FAQ
Here are some questions professional freelance translators often hear. Should you have a question that is not addressed here, please let me know.
Each translation project is different: number of words, complexity of the text, language combination, possible extra work (e.g. correcting the layout in a translated PowerPoint file), etc.
It is therefore impossible to give a standard price for a translation.
Mail me at info (at) altaverba (punt) be or call met at +32 476 524 258 for a free personalised quote.
Professional translators almost exclusively translate into their mother tongue, in my case Dutch/Flemish.
I make practically no exceptions to this rule. The reason is simple: there is no language one knows as well as one's mother tongue.
This does not mean I cannot be of assistance if you need a translation into a European language. I have a broad network of professional colleagues that can assist you.
Mail me at info (at) altaverba (punt) be or call met at +32 476 524 258 for a free personalised quote.
There is no perfect answer to this question. The main factor is the number of words, but a lot also depends on the workflow on our side.
Do you need an urgent translation? I can help! With a personalised quotation taking into account the urgency and type of text, Alta Verba can help you beat competitors and have your text translated quickly.
Mail me at info (at) altaverba (punt) be or call met at +32 476 524 258 for a free personalised quote.
Of course I could, but it would not be fair. As with any trade, quality in translation has its own fair rate. This includes all the stages of my translation process. You might find cheaper translators, but their quality is likely to have been compromised by other factors such as poor attention to detail and fast deliveries that do not always consider all the necessary aspects of a good Dutch and Flemish translation.
Read this article to know more about the importance of fair rates and quality in translation.
It has often happened that a new customer has approached me because another, cheap supplier or translation agency with no regard for quality delivered poor quality work. This means that the cost has doubled since the customer now needs to pay for the translation twice. A bargain might not be as good as it seems.
Don't make the same mistake and mail me at info (at) altaverba (punt) be or call met at +32 476 524 258 for a free personalised quote.
No.
No machine translation whatsoever, including Google Translate and DeepL, can offer a good translation. There are a lot of risks involved for you as a customer. In this article you can read more about the dangers of machine translation and the translators/translation agencies that are using them.
I admit that Google Translate and DeepL may sometimes come in handy. For example, you have an article in a foreign language you do not master, and an automatic translation can quickly give you an idea what it's all about. However, no machine will ever understand the tones, the subtle meanings, the terminology and the beautiful complexity of human language like humans can. If you are concerned with your business image and sales, I strongly recommend obtaining for the personalised and professional support of a qualified translator.
Mail me at info (at) altaverba (punt) be or call met at +32 476 524 258 for a free personalised quote.
Absolutely. Contrary to large translation agencies, who usually are able to present one or more ISO certificates, your document does not end up on a server that every employee has access to. At Alta Verba, I am the only one who sees your text. I am bound by a self-imposed pledge of confidentiality with regard to its content.
My satisfied customers know their texts are safe with me.
Mail me at info (at) altaverba (punt) be or call met at +32 476 524 258 for a free personalised quote.
If you have a document that needs to be translated into twenty languages and that requires possible desktop publishing work, and you -understandably- prefer one single point of contact, then it is better to turn to an agency.
However, if you need: a personalised approach, specialised translations in a few languages, and great quality, then a professional freelance translator like Alta Verba is the perfect match for you. The advantages are so numerous that I collected them for you in this overview.
Large translation agencies can certainly take care of your texts, but then you will miss out all the benefits of working directly with a professional. Benefits such as creating a personalised and long-lasting rapport with your translator, avoiding the costs of management that agencies usually include, but also developing a winning team of professionals working to meet your needs, while taking pride in what they do and considering your business success an overall success.
Mail me at info (at) altaverba (punt) be or call met at +32 476 524 258 for a free personalised quote.
Yes, even if it is a scanned document. This implies more work and it will also be a bit more expensive, but I try to stick as close as possible to the original layout.
In this article, I explain in more detail what the translation of PDF files involves.
Mail me at info (at) altaverba (punt) be or call met at +32 476 524 258 for a free personalised quote.
Interpreting and subtitling are totally different specialisations that require a different set of skills. If you need an interpreter or a subtitler, I can refer you to professionals. Alta Verba only deals with translation projects.
Mail me at info (at) altaverba (punt) be or call met at +32 476 524 258 for a free personalised quote.
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