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the language-pair – expanding the range of projects
available to you.

5. Use CAT Tools

As a translator, it’s essential you familiarize yourself
with CAT or Computer Assisted Translation Tools.
These are computer programs which allow you to
improve your translation speed and quality. They also

help ensure consistency prevails across the board.
Instances of skipped lines or words are avoided;
repetitive phrases or word-collectives are given
standardized translations; and in the event multiple
translators are working on a project, the tools ensure

they’re all working off of a standard vocabulary-set.
There is a wide availability of CAT tools in the market,
including Linguee, SDL Trados, Fluency Now,
MemoQ, etc. Factors like the price-level you’re
comfortable with, client requirements and file formats
you’re working with will have a bearing on your
eventual choice. It’s important that translators out there

not be wary of using translation software and look at it
as a means to assist in and improve their work.

Finally, for any aspiring translators out there, the best way
to substantively improve your skill is to write and to
translate as often as you can. It needn’t be on a paid
project, but simply as an exercise to continuously build on

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