French translation: what to know

What the job involves, what changes the price, and what to ask a pro.

What french translation is

A French translator converts documents between English and French, adjusting for regional differences such as European and Canadian French, and for your intended readers. French is spoken in France, Belgium, Switzerland, Québec and many countries in Africa, so the readers' location shapes the vocabulary and spelling.

Signs you need it

  • Your readers are in France, Québec or another French-speaking area, and you need wording that fits where they live.
  • You have a form, notice or contract for French speakers, and the terms must be exact.
  • You are publishing a website, menu, product guide or course in French and want it to read naturally.
  • You have a French document that must be read in English for a business, legal or personal purpose.
  • A machine translation has dropped accents or chosen words your French readers would not use.
  • You are preparing a document for a publisher, a government office or a school that expects a faithful translation.

What the pro does

  • Confirms the readers' country and the level of formality, such as vous or tu.
  • Builds a glossary of names, product terms and recurring phrases, with the French version of each.
  • Translates the text and keeps its meaning and tone, including the agreement of gender and number in French.
  • Applies French typographic conventions, such as the spaces before colons and semicolons, and checks accents on every word.
  • Reviews the translation for natural phrasing, then returns the file with notes on regional choices to approve.

What changes the price

Every job is different, so we do not publish prices. These are the things that move the quote up or down.

  • Word count or page count, and the number of documents.
  • Regional variety, such as European French for France or Canadian French for Québec.
  • Subject complexity, such as legal, medical, technical or literary text.
  • Formatting, such as tables, forms or design files.
  • Whether a second reviewer checks the French text.
  • Deadline for delivery.

What a written quote should spell out

  • The word count or page count, and the language direction.
  • The regional variety the translation targets.
  • The glossary step, and who approves the terms.
  • Whether a second review is included.
  • The file format returned, and whether the layout is recreated.

Questions to ask before you hire

  • Which country or region will read this translation?
  • Will you use vous or tu, and why?
  • Do you apply French spacing and punctuation rules, and which style guide do you follow?
  • How do you handle names of places and products that should stay in English?
  • Will a second person review the French text?
  • Can you keep the layout of my forms or tables?

Red flags

  • Gives one French version for readers in every region without asking who they are.
  • Drops accents or leaves the text without French typographic conventions.
  • Changes names, dates or figures in the translation.
  • Sends a machine translation with no human review and presents it as professional work.
  • Cannot explain the regional choices in the text.

What you can do yourself

You can list the readers' region, the names and terms that must stay the same, and the formal or informal tone you want, then give that list to a French speaker to check a draft. Hire a translator when the document is official, will be published to customers, or contains legal, medical or technical terms where one wrong word would change the meaning.

Licenses and permits

French translation is not commonly licensed, so a license is usually not required for this work. Check with the office or organization that will receive the document, since some set their own rules for the translations they accept, and ask the translator for French samples in your subject as proof of skill.

French translation questions

Which French should I choose?

Choose the variety your readers use. Wording and spelling conventions for France can differ from those used in Canada, and both differ from French used in parts of Africa. If your readers are spread across regions, ask the translator for a neutral version and explain the trade-offs.

Should I use vous or tu?

Use vous for documents, notices and most business writing. Tu suits friendly marketing aimed at younger readers. Choose before translating, since changing it later means editing the whole text.

Are English brand names kept in English?

Usually yes. Names of companies and products normally stay as they are. Give the translator a list of names that must not change.

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