#translation

Craft Your Global Message

Hire professional native speakers to translate your English and German content to a high standard. Our editorial services adapt to your needs.
TRANSLATE

TRANSLATE

Find your voice: Translate both ways in English and German for consistent, accurate results.

Jump to #translation

REVISE

REVISE

Find the errors: Match your style and ensure professional standards before publishing.

Jump to #editing

CREATE

CREATE

Find your audience: Speak to your international customers with an original voice in their language.

Jump to #writing

Bridging the Gap between Language and Culture

Your global audience needs to hear your message, but not always in the same words. Finding the most effective expression for your ideas in a foreign language takes creativity, authenticity, and a meticulous mindset.

Creative: Some translations adhere closely to the original wording while others flow more freely. Either way, the hallmark of a good translation is that it doesn’t sound translated.

Authentic: With the right approach to localization, your voice will stand out in English and German alike. You need a partner who takes the time to understand your requirements. The result is localized content that resonates with your audience.

Meticulous: Entrust your English–German content to passionate linguists and give your project the benefit of a keen eye for detail—four eyes, actually—down to the last comma.

Scroll through this page to find out how we can translate your English–German content, revise existing text, or create original content to spec. You’ll find an overview of our editorial rates at the end.

The hallmark of a good translation is that it doesn’t sound translated.

The result is localized content that resonates with your audience.


Translate with Confidence

Localize your documents to a high standard across English and German cultures. You decide how we translate your content: We’ve got the right translation model and budget for your project.

Depending on your project, you might be looking for a variety of translation models. Tap the box below to explore four of the most common workflows in translation today.

  • Translate SMART
  • Translate in a TEAM
  • Translate like a PRO
  • Get EXPERT content

Fast, affordable, convenient: There are times when all you need is a simple translation—quick and dirty! This is a job for our SMART service. Industry insiders call it post-edited machine translation (PEMT) and often sell it under the banner of artificial intelligence (AI).

  • Machine Translation

    An AI-powered machine translator produces a draft translation of your source text within seconds. There’s a risk that some terminology will get lost in translation.

  • Human Review

    A human proofreader checks the results for accuracy in the target language. This ensures an adequate level of quality control. The monolingual reviewer might still miss some nuances.

  • Client Feedback

    You have a chance to review our final draft. We’ll work in any feedback you give us.

Machine translators today are smart, and the benefits are clear: Get it done lightning-fast while saving yourself the cost of a human translator. This method typically produces acceptable results for general-language content.

But beware: You get what you pay for! Despite all the hype, AI tools cannot match the skill and talent of a professional human translator. If your text is more specialized or quality is a priority, we recommend a translation service on par with our PRO tier.

Simple, flexible, collaborative: You manage large localization projects and want to recruit experienced talent into your pool of freelancers? Get the full skill set of an English–German linguist, nothing more and nothing less.

  • Framework Analysis

    You work with us to discuss the nature of your existing localization framework. Alternatively, we can determine whether you qualify as an indie client (see below).

  • Talent Acquisition

    One or more of our language specialists signs a freelance contract to join your talent pool. The modalities of this collaboration are freely negotiable.

  • That’s it!

    Our freelancers now work for you as translators, editors, LQA testers, and more.

This is the no-frills option when you just need a linguist to join your existing localization environment. Things like editing and proofreading are not included, since you’ll be providing those services through your own team of editors and project managers.

This is also the rate we like to offer certain “indie” projects. What exactly constitutes an independent project is somewhat discretionary, but we generally consider artists, journalists, self-publishers, nonprofits, startups, small businesses, and freelancers to fall under this category. Contact us to explain your situation and we can explore all the options!

Authentic, accurate, consistent: The gold standard in translation involves an experienced translator, bilingual editing, and professional software. For content that is ready to publish, you can add a four-eyes proofreading cycle into the mix. We call it our PRO service.

  • Pro Translation

    A senior translator works with professional software to translate your content. The workflow produces authentic language in a natural voice for your target audience.

  • Bilingual Review

    A bilingual editor thoroughly checks the translation against the source text. This step ensures accurate terminology and a consistent writing style in the target language.

  • Client Feedback

    Your people review a draft translation that includes detailed editorial comments. We work in your change requests before delivering the final product.

  • Four-Eyes Proofreading (Optional)

    You have the option to book a four-eyes proofreading cycle. This final step adds a layer of quality control that allows you to immediately publish your new content with confidence.

This is the most effective translation model for most use cases. It ensures a degree of quality and authenticity not found in low-effort agency material. It’s how you stand out in an age of forgettable SEO text and trite AI-recycled content.

Our computer-assisted pro translators are especially good at:

  • Understanding context, addressing your readers, and adding a human touch.
  • Researching specialized content in science, technology, commerce, industry, and creative fields.
  • Translating documents with recurring segments (repetitions). What’s a segment?

Thorough, individual, original: Don’t just translate your words. Let us craft your global message—creative writing included. Our EXPERT service is your final destination for fresh bilingual content to the highest standards.

  • Localized Translation

    Our best translators localize your existing content for a particular region and audience.

  • Content Creation

    We work with copy-writers and other freelance creatives to craft original content to spec.

  • Editorial Review

    Bilingual editors diligently check the localized content for total accuracy and a streamlined style in consultation with your people.

  • Client Feedback

    You have a chance to review our final draft before the final proofreading. We can work in any feedback you give us, including last-minute changes.

  • Publishing Support

    We support you in the publishing process to ensure that your new content appears as intended. This step includes a four-eyes proofreading cycle.

This type of creative translation is often called transcreation. Our EXPERT service takes the concept to the next level with a full package of localization, editing, proofreading, and content creation. When you’re ready to publish, we support you with content management to ensure that your format appears as intended.

On top of all that, you’ll gain lasting benefits long after the job is done. With access to terminology databases made just for you, your organization can send a consistent message to the world in English and German for years to come.

Estimate Your Translation Costs

Head over to our price calculator to estimate the cost of your translation project. If you like what you see, you can contact us for a formal offer.

Man or Machine: What’s the Difference?

Speaking of modern technology, you might be wondering: “Can’t we just use an AI model ourselves? Our intern is bilingual, we could just let them check it.” The answer is, “Yes, but…”

Don’t get us wrong: We love technology. If you read up on our SMART service, you’ll find that we also use machine translation models in our workflows.

But there are limitations. Expand the headlines to learn more.

In short, skilled human writers outperform machine translation in areas such as accuracy, consistency, word economy, creative expression, and quality control.

Machine translators can be inaccurate.

Blind trust in the raw output will likely result in a few outright errors: inaccurate terminology, for example, when the algorithm misinterprets the context. This creates risk for your business.

Machine translators can be inconsistent.

As a statistical model, MT might translate phrases differently throughout your text without a full understanding of your intent as an author, Certain terminology or keywords require consistent translation while other passages are more flexible and varied. A human translator is more effective at making those decisions throughout all documents.

Machine translators don’t transcreate well.

The technology has come a long way, but most algorithms still hew closely to the original wording. The result is a lifeless translation that doesn’t always sound natural. Professional translators are trained to find the best wording in the target language. We understand the context of your content and the meta-context of your audience. See below for an example!

Machine translators lack the skill set of a professional editor.

MT engines are a fantastic tool for everyday communication tasks where clean editing and top-notch quality are less of a concern. For all other jobs, machine translation can only augment professional talent, not replace it. And while your intern might have the language skills needed to catch the most egregious errors, they’re unlikely to edit the text to a high editorial standard. Our people are experienced professionals with specialized skills that add value to your projects.

See for Yourself in This Side-by-Side Comparison

The original German source text is on the left. It includes a lot of idioms and casual marketing language. The middle column shows DeepL’s raw output, which is closely worded to match the source text. Our all-human localized version is on the right.

Hover over the highlighted sectionsHighlighted sections look like this. for a tooltip explaining our choices. Which text sounds best to you?

German original:

Brennt’s mal wieder in der Hütte? GermanBureau schafft Abhilfe! Wir liefern schnell und unkompliziert Übersetzungen nach Maß. Auch bestehende Texte können wir nachträglich für Sie korrigieren und anpassen – falls das Denglisch vom Chef nicht ganz das Gelbe vom Ei war.

(c) 2023 GermanBureau.com

DeepL output:

Is there a fire in the hut again?This word-for-word translation doesn’t correspond to any real English idiom. As a result, the opening sentence sounds awkward and nonsensical. GermanBureau can help! We deliver customised‘Customised’ is fine, but it’s a well-worn word. Perhaps a more interesting synonym would be better here… translations quicklyThere’s nothing wrong with this adverb, but we can do better in a marketing text… and without complicationsThis makes it sound like some kind of medical procedure! We can definitely improve the wording here.. We can also correct and adapt existing texts for you Inaccurate punctuation: While an en dash is correct in German, by US-English conventions it should be a longer em dash. in case the boss’s Denglish wasn’t quite up to scratch‘Up to scratch’ is a good option, but we have some choices here..

Translated with DeepL Free in 2023

Human version:

House on fire again?Now the metaphor makes sense to English speakers: It refers to an immediate crisis. GermanBureau can help! Get your bespokeThe term ‘bespoke’ has more positive connotations than boring old ‘customised’. translations hassle-freeThe phrase ‘hassle-free’ is more business-like and doesn’t evoke the image of a medical procedure. with rapid turnaroundSimilarly, instead of saying ‘quickly’, we can use a bit of business jargon in the phrase ‘rapid turnaround’ to get on a level with our b2b clients. With this new prepositional phrase, we now also need to reverse the order of adverbs for a more natural flow.. Or let us edit your existing contentThis is now an em dash to match US-English writing conventions.just in case the boss’s Denglisch wasn’t quite up to the jobBoth options are acceptable, and this is purely a matter of preference..

Translated by Alex Bakst

Of course, we understand that sometimes speed and cost outweigh quality considerations. If that’s the case, our SMART service might be right for you. It combines the best of both worlds: advanced machine translation and a professional human proofreader.

However, if you’ve read this far into our website, chances are you’re looking for something more.

Estimate the Cost of Your Project

Head over to our price calculator to estimate your translation costs. If you like what you see, you can contact us for a formal offer.


Revise Your Work with Native Support

You have an existing text in English or German, and you’d like to make sure it’s ready to publish? We offer two types of editing service: basic proofreading and full revision. Read on to learn about the differences.

What Is Basic Proofreading?

In basic proofreading, a native editor checks for errors and inconsistencies in the target language.

Proofreading covers spelling, grammar, punctuation, and other details. This type of editing gives your text a professional polish, down to the last comma, so you can publish with confidence.

However, a monolingual editor can’t always catch terminology errors and meanings lost in translation. For a more thorough editing process, we recommend a full revision.

How Is a Full Revision Any Different?

In a full editorial revision, a bilingual editor checks your text against the source language to ensure accurate terminology.

On top of proofreading, a bilingual editor scrutinizes your message for clarity, consistency, and style—not just any style, but your style. In the process, we can help you develop editorial guidelines for the target language if they don’t already exist.

Estimate the Cost of Your Revisions

Head over to our price calculator now to get a non-binding estimate. If you like what you see, you can contact us for a formal offer.


Original Content for a Global Audience

You know what you want to say, but you don’t have a text in any language yet? Not a problem! Hire a professional copy-writer from our network to craft your message from scratch. We can produce a variety of content in English or German based on your goals.

Reach out now to discuss your needs directly with a content specialist.

Think Global, Act Local

For large organizations with sprawling projects, a localization framework helps your people deal with terminology across languages and cultures. Let us manage your multilingual content so you can manage your business.

Our partner network includes talented business authors who work with our translators to adapt your content to local markets in the English- and German-speaking world. The freelancers at GermanBureau are experienced in these fields:

  • Educational material for business and academia
  • News, feature journalism, and storytelling
  • Marketing, public relations, and business communications
  • Websites, blogs, SEO content, and social media
  • Creative output, especially in gaming and music
  • Technology, IT systems, and telecommunications
  • Technical documentation for industrial applications
  • Human resources (HR) and recruiting

Contact us today to discuss how a localization framework can support your global content.

Estimate the Cost of Your Content

Head over to our price calculator to estimate the costs of your project. If you like what you see, you can contact us for a formal offer.


Editorial Rates

Enjoy competitive rates for a range of turnkey translation models. When it comes to text, we’ve got your back in English and German.

Freelance Rates for Translators

While every translator in our network is free to negotiate their own rates, we encourage our collaborators to follow certain guidelines. Below you’ll find four pricing models that cover the most common business requirements on the market for language services today.

SMART

Machine translator* + proofreading**
  • Digital tools
  • Pro translator
  • Bilingual review
  • Native proofreading (standalone)
  • Original content
  • Publishing support
5/ 100 words

TEAM

Team translator or indie*** project
  • Digital tools
  • Pro translator
  • Bilingual review
  • Native proofreading (not available)
  • Original content
  • Publishing support
8/ 100 words

EXPERT

All-inclusive original content
  • Digital tools
  • Pro translator
  • Bilingual review
  • Native proofreading (four-eyes included)
  • Original content
  • Publishing support
25/ 100 words

* Our favorite MT engine is DeepL Pro, which integrates via API into Kilgray memoQ, our preferred computer-assisted translation software.

** “Native proofreading” is a monolingual review by a professional native speaker of the target language. “Bilingual review” is a more comprehensive editing service that includes verification against the original source text. Both services are available as a four-eyes option to have someone other than the translator conduct the review for maximum quality control.

*** “Team” refers to an existing localization environment with other translators, editors, and project managers. “Indie” projects generally include artists, journalists, self-publishers, nonprofits, startup companies, small businesses, and freelancers.

Our Pricing Guidelines Explained

Enjoy reliable budgeting and transparent billing when you work with us. Each proposal clearly documents your costs, and you’ll receive an invoice once you’re satisfied with the deliverables.

Our general formula for editorial work is scope × fee × difficulty. The final price depends on the exact configuration of services and options. All fees are negotiable to accommodate different clients and projects.

As a b2b company, we advertise our prices in euros net. Each invoice includes value-added tax (VAT) as required.

To learn more about how we calculate our editorial fees, expand the headings on the right.

Scope (Word Count)

A Fair Way of Counting Billable Words

The scope of a project is the number of words used for invoicing. It’s usually lower than the raw word count.

We count the billable words in our preferred CAT application—that’s computer-assisted translation, a software tool for human translators. CAT applications offer a detailed text analysis that recognizes recurring segments. Then we exclude or discount those words from the billable word count.

This approach benefits your bottom line by reducing the scope of actual translation work. What’s more: The longer you work with us, the more you benefit from the CAT system as our pre-translation database grows.

Contact Us for the Best Deal

Our online price calculator is a simple tool that relies on the raw word count you give us. The system cannot detect existing translations or recognize recurring segments. As a result, our formal proposal is likely better for you than the online quote. Submit your estimate to get the best deal!

Sometimes a precise word count isn’t possible for technical reasons; for example, when all we have is a scanned image. In that case, we’ll estimate the total word count with any available tools such as a word processor, PDF editor, or our bare eyes and wit.

Fee (Base Rate)

Putting a Price on Human Talent

The fee is our basic freelance rate, or the cost of a freelancer’s effort per unit of work. Think of it as our most basic product: human talent. Different services have different base rates to reflect the expertise, time, and resources we bring into your project.

For editorial services such as translation or editing, we measure our freelance rates in euros per billable word. This model easily scales to standardized lines of text (Normzeilen) and other formats. To learn more about billable words, please read the sections on scope and difficulty.

If none of these conventions appeal to you, we’re also open to billing by the hour, as a lump sum, or by some other agreement in line with your needs. Simply reach out to us to discuss the details.

Difficulty

How Complex Is Your Content?

We assess the difficulty of your source text to account for labor-intensive language. Then we assign a price multiplier to reflect this in our pricing.

Difficulty is not a concern for jobs involving generic text with no price multiplier. For more specialized language, we currently have five categories corresponding to factors of 1.1 through 1.5.

Broadly speaking, we look at the following aspects of a text to assess its difficulty:

  • Specialized terminology (e.g., rotary indexing table or cytotoxic T cells).
  • Readability and grammar analysis (syntax, complexity, and overall clarity).
  • Subject matter (some topics are inherently more advanced than others).

Can We Automate This Step?

While machine learning has come a long way, technology alone cannot accurately evaluate a piece of writing. For best results, we still need a human to review the text.

But that doesn’t mean technology can’t make the process more reliable and efficient. Along with generative AI, several linguistic models are used today to measure general readability. The most common ones in English are:

  • Flesch–Kincaid Grade Level
  • Flesch Reading Ease
  • Gunning Fog Index
  • Coleman–Liau Index
  • SMOG Index
  • Automated Readability Index (ARI)
  • Linsear Write Formula

You can use a variety of online tools to see for yourself. Readability Formulas is a free resource that checks your English text against all seven models listed above. In the commercial realm, Readable.com offers a demo version of its comprehensive text analysis tool.

Similar models also exist for the German language:

  • Björnsson’s 1968 Lesbarkeitsindex (LIX), which relies on statistical analysis to evaluate the readability of a text.
  • Hamburger Verständlichkeitsmodell, developed in the 1970s by a team of psychologists at the University of Hamburg and last updated in 2015.

For German text analysis, Psychometrica offers its LIX tool for free both online and offline. Wortliga is another popular service, and the website features a demo version of its text analysis tool.

Tax and Delivery

Digital Delivery All the Way

We deliver the finished product to you in the same digital format as your source document, typically an Office file or PDF. We can share a secure download link to your deliverables, or you can give us access to your own upload space. Of course, we can always deliver your documents by email (encrypted on request).

In addition, we are familiar with several content management systems and can help you publish your new content online. This ensures that the text is properly formatted and appears as you intend.

There are no fees for digital delivery. We currently don’t offer printing or shipping services. Any additional fees are negotiable, such as for large data-entry jobs and other services beyond the regular scope of delivery.

German Taxes

As a Berlin-based company, our services are subject to value-added tax (VAT) under German and European law. The standard tax rate is generally 19% in Germany.

The same applies to any freelancers located in Germany unless they are registered as small business owners (Kleinunternehmer). In that case, their invoices will contain a relevant note and no tax.

In the editorial field, certain published works may benefit from a reduced tax rate of 7%. Please consult a tax advisor to find out if your project qualifies, and don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.

The European VAT ID number for GermanBureau is DE277695519 under the name of Alexander Bakst. Individual freelancers may have their own tax numbers.

More About Us

If you still have unanswered questions, these links might be useful:

Otherwise, don’t hesitate to contact us. The chat button in the corner of this website is a good way to reach us. A real human will respond as soon as someone is free. Thanks!