Documents and AI
They're asking for a translation
Ask first what kind of translation they need: the gap between the two is measured in days and money.
**Before commissioning anything, ask whether an ordinary translation will do or they need a sworn one.** They are two different products with very different timescales and prices, and requesters often have not specified which because they did not know there were two.
The difference, briefly
| Type | What it usually suffices for |
|---|---|
| Ordinary translation | Someone understanding what the document says |
| **Sworn translation** | **Standing up before an authority or a formal third party** |
| Just a summary or a few fields | Many internal cases are settled this way |
Important
**The original is never replaced by the translation: it is accompanied by it.** The translation explains, the original proves. Sending only the translated version is a common mistake that forces a resend, because the recipient can check nothing against it — and if what is ever disputed is a date or a figure, what gets examined is the source document.
What to ask before commissioning
- 1
What do you need it for?
If it is to understand it, a sworn translation is rarely needed.
- 2
Is a third party asking, or is it for your files?
That decides whether formal requirements apply.
- 3
Would translating part of it do?
With long documents often yes, and it changes the timescale entirely.
Watch out
On machine translation, which is the first thing everyone tries: **it is for understanding, not for delivering**. A machine translation of a certificate reads well and fails exactly where it matters most —proper names, units, dates and sector-specific terms— and those errors are invisible unless you know the language. As a support to grasp what it says, perfect; as a document you hand to a client or an authority, no.
Worth knowing
When a sworn translation is required, who may issue one and what additional requirements may apply depends on the country and the body requesting it. **Whoever is asking, or your adviser, settles that**; here we explain what to ask so you do not commission the expensive one when the other would do, or the reverse.
›Will a machine translation do?
To understand the document yes; to hand it over, no.
›Do I send only the translation?
No: always alongside the original.
›Do I have to translate the whole document?
Ask. Often the relevant part is enough.
A real case
The situation
A sworn translation is commissioned for a long document that only needed understanding.
What you do
- Asks beforehand what it is needed for and whether part of it would do
What you get
It is settled in a day with an ordinary two-page translation.
The situation
Only the translated version of a certificate is sent to the client.
What you do
- Attaches the original alongside the translation
What you get
The client can check dates and names, and no resend is needed.
The situation
A translated document is requested and the whole thing is translated.
What you do
- Asks which part they need to understand
What you get
Only what is needed gets translated.
The situation
Nobody knows whether an official translation is required.
What you do
- Asks before commissioning one
What you get
The right thing is commissioned.
The situation
It is translated and the original is lost.
What you do
- Keeps the original with the translation
What you get
Both versions exist.
The situation
The translation is requested with the deadline looming.
What you do
- Asks about the requirement when the matter starts
What you get
The timeline includes translation time.
This article answers
- asked to translate a certificate
- sworn translation of a document
- will an ordinary translation do
- document in another language for a client