Translation words, made simple

Every certified order is built to be accepted by the agency, court, or school that requested it. If an official body rejects it over the translation or the certification, ABC Translations refunds you in full. See the guarantee.

A signed statement sworn to be true, used in court or for official matters. The Certificate of Translation Accuracy that accompanies every certified order is itself a form of affidavit.

Human translators supported by smart automation. The software handles the routine steps so a professional linguist can focus on accuracy, which keeps quality high and your price fair.

The International Association of Conference Interpreters (Association Internationale des Interprètes de Conférence), which sets quality and ethical standards for conference interpreters worldwide. aiic.org.

The Italian Association of Translators and Interpreters (Associazione Italiana Traduttori e Interpreti), a professional association for translators and interpreters in Italy. aiti.org.

The largest professional body for translators and interpreters in the United States. A company can buy a corporate membership simply by paying a fee, and that badge says nothing about the skill of the people doing the work, because the company itself is never tested. An ATA certification is different. A translator earns it by passing a graded exam, so it reflects proven individual ability. ABC Translations relies on certified translators whose skills are tested, not on a purchased company label. atanet.org.

An official certificate that confirms a signature on your document is genuine. It is issued by the United States Department of State, or for a state-issued document by that state secretary of state, and it lets the document be accepted in countries that belong to the Hague Apostille Convention. Read the apostille guide.

The Spanish Association of Translators, Editors and Interpreters (Asociación Española de Traductores, Correctores e Intérpretes), a professional body for language professionals in Spain. asetrad.org.

A widely used guide for quality assurance in translation. It describes what good practice looks like at each stage of a project, from preparation through delivery. ABC Translations holds itself to it. See our standards.

The Australian Institute of Interpreters and Translators, the national professional association for the field in Australia. ausit.org.

Translating an already translated document back into its first language. It is a quality check that confirms the meaning held up, and it is common for legal and medical work where precision matters.

The German Federal Association of Interpreters and Translators (Bundesverband der Dolmetscher und Übersetzer), one of the largest professional associations for the field in Germany. bdue.de.

The signed and stamped statement that comes with every certified translation. It confirms the work is complete and faithful to the original, and it lists the translator credentials and contact details. Some agencies call it a Certificate of Accuracy. See certified translation.

A human, word-for-word translation delivered on ABC Translations letterhead, carrying a Certificate of Translation Accuracy that is signed and stamped. USCIS, universities, courts, and government offices ask for it when they need an official version they can trust. More on certified translation.

A translator who has passed a recognized certification exam, such as the ATA exam, which tests real ability in a specific language pair. ABC Translations has every translation reviewed by certified translators, so quality rests on proven skill rather than a paid badge. About our team.

A report that matches a degree or qualification earned abroad to its U.S. equivalent. Immigration offices, employers, and schools often require one, and the evaluator usually needs a certified translation first. See credential evaluation.

The Canadian Translators, Terminologists and Interpreters Council (Conseil des traducteurs, terminologues et interprètes du Canada), which oversees professional certification across Canada. cttic.org.

Stating the value of an amount in one currency as its value in another, such as turning euros into dollars. Because exchange rates move, the converted figure reflects a moment in time.

Rebuilding a translated file so it matches the original layout, fonts, and images. It keeps brochures, forms, and certificates clean and easy to read in the new language.

A certified translation prepared for the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates. International medical graduates need it so their training documents can be verified in the United States. See ECFMG translations.

A file you can open and change, such as Word (DOCX) or plain text (TXT). Standard translations arrive this way, while PDFs and image files like JPG usually cannot be edited.

A paid upgrade that moves your order to the front of the line and cuts the usual delivery time by about half. Choose it when a deadline cannot wait. See turnaround times.

The way a document is saved, such as PDF, DOCX, TXT, or JPG. Some can be edited and some cannot, which affects how your translation is delivered.

The International Federation of Translators (Fédération Internationale des Traducteurs), a global federation that represents translator, interpreter, and terminologist associations around the world. fit-ift.org.

A shared list of preferred terms and how they should be translated. Clients with brand names or industry words supply one so wording stays consistent across every project.

An international agreement that lets a document from one member country be accepted in another through a single certificate called an apostille. It replaces a longer chain of approvals. Learn about apostilles.

A printed original of your certified translation, complete with wet ink signatures and stamps, mailed to you with tracking. Choose it when an office needs paper rather than a digital file. See deliverables.

Translation done by a skilled person rather than software. A human captures tone, context, and meaning that automated tools miss, which is why every ABC order is handled by a professional translator. See professional translation.

A specialist who turns spoken words from one language into another on the spot, in places such as courtrooms, hospitals, and meetings. Interpreting is spoken, while translation is written.

An international quality management standard. It shows an organization runs consistent, documented processes built around meeting customer needs. ABC Translations holds itself to it. See our standards.

A quality management standard for medical devices and the documents that support them. It matters when translating regulated medical content. See our standards.

An international standard that sets the requirements for community interpreting, across both spoken and signed communication. See our standards.

The international standard for translation services. It defines the people, steps, and resources a provider needs to deliver quality translation. ABC Translations holds itself to it. See our standards.

An international standard for post-editing the output of machine translation by human editors, so the final text reaches professional quality. See our standards.

The Institute of Translation and Interpreting, a leading professional association for translators and interpreters in the United Kingdom. iti.org.uk.

The Japan Association of Translators, a professional association for translators and interpreters who work with Japanese. jat.org.

The two languages in a project, the one you start from and the one you want, such as Spanish into English. The pair helps set your price and delivery date.

A way to certify documents for use in nations outside the Hague Apostille Convention. It usually means added authentication at an embassy or consulate.

Adapting content so it fits the language and culture of a specific market, beyond a literal translation. It covers wording, formats, and details that make the result feel native to the reader.

Translation produced by automated tools like Google Translate. It is fast and free, but it misses the accuracy, nuance, and context a person brings, so it is rarely safe for official use.

The National Association of Judiciary Interpreters and Translators, a United States body focused on legal and court interpreting and translation. najit.org.

Someone whose first language is the one being translated into. ABC works into a translator native language so the result reads naturally.

A notary public confirms the identity of the person who signs the Certificate of Translation Accuracy and witnesses that signature. It adds a layer of official proof that some agencies require. See notarized translations.

A state-commissioned official who verifies identity and witnesses signatures. For a translation, the notary confirms who signed the certification, and the seal is valid in all 50 states. See notarized translations.

A translation that a government office, school, or institution will recognize. In the United States this usually means a certified translation.

For certified translation, a page is counted as 250 words or less, numbers included. Counting this way keeps pricing clear before you order. How pages are counted.

The work of a human editor refining machine translation output until it reads accurately and naturally. ISO 18587 sets the quality requirements for it. See our standards.

ABC Translations human translation for business and personal use, delivered in an editable file. It reads for meaning and natural flow, which suits manuals, contracts, marketing, and websites. See professional translation.

Documentation that confirms a translation is complete and correct, usually the signed Certificate of Translation Accuracy that comes with certified work.

A final review where a second linguist checks the finished translation for grammar, spelling, layout, and consistency before it reaches you.

Removing or hiding confidential details in a document before it is translated, so private information stays protected.

A change to your translation after delivery. You can request one, and the translator reviews it and applies it when it fits the original.

A rush option for urgent deadlines, where your order is finished and returned the same day when capacity allows. Availability and pricing depend on the document, so ask before you order. See turnaround times.

The French Society of Translators (Société française des traducteurs), the main professional association for translators in France. sft.fr.

The original file you need translated, like a birth certificate, contract, or transcript. Everything in the translation comes from it.

The format of the original you send us, which can be a PDF, a Word document, a scanned image, or audio.

The language your document is originally written in.

The editable, non-certified human translation for everyday business and personal needs, from employee manuals to marketing and blog posts. At ABC it is also called professional translation. See professional translation.

A translation signed by a translator whom a government or court has authorized to produce legally valid work. It is common outside the United States, where certified translation is the usual equivalent.

The Translators Association of China, the national professional association for the translation field in China. tac-online.org.cn.

A secure digital seal on a notarized translation that shows at once if the file has been changed. It keeps your certified document verifiable online. See notarized translations.

The language you want your document translated into.

The Translation Automation User Society, an industry think tank and resource center focused on language technology and translation data. taus.net.

The Polish Society of Sworn and Specialized Translators (Polskie Towarzystwo Tłumaczy Przysięgłych i Specjalistycznych), a professional association for sworn and specialized translators in Poland. tepis.org.pl.

Recreating a message in another language so it keeps the original intent, emotion, and effect rather than the exact words. It suits marketing and brand content that has to land with a new audience. See professional translation.

A database of phrases and sentences already translated for you. It keeps wording consistent and speeds up future work on similar documents.

The time from when a translator starts your order to when the finished translation is ready to download. Your estimate depends on the document and the options you choose. See turnaround times.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the agency that handles immigration and naturalization. It requires a certified English translation of every foreign-language document in a filing. See USCIS translations.

A strict, word-for-word translation that keeps every detail of the source. Legal and official documents often require this exact approach.

A signature and stamp applied by hand in real ink on a printed document, not a digital copy. Some evaluators and offices require it on a mailed hard copy. See credential evaluation.

How many words a document contains in total. It sets the price for standard translation, which is billed per word. How words are counted.