French Translation

It is estimated that 110 million native French speakers and 190 million second language French speakers live around the world. The more people that speak a commonly used language such as French, the greater the demand for services related to that language becomes. The need for good-quality French translation will also continue to rise.

One example of a common mistake that beginners make when translating another language into French is confusing masculine and feminine nouns. The easy solution to overcoming this very basic hurdle is that as you learn French nouns, also make sure to memorize the accompanying definite or indefinite article. By memorizing nouns and articles in sets, you will have an easier time down the road when you begin your career in French translation.

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Important Tips for French Translators

Same Language, Different Language

Just as American English differs from British and Australian English, French spoken around the world also has its share of distinctions. Vocabulary, grammar and cultural variations all impact the manner in which people communicate in French. Remember your audience to keep from using French that may be considered incorrect.

Don’t Be Surprised By Translation Lengths

As a general rule, French tends to be about 30 percent longer than its English counterpart. One reason for the differences in language lengths has to do with the grammatical structure of the language. Another reason is because some languages are simply more expansive than others. Inexperienced translators may try to add filler text to compensate for the imbalance. This is not recommended as it can have an adverse effect on the quality of the translation. Be careful not to make this same mistake and you'll be one step ahead in the game.

Stay Away From False Friends

False friends are essentially words that look and sound similar between two language-pairs, but in reality are actually quite different from one another. It doesn’t take long to realize that when translating between English and French, there will always be more than a few false friends lurking in the text waiting to catch you off guard. The advice to take home is this: Learn these types of words well, so that you are prepared to face them when they arise in the future. Hopefully, with a little practice, you can avoid making mistakes that could potentially be quite embarrassing and even get you into trouble.

French Translation Topics

Translation to French
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English to French Sentence Translation
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Types of French Translation

French Translation Videos

Useful Resources

Association Professionnelle Des Métiers De La Traduction
An association of French professional translators whose primary focus is fostering dialogue between professional translators.
French Verb Conjugator
A French conjugation system powered by Verbiste. Users can enter a over 7,000 conjugated verbs and obtain a complete conjugation.
French Grammar Multimedia KeeBook
A comprehensive multimedia web book created by Kris Paul all about French grammar. This online textbook offers loads of useful information covering a wide range of grammar points.
Le Grand Dictionnaire
A very extensive and popular choice for an online French – English dictionary.
BBC Languages Presents Ma France
Take advantage of this free BBC Language Resource and get access to a series of 24 interactive French language videos.