or should anything about your project change on short notice, you can reach us Monday to Thursday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Our aim is to ensure you are satisfied with the translation of your company’s financial report, website or similar.
The characteristics of a professional translation
Anyone can call themselves a translator – after all, the title is not regulated. So how do you know when a translation is good? When these 7 factors are given:
- The translator has a relevant degree in linguistics.
- The translator has a wealth of experience, which can be proven by references.
- The translator has specialist knowledge.
- The translator is a native speaker. This means they have a native-level command of the target language.
- There is a quality management process in place. At Text first, for instance, we work according to the four-eyes principle – or even six eyes when it comes to sensitive content.
- Your gut feeling. You have a talk about the text with the translator or translation office in advance, before the translation is started – to ensure everyone is speaking the same language.
Building bridges with text – our mission
We are your experts for everything centred round language, text and culture – allowing us to connect companies with their customers. This means we listen closely, take a closer look and provide out-of-the-box advisory. The result: tailored solutions which enable you to get the most out of your text.
Have you got questions centred round translations?
We have a personal talk together, during which we agree to our joint teamwork flow and discuss which set-up is best for you. Just follow the link!
Frequently asked questions
Generally speaking, interpreting is the verbal translation of content into the respective language. When this takes place in real time, it is known as simultaneous interpreting – when it is delayed to a certain point, it is called consecutive interpreting. Both services leverage a special note-taking technique as an important aid. Translating is generally a written form.
Of course you can. We also use such tools for a quick translation of an email or as an aid during meetings in a foreign language. But neural machine translation (NMT) does not replace a human translation. Errors occur in terms of syntax and meaning, and the message between the lines is usually never noticed. What’s more, your specific tone of voice is not considered, and the text is not quality-checked afterwards. Data protection is also an issue that should not be underestimated.
Usually, it’s easier to recognise a bad translation than a good one. The latter reads so well, in the best case, that you don’t even notice it’s a translation. A good translation is not a transfer of content word for word, but is in line with the social-cultural tone of voice and picks up on the latest developments in language.
If you send us your copy via the contact form or email, it is encrypted in compliance with the European GDPR. On request, we can create your own account so that you can upload your communications to our server effortlessly and securely via drag and drop.
A translation from Text first is always edited and proofread, thus ensuring it is free of spelling, punctuation and grammatical mistakes. On top of that, we pay attention to the use of the company-specific writing style and terminology. On request, we offer a terminology service, whereby we document expressions, names and spellings for you, saving you work in future and ensuring consistent quality.
We work quickly and are able to meet short-term deadlines. Simply talk to us!
The costs for translations are calculated as follows:
What is the degree of difficulty of the text in terms of technicality and quality?
What type of text is required?
Where and how will the text be used?
Which target group(s) should be addressed?
Is a terminology service required or useful?
Is certification required?
Timing also plays a role: if you need it done very quickly and we are working for you late in the evening or at the weekend, we charge a rush or weekend surcharge.
A standard line consists of 55 characters including spaces. A standard page consists of 1,500 characters with spaces. Our prices are based on these standards.