Turkish translation: what to know

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

What turkish translation is

A Turkish translator converts documents between English and Turkish, handling word endings, formal tone and special characters carefully. Turkish adds suffixes to words to show their role in a sentence, and letters such as ç, ğ, ı, ö, ş and ü must be correct, since a missing mark can change a word.

Signs you need it

  • Your readers are in Turkey, Cyprus or a Turkish community abroad, and you need text that reads naturally to them.
  • You have a contract, certificate or notice that must be read in Turkish with exact terms.
  • You are publishing a website, product guide or course in Turkish and want the wording to sound natural.
  • You have a Turkish document that must be read in English for a business, legal or personal purpose.
  • A machine translation has dropped the special characters or the word endings, which readers notice at once.
  • You need a formal document for a Turkish office or employer that expects a formal tone.

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 Turkish form of each.
  • Translates the text and gets the suffixes right, so each word shows the correct role in its sentence.
  • Checks the special characters on every word, including the difference between dotted and dotless i.
  • Reviews the translation for natural phrasing, then returns the file with notes on any term you should 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Every job is different, so we do not publish prices.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.
  • Subject complexity, such as legal, medical, technical or marketing text.
  • Formal or informal tone, and the amount of specialist vocabulary.
  • Formatting, such as tables, forms or design files.
  • Whether a second reviewer checks the Turkish text.
  • Deadline for delivery.

What a written quote should spell out

  • The word count or page count, and the language direction.
  • The tone and form of address the translation uses.
  • The glossary step, and who approves the terms and name spellings.
  • Whether a second review and a check of special characters are included.
  • The file format returned, and whether the layout is recreated.

Questions to ask before you hire

  • Who will read the Turkish text, and what tone do they expect?
  • Will you check the special characters and the word endings?
  • How do you handle names of people, places and products?
  • Will a second person review the Turkish 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 special characters and presents the text as complete.
  • Writes the same name in different spellings through 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 tone or the form of address used.

What you can do yourself

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

Licenses and permits

Turkish 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 Turkish samples in your subject as proof of skill.

Turkish translation questions

Why do the special characters matter?

Turkish letters such as ş, ğ and ı are separate sounds, and a missing or wrong mark can change a word or make it look careless. Ask the translator to check every marked word.

What is the difference between i and ı?

Turkish has a dotted i and a dotless ı, which are different letters with different sounds. Capital letters follow their own rules, so a translator must handle them correctly, especially in names.

Should I use siz or sen?

Siz is the formal form and suits documents and business writing. Sen is informal and suits friendly personal messages. Decide before translating, since changing it later means editing the whole text.

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