Italian translation: what to know

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

What italian translation is

An Italian translator converts documents between English and Italian, preserving tone and meaning and adapting phrases for Italian readers. Italian is spoken across Italy and in parts of Switzerland, and regional words and formal usage affect how a text will be received.

Signs you need it

  • Your readers are in Italy or the Italian-speaking part of Switzerland, and you need wording that suits them.
  • You have a contract, certificate or school document that must be read in Italian with exact terms.
  • You are publishing a website, menu, product guide or course in Italian and want it to read naturally.
  • You have an Italian document that must be read in English for a business, legal or family purpose.
  • A machine translation has made a formal document sound casual or the reverse.
  • You need the translation to use the formal Lei or the informal tu in the way your readers expect.

What the pro does

  • Confirms the readers' location and the form of address, Lei or tu, before translating.
  • Builds a glossary of names, product terms and recurring phrases, with the Italian term for each.
  • Translates the text and keeps its tone, adapting idioms so they read naturally to Italian readers.
  • Checks dates, figures, names and addresses against the source, including the forms Italian documents usually use.
  • Reviews the translation for natural phrasing, then returns the file with notes on 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Every job is different, so we do not publish prices.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.
  • Whether the readers are in Italy or elsewhere, which can change vocabulary.
  • Subject complexity, such as legal, medical, technical or marketing text.
  • Formatting, such as tables, forms or design files.
  • Whether a second reviewer checks the Italian text.
  • Deadline for delivery.

What a written quote should spell out

  • The word count or page count, and the language direction.
  • The readers' location 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

  • Where will the readers be, and what tone should the text use?
  • Will you use Lei or tu, and why?
  • How do you handle names of places and products that should stay in English?
  • Will a second person review the Italian text?
  • Can you keep the layout of my forms or tables?
  • Can you show a sample passage on a subject like mine?

Red flags

  • Translates word for word and does not adapt idioms.
  • 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 choice of formal or informal address.
  • Will not show a sample passage or explain how they check the work.

What you can do yourself

You can list the readers' location, the names and terms that must stay the same, and the tone you want, then have an Italian speaker read a draft for natural wording. Hire a translator when the document is official, will be published to customers, or contains legal, medical or technical terms where one wrong word changes the meaning.

Licenses and permits

Italian 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 Italian samples in your subject as proof of skill.

Italian translation questions

Should I use Lei or tu?

Use Lei for documents, official notices and most business writing. Tu suits friendly marketing aimed at a young audience. Decide before translating, since changing it later means editing the whole text.

Will the translation sound like a literal copy?

A good translation should not. It keeps the meaning and tone, and rephrases idioms so Italian readers find them natural. Ask the translator to explain any change that alters the meaning.

Are brand names translated?

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

Pro reviewers

Pros who offer italian translation remotely can improve this guide, like Wikipedia. We check every edit before it goes live. Every approved edit is credited in the edit history and on the pro's profile.

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  3. 3. They reach out

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