Tagalog translation: what to know

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

What tagalog translation is

A Tagalog translator converts text between English and Tagalog or Filipino, adapting everyday and formal usage for your readers. Filipino is the national language of the Philippines and is built on Tagalog, and many readers mix English and Filipino in daily speech, so the right level of mixing depends on the document.

Signs you need it

  • Your readers are in the Philippines or a Filipino community abroad, and you need a text that reads naturally to them.
  • You have a notice, form or letter for Tagalog or Filipino speakers that must be clear to them.
  • You are publishing a website, menu, product guide or course in Filipino and want it to read naturally.
  • You have a Filipino document that must be read in English for a business, legal or family purpose.
  • A machine translation has produced stiff wording that Filipino readers would not use in daily life.
  • You need a formal document for an office or employer, and you are not sure how much English to keep.

What the pro does

  • Confirms the readers and the level of formality, and whether English words should stay in the text.
  • Builds a glossary of names, product terms and titles, with the Filipino form of each or the English term to keep.
  • Translates the text in the register the readers use, from formal to everyday.
  • Checks that the mix of English and Filipino is consistent through the document.
  • Reviews the translation for natural phrasing, then returns the file with notes on the 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Every job is different, so we do not publish prices.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.
  • Register needed, formal, everyday or a mix.
  • Subject complexity, such as legal, medical, technical or marketing text.
  • Formatting, such as tables, forms or design files.
  • Whether a second reviewer checks the Filipino text.
  • Deadline for delivery.

What a written quote should spell out

  • The word count or page count, and the language direction.
  • The register the translation uses, and how much English is kept.
  • 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

  • Who will read the Filipino text, and how much English do they use day to day?
  • Will you keep English words where readers would use them?
  • How do you handle names of places and products?
  • Will a second person review the Filipino text?
  • Can you keep the layout of my forms or tables?
  • Can you show a sample passage on a subject like mine?

Red flags

  • Uses one register for every reader without asking who they are.
  • Translates English terms that readers would not translate in daily life, without asking.
  • 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 register or the English terms kept in the text.

What you can do yourself

You can list the readers, the names and terms that must stay the same, and how much English they use, then have a Filipino 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

Tagalog and Filipino translation are 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 Filipino samples in your subject as proof of skill.

Tagalog translation questions

Is Tagalog the same as Filipino?

Filipino is the national language and is based on Tagalog, with words borrowed from other Philippine languages and from English. In practice the two terms are often used for the same thing, so ask the translator which form they will write in.

Should English words stay in the translation?

Often yes. Many Filipino readers use English words for technical and everyday terms, and a translation that replaces them can sound unnatural. Decide the list of kept English terms in the glossary.

How formal should it be?

Official documents usually need a formal register, while personal and community messages may be more everyday. Tell the translator who will read it and why.

Pro reviewers

Pros who offer tagalog 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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