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Although translations are often indispensable, they are also expensive. As a customer, it is natural that you want to make sure your translation is accurate and meeting the highest standards. It is a great pity when the price is the only criterion for choosing a translator and you eventually have to pay more when problems with […]

In the context of increasing globalisation, it is becoming increasingly common for couples of different nationalities to meet and wish to marry. While a wedding in Germany is conducted in accordance with German regulations, it is important to note that this does not necessarily imply that only German law applies to the newlyweds. The legal […]

Driving licences can vary greatly depending on the country, driving category and validity. The highest degree of translation accuracy is required to ensure a result that reflects which vehicles may be driven under German law. In some cases it is necessary to add footnotes with additional explanations. The classification (declaration of conformity with German regulations) is made ex […]

Certified translations for official purposes are prepared in Germany by sworn translators. The completeness and accuracy of the translation is confirmed in accordance with Section 142(3) of the German Code of Civil Procedure (ZPO). In practice, the translator also notes whether the translation was prepared on the basis of the original document or a certified or simple […]

Unlike some other regulated freelance professions in Germany, translators and interpreters are not bound by any particular official fee schedule. A fixed scale of charges would be counter-productive as translation projects can vary greatly in terms of topic, scope and language combination. The only exception is the Law on the Remuneration of Interpreters and Translators […]

As the world’s foremost language English has some special characteristics. It is spoken as a first, second and foreign language in entirely different countries and contains therefore an enormous vocabulary. English spoken in Wales is distinct to the English spoken in California or Kenya. The differences are not only found in pronunciation but also in […]

In Germany it is customary to calculate prices for translation work with the help of standardised lines of text, so-called ‘Normzeilen’ consisting of 55 characters each including blanks. The number of characters in a source text (original text) or in a target text (translation) can be used as the basis for price calculation. In case […]

Professional qualifications acquired abroad are assessed by means of particular procedure, before they can be deemed equivalent to professions protected by German law. Such procedures take place on the Bundesland level and are therefore conducted by various authorities depending on the region. For instance, in the State of Hesse it is staatliche Schulämter (State Education […]

Translation companies with highest standards of professionalism, the industry’s ‘big players’, often on their websites refer to ISO certifications or their own quality management procedures which in most cases include the ‘two-man rule’. The phrase «we only work with native speakers» is rarely found on these renowned agencies’ websites, while it almost dominates those of […]

Certified translations are usually issued as a hardcopy and physically signed and sealed by a sworn translator. However, the qualified electronic signature has been a legally valid alternative to the “classic” certification on paper for some time now. The digital certification is becoming more and more popular. According to EU Regulation 910/2014 (eIDAS), the qualified […]