Useful online tools for translators

The translators world

According to CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate), between the years 2014 and 2019, the world translation market grew by as much as 6 per cent. The increased demand for translation and localization has strongly affected the development of CAT programs and term bases. Nowadays, they are used by majority of professional translators, assisting their daily work with their utility and versability. Even though the translators all agree that their insightful, meticulous and experienced brains can’t be replaced by any computer programs, they will eagerly use translation tools such as SDL Trados or MemoQ. Although, apart from paid CAT programs, there are other tools to be found online, useful in daily work or studying.

Here, we present to you TOP 10 best rated (and free) translation tools available online. They prove helpful for both agency translators, as well as linguistics major students, only entering the world of translations.

1. MateCat

MateCat is a free translation program available online. It’s been recommended by translation agencies, freelancers and universities. One of its indisputable advantages is support for as much as 90 languages and 68 file formats. What’s more, it is easy to use and it provides most of essential features typical for this kind of programs. This includes: creating translation memories (private or public), the pre-translate, concordance and alignment options, as well as machine translation (with the help of Google Translate API or Microsoft Bing API). The program also checks for any spelling and punctuation errors and inconsistencies in translation. Another handy feature is the option to create projects and assign tasks to people therein. This solution proves very effective in university classes. MateCat is an excellent alternative to paid programs like SLD Trados or MemoQ. Beginner translators will surely manage to navigate in a user-friendly interface and freelancers will appreciate the possibility of accessing their projects from any device: PC, a tablet or a mobile phone.

System requirements: web browser (e.g. Google Chrome), internet connection

Website link: https://www.matecat.com/

2. IATE

IATE (Inter-Active Terminology for Europe) is the fruit of the cooperation of EU translators. It’s the biggest term base in the world, containing over eight million terms in twenty four languages of EU’s official languages. This giant online dictionary is freely-accessible since 2007 and it’s completely free of charge. The term base is created by specialists and each term is thoroughly described. Every entry provides not only translation, but also the definition, its source, examples of use in context, as well as the field, to which the term can be ascribed (for example, energetics, medicine, law, IT etc.). Because of that, IATE is a valuable source of knowledge for translators and students.

System requirements: web browser (e.g. Google Chrome), internet connection

Website link: https://iate.europa.eu/home

3. Microsoft Language Portal

Microsoft Language Portal is especially recommended for translators specialized in IT technology translations. The users can search terms related to Microsoft software and products. They can choose from over 25 thousand terms in almost one hundred languages. Moreover, you can download the .tbx Microsoft Terminology Collection dictionary, which makes a perfect supplement for private IT term bases.

System requirements: web browser (e.g. Google Chrome), internet connection

Website link: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/language

4. Magic Search

Magic Search allows you to browse online term bases quicker. Typing a word gives you its translations and definitions from websites such as IATE, Oxford Dictionary or WordReference. Magic Search supports over ninety languages and its interface is clear and transparent. You can also download it in a form of Google Chrome plug-in.

System requirements: web browser (e.g. Google Chrome), internet connection

Website link: https://magicsearch.org/

5. Website Word Count

Website Word Count is a free online tool, which keeps track of repeated and new words found on websited created with WordPress. According to the originator of Website Word Counts, Hanna Sles: ‘The program saves translators and clients a lot of time and effort. Every day I received countless emails asking for English–Russian translations. Most of them concerning website localization. A tool like this one will facilitate counting repetitions and new words.’ The programmer is also planning on updating the software to work on other platforms.

System requirements: web browser (e.g. Google Chrome), internet connection

Website link: https://www.hannasles.com/word-frequency-counter/website-word-count-tool/

6. Linguee

Linguee is an undoubted top pick for many students and translators. It’s a combination of an online dictionary and a text fragment browser. Apart from the translation of the searched word, Linguee often provides you with definition imported from Wikipedia and grammar information on the term. However the biggest upside of the program is that is searches for a given word in external sources, so you can put it in a bigger context.

System requirements: web browser (e.g. Google Chrome), internet connection

Website link: https://www.linguee.com/

7. Reverso Context

Reverso Context is a program very similar to Linguee. It supports fourteen languages and operates on context-search basis. Additionally, the users are aided by a synonym and an antonym dictionary. To make using Reverso Context easier, you can download its mobile app. It is available in App Store and in Google Play.

System requirements: web browser (e.g. Google Chrome), internet connection

Website link: https://context.reverso.net/

8. OmegaT

OmegaT is a free tool which supports translation memories (TM). It is recommended in particular for professional translators. It supports OS like Windows, macOS or Linux. Some of OmegaT’s professional features are: fuzzy matching, match propagation, simultaneous work on multiple files, simultaneous use of multiple TMs and creating your own term bases. The program supports over 30 file formats such as: Microsoft Word, Excel & Power Point, XHTML, HTML, Open Document Format (LibreOffice, OpenOffice.org), MediaWiki (Wikipedia) and others. It’s also compatible with other TM formats, such as: TMX, TTX, TXML, XLIFF or SDLXLIFF. Some additional, useful features include: support for languages written from right to left, spelling check and Google Translate interface

System requirements: any operating system from JRE (to download the newest version, Java 8 is needed): it can be Windows (all versions after 1998), Macintosh OS or Linux.

Website link: https://omegat.org/

9. Translators Cafe

Translators Café is an online community of translators and linguists from the whole world. Signing in is free of charge. As a member of Translators Café you can browse job offers and reply to announcements without any additional costs. You can also file in commissions yourself and look for professional translators or agencies, as well as freelancers. In the discussion forums you can easily find answers to bothering questions about anything related to translation industry and translation itself. The website is pleasant in reception. Additionally, the website provides with over one hundred sixty dictionaries from various fields available in over sixty languages.

System requirements: web browser (e.g. Google Chrome), internet connection

Website link: https://www.translatorscafe.com/cafe/Default.asp

10. Poedit

Poedit is a free program which allows you to create and edit translations of user interface for programs and websites with Gettext. Poedit is used in a plenty of programming languages, such a WordPress, PHP or Django, as well as operating systems Linux and Unix. The program has a TM and it automatically underlines fragments requiring translation. Moreover, a user-friendly interface offers various handy features, which make working with Poedit even more efficient.

System requirements: Windows, MacOS or Linux operating system

Website link: https://poedit.net/

Do you know any other useful online translation tools, website or apps for translators? Share your ideas with us on our Facebook profile 🙂

Text: Martyna Kocot
Translation: Kacper Kacperski

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