12 questions businesses ask Tomedes before they order a translation

1. How much does a translation cost?

Six things set the price: document length, language pair, subject expertise, turnaround, intended use, and where the translator lives. Certified documents are priced per page, and rush work carries a premium. Tomedes publishes current ranges and the full list of factors in its translation rates guide.

My advice is to ask what a quote includes, because project management, quality review, file preparation, and rush handling can sit on separate lines.

2. How long does a translation take?

It depends on length, language pair, and document type. At Tomedes, certified documents of one to three pages typically arrive within 24 hours, and larger or complex files within one to three business days. A single translator covers roughly 2,000 to 3,000 words a day, so long projects take longer unless the work is split.

Splitting a long project across translators shortens the timeline and adds a consistency review. I recommend giving the real due date in the first message, because it decides whether the work can be split or needs a rush option.

3. What does a certified translation include?

A certified translation includes a signed certificate of accuracy, which confirms the translation is complete and accurate and that the translator is competent in both languages. USCIS requires that certification and does not require notarization. Notarization and an apostille are separate steps that some courts and foreign authorities ask for.

Tomedes lists the certificate, notarization, affidavit, and apostille options on its certified translation page, along with the full set of questions buyers ask about them. I keep this answer short on purpose, because that page is the one kept current.

4. How do you book an interpreter for a meeting?

Send the date, time zone, language pair, meeting length, and format (on-site, Zoom, or conference), and ask whether an interpreter is available. Tomedes provides on-site, Zoom, simultaneous, conference, and legal interpreting. Booking early gives more choice, because interpreters for a language pair may not be free on a given date.

I advise naming the language pair precisely, because a language name alone can cover several spoken varieties.

5. What is the difference between a translator and an interpreter?

A translator works with written text, and an interpreter works with spoken language in real time. A document goes to a translator, and a meeting, hearing, or event goes to an interpreter. Many businesses use the word translator for both, so the first message should say whether the content is written or spoken.

Some businesses that write to Tomedes ask for a personal translator when they mean an interpreter for a meeting, and I treat that as a vocabulary gap that the first reply should clear up.

6. What is the difference between simultaneous and consecutive interpreting?

In simultaneous interpreting, the interpreter speaks while the speaker continues, usually with equipment, which suits conferences and large meetings. In consecutive interpreting, the speaker pauses and the interpreter speaks after each passage, which suits smaller meetings and takes longer, because every passage is said twice.

Tell the provider whether you need one direction or two-way interpretation, because it changes the setup. My view is that the right format depends on meeting size and how much time the meeting can spare, and our guide to simultaneous and consecutive interpreting covers the trade-offs.

7. Will a human or an AI do the translation?

It depends on the service you order, because the right level of human review depends on the content. Tomedes provides human translation, machine translation post-editing at a full or a light review level, and AI translation, and a human translator certifies and signs every certified document.

Legal contracts, medical instructions, marketing campaigns, and creative content are not suited to the light review level, because an undetected error costs more than the saving. Tomedes is certified to ISO 18587:2017, the standard for human post-editing of machine translation output.

If your policy is human translation only, I would say so in the first message, so the quote is built that way.

8. Which Spanish, French, or German variant will the translation use?

It uses the variant you name, so say the country and the audience, such as Mexico or Spain, France or Canada, and formal or informal address, when you ask for a quote. A translator can only match a variant that is specified.

In my opinion, a one-line note about the audience saves a revision round.

9. Can the original file layout be kept?

Yes, for common formats. Tomedes handles Word, PDF, InDesign, FrameMaker, MadCap Flare, and QuarkXPress files and states that it preserves layout, tables, diagrams, and cross-references (the Tomedes technical translation page, November 2026). PDFs, scans, and multimedia need extra processing such as OCR and reformatting, which adds to the cost.

I suggest sending an editable file when one exists, because it avoids the extra processing.

10. Does the translator need expertise in my field?

Yes, for legal, medical, and technical work, because errors in those fields carry real consequences. Tomedes states that it assigns technical projects to linguists with documented expertise in the domain, and that certified work goes to a domain-matched linguist with a second translator reviewing independently.

Ask any provider how it matches a translator to a document, and what happens when the second reviewer disagrees.

11. Will my documents stay confidential?

Yes, Tomedes states that translators and project managers sign non-disclosure agreements before opening your files, that documents move through secure platforms with end-to-end encryption, and that only assigned team members have access. Custom NDAs and data handling terms are available.

If your documents carry sensitive business information, I encourage you to ask for your own NDA before sending files. 

12. Can translators follow a glossary, keep brand names, and respect character limits?

Yes, when the glossary, the do-not-translate list, and the character limits arrive with the files, because a translator cannot follow rules they have not seen. Mark brand and product names that must stay in the source language, and give a limit for each short string, such as a button or an app label.

Tomedes' Pre-Translation Toolkit flags ambiguous phrasing and inconsistent terminology before a project starts.

What does Tomedes do with these questions?

Each question goes to a person who stays with the project. I lead the Client Solutions department Tomedes launched in 2026, where the person who answers the first question owns the project through delivery, from the first quote to the final file.

A buyer who gets a straight answer before ordering has less to guess about, and that is the outcome this list is for.

Have a question that is not on this list? Ask it when you request a quote from Tomedes.

FAQs

Q: How many hours does it take to translate 5,000 words?
A: A single translator covers roughly 2,000 to 3,000 words a day, so 5,000 words takes about two business days of translation work before review. Splitting the work across several translators shortens that, and a machine-assisted workflow can shorten it further, though both add a consistency check.

Q: How much does an interpreter charge per hour?
A: Interpreter rates depend on the language pair, the format (on-site, Zoom, or conference), and the length of the booking, and some bookings carry a minimum. Tomedes publishes its on-site interpretation rates on its translator hub. For a firm figure, send the date, language pair, format, and expected length with your quote request.

Q: Is a confidentiality agreement the same as a non-disclosure agreement?
A: Yes, in most business use. The two terms usually describe the same kind of agreement, in which one party promises not to share the other's sensitive information. The exact terms come from the document itself, so read what it covers, and ask your provider whether it signs your NDA or uses its own.