| Pages in topic: [1 2] > | Poll: On average, how long does it take you to translate 1000 words in your primary language combination? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "On average, how long does it take you to translate 1000 words in your primary language combination?".
This poll was originally submitted by Mary Worby. View the poll results »
| | | | Mary Worby 
United Kingdom
Local time: 00:36
German to English
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| Fame at last! | Apr 25, 2016 |
But the queue must be pretty long, I don't even remember submitting this one!
| | | | | Other - it depends | Apr 25, 2016 |
On average, between 3 and 4 hours with proofreading, preferably spread over two days. Other things being equal, I plan on 250 words an hour.
However, it varies enormously. I can sometimes translate a 1000-word section of a larger text in a couple of hours, assuming all the terminlogy is in place and not counting administration etc. Then proofreading and editing etc. does not take long either.
I have just spent over 5 hours on 650 words on a small marketing text... and I... See more On average, between 3 and 4 hours with proofreading, preferably spread over two days. Other things being equal, I plan on 250 words an hour.
However, it varies enormously. I can sometimes translate a 1000-word section of a larger text in a couple of hours, assuming all the terminlogy is in place and not counting administration etc. Then proofreading and editing etc. does not take long either.
I have just spent over 5 hours on 650 words on a small marketing text... and I still have not delivered it, because I want to check it once again.
1000 words in my source language translate - again on average - into around 1200 in English. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Mario Chavez (X)
Local time: 19:36
English to Spanish
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| There is no average | Apr 25, 2016 |
With apologies to Mary Worby, this is a pointless math exercise that is typical of the productivity mentality so prevalent among project managers, misinformed clients and neophyte translators.
By way of anecdote, I remember spending an entire day translating two pages of a magazine (about 1000 words) because I didn't understand half of the meanings. That was before I went to college, mind you.
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EvaVer (X)
Local time: 01:36
Czech to French
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| Yes, it varies, | Apr 25, 2016 |
but I must defend the asker - there is always an average.
I must say that my "primary" combination (FRCZ) is not the easiest one, I work faster in BG>CZ or EN>FR, as these languages have similar structure. The fastest in my case would be RO>FR (the closest pair), except that the few jobs I get in that pair are often handwritten or otherwise poorly readable.
| | | | neilmac
Spain
Local time: 01:36
Spanish to English
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More than the language combination, in my case it usually depends on the area/client. I can bash out roughly 1000 words in about an hour for certain texts from some of my clients, whereas a more complex and painstaking translation - for example in academic or bio areas - might take three or four times as long. Or even more.
'On average' is a bit woolly for me. I prefer to take each case as it comes.
| | | | Mary Worby
United Kingdom
Local time: 00:36
German to English
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| Apology accepted! ;-) | Apr 25, 2016 |
Mario Chavez wrote:
With apologies to Mary Worby, this is a pointless math exercise that is typical of the productivity mentality so prevalent among project managers, misinformed clients and neophyte translators.
Yes, it's a pointless maths exercise, but aren't all of these polls.
I think we must all be able to work out a broad-brush average. How else can we work out how much work to accept or which deadlines are appropriate for which projects?
| | | | | There is always an average | Apr 25, 2016 |
Mario Chavez wrote:
With apologies to Mary Worby, this is a pointless math exercise that is typical of the productivity mentality so prevalent among project managers, misinformed clients and neophyte translators.
No, it isn't, it's a perfectly reasonable question, and if you didn't know the answer you wouldn't be able to price jobs or schedule your workload.
2-3 hours in my case.
I always budget for 2,000 words a day, and if it goes faster than that I go home early.
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Michael Harris
Germany
Local time: 01:36
Member (2006)
German to English
Around about 2 hours, but mostly depending on how well the text is written.
I generally recon with about 400 words no match an hour.
| | | | Michael Harris
Germany
Local time: 01:36
Member (2006)
German to English
Mary Worby wrote:
But the queue must be pretty long, I don't even remember submitting this one!
Yes Mary, they have to leave enough slots free for the anonymous marketing polls.
| | | | | Other (it depends!) | Apr 25, 2016 |
It depends mainly on the language combination and on the subject matter. I translate from French or Spanish faster than from English. I also translate from Italian but being my fourth language is the one I feel less comfortable and I’m much slower.
I have been translating quite regularly since 1990 for one of the most popular manufacturers of hair dryers and other home styling products, so translating 1,000 words for them wouldn’t take me more than 1 hour, including proofreading... See more It depends mainly on the language combination and on the subject matter. I translate from French or Spanish faster than from English. I also translate from Italian but being my fourth language is the one I feel less comfortable and I’m much slower.
I have been translating quite regularly since 1990 for one of the most popular manufacturers of hair dryers and other home styling products, so translating 1,000 words for them wouldn’t take me more than 1 hour, including proofreading and editing. I have just checked: the last job I did for them (1,080 words) was received at 2.26 pm and delivered at 3.48 pm (no CAT tool involved!).
On the other hand, I have been translating occasionally since 2007 articles published by “The Economist” for a Portuguese weekly newspaper and a monthly magazine. Usually they are not very long but, on average, I can’t translate more than 250 words each hour and I know it took me over two days to figure out a particularly convoluted text… ▲ Collapse
| | | | Odile Breuvart
United Kingdom
Local time: 00:36
Member
English to French
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| Organisation | Apr 25, 2016 |
It's more a question of organisation. To me the best method is to translate, let it rest and go back at it. I can translate 1,000 words fast when there is no option, within an hour. What importance will you give to quality?
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Doan Quang
Vietnam
Local time: 06:36
Member
English to Vietnamese
It often takes 2-3 hours or a bit longer depending on the subject matter
| | | | Tashi_T
Bhutan
Local time: 05:36
English to Dzongkha
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Writing in Dzongkha keyboard pretty much takes longer than other language but I think it won't take more than four hours. But I plan to do 150 words per hour
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