Frequently Asked Questions

I am fully bilingual in Polish and French. I translate written documents from English and Spanish into French (for France and Switzerland) and into Polish.

There are different ways of charging for translation and copywriting services. Depending on the nature and complexity of the service, I can charge per hour, per type of document (e.g., blog post, newsletter, landing page, etc.), per word, or per project.
If you are interested in a regular collaboration, I can also work on a retainer, which means you pay for a set number of hours every month and in this way my time is guaranteed for your projects. 

Get in touch for a personalised quote, as many factors need to be considered (such as language combination, turn-around time, tools, format, etc.).

For you to have a rough idea, my hourly rates start at €75 ex VAT depending on the task and our per-word rate fluctuates in the range of €0.26 to €0.35 for translation + editing + proofreading. I charge reduced prices to agency clients, and I can send you a detailed price sheet, so don’t hesitate to get in touch.

First-time private clients are required to pay a deposit of 50% in advance. 

I submit a monthly invoice due at 30 days, or I arrange a retainer contract.

You will often hear that on average a human translator can process 1500-2000 words per day to produce a quality text. This really depends on the complexity and nature of the text. Personally, I schedule two to three business days for such projects so I can proofread my own translation the next day with a fresh pair of eyes.

I can translate a large variety of documents within the verticals I specialise in. Thanks to the use of the computer-assisted translation software I can translate the content without changing the layout:

• website copy
• landing pages
• brochures
• software UI and specifications
• user guides
• corporate and financial reports
• product descriptions
• marketing & digital content
• white papers
• newsletters
• press releases
• market analysis
• presentations
• surveys
• e-learning and training materials
• e-learning subtitles
• B2B, B2C

Editing implies carefully checking the original text against its translation to make sure that the message is accurate and complete. More than checking for grammar and spelling errors, it means reviewing and improving the text. Some sentences may be rewritten to avoid informal phrases, repetitions and unclear meanings. Occasionally, it may also involve changing the order of paragraphs or removing redundant information. The goal is to deliver a document that is perfectly clear for the final reader and to spot any errors in translating nuances that a non-professional translator might make.

Proofreading is checking the text for spelling, grammar and punctuation errors. It is the polish brought to the final version of the document, right before it is published. It is crucial that you have your documents proofread by a person who is not the author – an expert who can take an informed look at your document and spot every last error or typo.

Not everyone who knows two languages can translate well and translation is best left to an experienced and professional translator. Most importantly, getting translation right can produce huge returns on your investment and getting it wrong can lead to a business disaster. When contracting me, you can rest assured that it is only me doing the translation. I make sure I understand your target audience and your texts well, creating a closer business relationship with you.

Translators just deal with words, don’t they? 

Well, not exactly. For example, one of my specialities – financial and economic translation – requires a great degree of understanding. Within the world of finance there are many complex terms and concepts. They require niche expertise, because in essence it is about delivering regulated content. Getting lost in translation might be costly for fintech companies, especially when it comes to legal liability and protecting company reputation.

If you are looking for top-quality work, which will accurately project the image of your brand, then it is important to hire a specialised translator who can deal with the content effectively.

To provide you with a specific quote, I need the final version of the document you want translated.

If the document is not finalised yet, I can give you an estimate based on the following information: text language (English, Polish or Spanish), type of document, industry, expected volume, urgency and target audience. The more information you can give me, the more precise my quote will be.

Terminology glossaries are important tools for ensuring industry relevance and the consistency of terms and product names. Consistent and clear terminology is a key factor in your public persona, or that of your clients. Terminology glossaries are databases of key terms that must be translated consistently or not at all. Choose terms that are business-critical words used by your industry and your own, company-specific ones (e.g., your copyrighted or trademarked terms that should not be translated). Also consider audience-specific words to ensure relevance and engagement. For example, vegans like to use slang words such as “Buddha bowl” and “flegg”. Gaming fans read about “RendeZook” or “scratch damage”.

A translation style guide is a set of guidelines which outline your company’s preferred tone, register, and style to be used in translation. It is important because your translated content should match the way your company presents itself both textually and visually. A professional translator should discuss your preferences with you at the start of the project as this is part of their essential research and preparation that you pay for. You can read more information about the style guide in my blog article. 

If you need a quick translation just to understand the gist, you can use, or try, an online translation tool, such as Google Translate. However, if you have to be sure you or the target reader understands the text and that it is ready for publication, then you should definitely not rely on a translation tool, or machine translation. A quick look online at some of the machine-translated websites will give you reason enough not to.

No, only state-certified and sworn translators can provide a translation of diplomas and certificates and stamp them with their official seal.

Buying a package from me will not only save you money for recurring projects. Together, we will be able to create a consistent content and brand. I will also be able to offer you additional value-added services such as:

• advice on your translation strategy
• advice on your content marketing strategy in the French or Polish market
• SEO keyword research
• linguistic and localisation testing or your website or blog
• creation of a style guide or glossary
• project management

This largely depends on your requirements and what information you can provide. If you can hand me a brief including your preferred outline, topics and links (internal/external links), primary and secondary SEO keywords, and sources then it will take approximately 8 hours. 

If you cannot provide any of the information listed above, I can conduct the SEO keyword research for you and will research possible sources. This will take a few additional hours (at least 2 to 3 hours).

In any case, I prefer to have at least three business days for a content marketing piece: one day for research, 2nd day for writing, 3rd day for polishing up the copy. This is the industry’s best practice.

Head to my Portfolio page to see some examples of my past work. Please note that a big proportion of my work is delivered under the Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs), which means that I’m not allowed to disclose the names of my clients or their end clients and documents. You can however read happy clients’ testimonials on the Home page and on my LinkedIn recommendations page.