FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

🧠 About My Services

I work primarily with marketing materials, websites, product descriptions and other content designed to connect with real people. That includes anything from brochures and blog posts to newsletters and press releases.

Yes, I specialise in marketing content for the tourism, food & drink, cosmetics, and lifestyle sectors. These are areas where cultural nuance and creative language really matter, and that’s where I can add the most value.

Yes, I translate exclusively from German into English, so I can offer native-level quality and understanding of the target culture (paired with a strong understanding of the culture in German-speaking countries). As I’m not a native speaker of German, it wouldn’t be appropriate for me to translate from English to German.

No, I don’t offer sworn or certified translations. My focus is on high-quality commercial and marketing texts. If you’re unsure what type of translation you need, I’d be happy to advise or point you in the right direction.

  • Translation conveys your message accurately and fluently in English.
  • Transcreation goes a step further by creatively adapting your text to resonate with an English-speaking audience. This is especially useful for slogans or campaign copy.
  • Localisation adapts content (including the likes of imagery and formatting) for a specific regional market, such as the UK or US.

 

I can advise on what’s most appropriate for your project.

Yes, I offer revision and editing of existing (human-produced) translations, provided the original source text is available. I’ll check for accuracy, fluency, tone, and consistency to ensure your message lands perfectly.

⏳ Process & Turnaround

  1. You send me the text, ideally with some background about the project (e.g. target audience, brand identity, tone of voice, and expectations and requirements for the translations). Some of this I also glean by doing my own research about your company.
  2. I review the material and send a quote with turnaround time.
  3. Once confirmed, I’ll get started, carrying out research (on things like terminology, conventions in the field, your approach, etc.) as I go. I may also follow up with a few questions if needed.
  4. I refine and polish the translation, conducting any additional research necessary and clarifying any outstanding questions with you.
  5. I perform a 'bilingual review' of the translation, comparing each sentence in the German text with its English translation to check for omissions, unnecessary additions, mistranslations, etc.
  6. I thoroughly proofread the translation on its own, ensuring that it reads fluently and meets your requirements and expectations.
  7. You’ll receive the finished translation by the agreed deadline, ready to use. I’ll also provide any relevant explanations or comments for your reference and, if necessary, suggesting possible alternative solutions for parts of the text requiring a particularly creative approach.

That depends on the length and complexity, but I’ll always give you a clear timeline up front. For reference, a typical short marketing text (up to 500 words) is usually ready in 1–2 business days.

If my schedule allows, yes! I understand that tight deadlines happen, and I’ll do my best to accommodate urgent requests. A small rush fee may apply for same-day or weekend work.

Every translation is carefully crafted by me – not by machines. I work with a clear process, industry resources, and a keen eye for detail. I also review all texts thoroughly before delivery to ensure they read naturally and meet your goals.

💬 Communication & Collaboration

Absolutely. When you work with me, you're speaking directly to the person handling your text – no middlemen, no surprises. Clear communication is very important to me, and key to a successful collaboration.

I’ll get in touch to clarify anything that’s not 100% clear. It’s always better to ask than to guess – and I want to make sure your message comes across the way you intended.

Yes, I always welcome your feedback. I include one round of revisions as standard to make sure the final version aligns with your expectations.

💼 Business & Pricing

My rates depend on the type and complexity of the text, but I typically charge per word or per project. I’ll always provide a clear quote in advance, ensuring no surprises.

I generally invoice in GBP or EUR, depending on your location, though CHF is also possible. Payment is usually by bank transfer. I can also accept Wise or PayPal in some cases.

Of course. I’m happy to sign an NDA or your standard confidentiality agreement. Discretion and data security are key parts of my professional standards, and I prioritise them even when no NDA has been signed.

🌍 Cultural & Style Concerns

Yes, generally I can. I’m a native British English speaker, so I’m best suited to translations into British English due to my intrinsic understanding of the culture and conventions. 

 

However, I am used to having to adapt to US English from time to time and have an understanding of the key differences in vocabulary, spelling and grammar. Given that, I can translate into US English where required, with the caveat that I cannot guarantee completely authentic US English translations in the way that a native speaker could.

A similar principle to the one I described in the above answer applies here. As a UK native, I’m best equipped to adapt texts that have been written in US English to suit a UK English market and can happily provide this service.

 

As I have experience working with both UK and US English, I can adapt texts to align with a US audience if rudimentary adjustments to spelling, terminology, and tone are all that are required. However, I would generally recommend hiring a native US English speaker for this specific service.

Yes, this is generally a key aspect of marketing translations. Whether your tone is elegant, playful, or professional, I’ll reflect that in the English version.

 

The only exception would be in cases where the target audience of the English text has different expectations to that of the German text.

 

For instance, to truly engage readers, an English marketing text might sometimes need to be a bit more creative and flamboyant than its German equivalent, which may be a bit more straightforward and direct. However, I’ll generally always explain my reasoning where larger adaptations have been made to ensure you’re happy with them.

Yes, and I enjoy the challenge! If something doesn’t translate directly, I’ll find a creative solution that works in context and still resonates with your audience. I might even present you with a few different options so that you can choose the one you like best.

📁 Technical & File Questions

I primarily work with Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and plain text files. If you have something else, just ask – I’ll do my best to accommodate.

Yes, I regularly translate content for websites and the likes of brochures. However, there are limitations with regard to formatting, and it’s generally best if you can extract the text for me prior to translation.

 

In the case of websites, I generally don’t recommend providing me with access to your CMS, as it’s usually best if you or your programmer uploads the translations personally. However, as I have experience with WordPress specifically, for an additional charge, I could complete the extra step of uploading your translations to your WordPress site if you were happy for me to do so and we had established a clear process for this. 

 

PDFs also present challenges as far as preserving formatting is concerned. It’s usually not possible to fully preserve this. However, if all you need is the translated text with rudimentary formatting, I can deliver that. Ideally, you would provide me with the extracted text. I may be able to extract the text myself where this is required, but there may be an additional fee for this if the text is large.

Yes, I use professional CAT (Computer-Assisted Translation) tools like Trados and CafeTran. These tools help me work more efficiently and ensure consistency across your content.

 

One key feature is translation memory (TM), which stores previously translated segments (like sentences or headings) in a secure database. If the same or similar text appears again – even in future projects – the tool suggests the existing translation, helping me:

 

  • Maintain consistency across the likes of product names, taglines, and recurring phrases

     

  • Speed up the process, especially for repetitive content

     

  • Keep costs down, since repeated text can be discounted if there are a significant amount of repetitions

 

💡 Just to be clear: CAT tools are not the same as machine translation (like Google Translate). Every sentence is still carefully translated and reviewed by me personally. These tools simply support the process and help me ensure high-quality results.

🛡️ Confidentiality & Security

I store client files securely and use trusted software for all communication and document handling. I never share your content with third parties.

I delete project files once they’re no longer needed – usually after delivery and invoicing, unless you ask me to keep them for future reference. If you’d like your files deleted sooner, just let me know and I’ll be happy to do so.

 

That said, segments of your translated content may remain in my translation memory (TM), which is a secure database I use to support consistency in your future projects. As explained earlier in my answer to the question about CAT tools, translation memory helps me reuse previously translated phrases to keep your tone, terminology, and style consistent across multiple jobs – but only for your own content. It’s not shared or repurposed across clients.

 

Your confidentiality is always respected, and I follow best practices for securely handling and deleting client materials.