It’s not an easy job to be a translator. You don’t only need to know at least two languages perfectly, with all their nuances, but you also have to write well and understand cultural habits, customs, and differences. There are many things to bear in mind, deadlines, and clients’ suggestions, so it’s no wonder (nor a shame) that translators turn for help to the benefits of the development of technology. The best of the best among translation companies, just like Lighthouse Online, highlight the importance of an actual, human translator, but pride themselves with their technological aids. A person and software, it’s truly the most advantageous combination. 

So if you’re a translator, what should you be using on your Windows computer?

Evernote

You may not be a writer in the first place, but you undoubtedly have lots of ideas and things to remember while doing your translation. To save trees from suffering and to save your surroundings from the abundance of sticky notes, and an eternal mess, download Evernote on your computer to organize your work, your thoughts, and your mind. You will be able to search for keywords, even in your images, save the state of your work or useful information in the form of a screenshot or any other that you prefer to go back to. It’s extremely easy to start using this app like a pro, but, just in case, the company has multiple tutorials available to ensure you’re using everything correctly, and you’re not missing out on any features.

Dropbox

Most translators work with big files of texts and images that they need to share regularly with clients, coworkers, editors, proofreaders, etc. To make things easier for yourself and other people, make friends with Dropbox. It’s especially useful if you work with some confidential information (as are all unpublished or private documents, books, and texts) because Dropbox encrypts everything you upload with a secure HTTPS connection. It’s a cloud-based service, so you will be able to access it from any computer, and print your documents at any time.

Wordbee

This is the perfect software to help you manage the whole process of translation. It will help you improve the quality of your work with its translation and linguistics tools, which will allow you to focus on things that only you can do. It will remember patterns and contribute to maintaining coherence throughout the process (or even several tasks, as there may be more similar documents). You will also be able to give access to your translations to your coworkers or clients, making the exchange of suggestions and comments easier. Plus, there’s a section for managing your orders, where you can see what you have to do and all the deadlines; customers will also have the possibility to order translations directly, more quickly and efficiently. Wordbee handles all types of files and allows you to leave notes to yourself and others. 

Babylon

It’s recognized as one of the best translation software in the market (or even the best). It can translate up to 77 languages, but if you use it as a translator yourself, you will use it as back-up translation tools in those languages that you know. It can help you save lots of time, as it will provide you with the first version of translations, and you will only need to make all the necessary corrections; a machine or software can’t identify all possible cultural and linguistics nuances. Babylon can also work for your other desktop applications, for example, you write an email in English, and it automatically sends it to the recipient in the desired language. Apart from that, Babylon has a spelling and grammar checker, so that you can rest assured that all your texts are flawless. Plus, it can teach you the pronunciation, and it includes a dictionary.

Grammarly

Grammarly is the perfect writing assistant that will help you stay correct at all times. It’s a digital writing tool that uses artificial intelligence and natural language processing to provide you with relevant and helpful feedback. It checks your grammar, punctuation, spelling, delivery, clearness, and everything else about your text. It will suggest how you can change unclear sentences to make sure that you’re fully-understandable for other people. It also supports Google Docs.

Virtaal

Virtaal translation software allows you to work offline, and it helps you to focus entirely on your translation. The interface is uncluttered, it only displays what’s necessary for your current task, and everything else remains hidden. There’s also a possibility for various plugins; for example, you may get translation memory suggestions from Google Translate and other tools you may be using.

The bottom line

To find the most suitable app or software, you need to get to know yourself, your workflow, and your needs. You will have to understand what you spend the most time on and wonder if there’s a way to reduce it. Time is money, and in the translating niche, it’s as true as can be. There’s no point in making it vintage, retro, and old-school just for the sake of it. We’re supposed to improve ourselves, but also to look for things that will make our lives easier. Embrace technology.

About Nick

Nick is a Software Engineer. He has interest in gadgets and technical stuffs. If you are facing any problem with your Windows, feel free to ask him.