German has over 100 million native speakers around the world, concentrated mostly in Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, Austria, Luxembourg, and Lichtenstein. German is also one of the top 10 languages used on the internet. It’s no surprise, then, that German translation services are in high demand.
Translation both to and from German can be challenging, so when searching for German translation services, you need to work with professionals. Contact us to learn about the rigorous hiring process we use for our translators.
Here are a few factors to consider when selecting a German translation service.
Fluency in both languages
An effective translation goes beyond literal, word-for-word translation. The translator must understand the intended meaning of each phrase, sentence, and paragraph, and account for the differences in sentence structure between the two languages to create a natural-sounding translation.
For example, one key difference between German and English is that German nouns have gender, while English nouns do not. In German, knowing the gender of a noun is necessary for ensuring grammatical agreement. An experienced translator, however, will understand the fundamental differences between German and English and know how to make the translation sound both natural and correct.
Years of experience
To properly translate German, a translator must understand the differences between German and English, the cultural nuances of the languages, and how the languages are used in both ordinary and academic settings. This kind of judgment comes from years of hands-on work translating documents. For the most accurate translation, you want to seek individuals with at least five years of experience translating to and from German.
Knowledge of technical details
In German, abbreviations, decimal points, and comma usage differ from their English counterparts. Getting these details right is important, particularly for documents being used in technical, professional, or official capacities, where even a small error can have large consequences.
Finding the right translation service for you
These are just a few of the challenges that our German translators are trained to handle. Contact us today to learn more about our German translation service and to receive a quote for your project.