Greek translation: what to know

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

What greek translation is

A Greek translator converts text between English and Greek, handling the Greek alphabet and modern usage for personal, business or official documents. Modern Greek has its own accent marks and forms of address, and regional usage in Cyprus and in the diaspora can differ from standard Greek.

Signs you need it

  • Your readers are in Greece, Cyprus or a Greek community abroad, and you need text that reads naturally to them.
  • You have a contract, certificate or notice that must be read in Greek with exact terms.
  • You are publishing a website, product guide or course in Greek and want it to read naturally.
  • You have a Greek document that must be read in English for a business, legal or family purpose.
  • A machine translation has dropped the accent marks, which changes how many words read.
  • You need a formal document for a Greek office or employer that expects a specific style.

What the pro does

  • Confirms the readers, the purpose and the level of formality the document needs.
  • Builds a glossary of names, product terms and titles, with the Greek form of each.
  • Translates the text in modern Greek, adapting phrases that would sound out of place to Greek readers.
  • Checks the accent marks on every word and keeps names spelled the same way throughout.
  • 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Every job is different, so we do not publish prices.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 usage needed, such as Greece, Cyprus or a text for readers abroad.
  • Subject complexity, such as legal, medical, technical or marketing text.
  • Formatting, such as tables, forms or design files.
  • Whether a second reviewer checks the Greek text.
  • Deadline for delivery.

What a written quote should spell out

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

Questions to ask before you hire

  • Which country will read the Greek text, Greece, Cyprus or another?
  • Will you use the formal or the informal form of address?
  • How do you transliterate names, and will you keep one spelling?
  • Will a second person review the Greek text?
  • Can you keep the layout of my forms or tables?
  • Can you show a sample passage on a subject like mine?

Red flags

  • Drops the accent marks and presents the text as complete.
  • Spells the same name differently across the document.
  • 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 usage or the forms of address used.

What you can do yourself

You can list the readers' country, the names and terms that must stay the same, and whether the document is formal, then have a Greek speaker read a draft. Hire a translator when the document is official, will be published or sent to customers, or contains legal, medical or technical terms where a wrong word changes the meaning.

Licenses and permits

Greek 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 accepted translations, and ask the translator for Greek samples in your subject as proof of skill.

Greek translation questions

Do the accent marks matter?

Yes. Greek accents change how words are read and can change the meaning of some words. A translation without them looks careless to Greek readers, so a check of accents is part of the work.

Is Cypriot Greek different?

Everyday speech in Cyprus differs from standard Greek in pronunciation and some vocabulary, though written documents usually follow the standard. Tell the translator where your readers are.

How are names handled?

Names are usually written in Greek letters, with an agreed spelling for each name used throughout the document. Agree the spelling in the glossary before translating.

Pro reviewers

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