10 Most Requested Translation Language Pairs Worldwide

Every translation agency seeks to offer translation services in every language combination. The more language pairs these agencies provide services in, the more clients they appeal to. Besides, with the current economic growth rates, more nations are becoming active on the international scene. This is seeing customers increasingly seek more niche language pairs than before.

For those unfamiliar with the term, “language pair” refers to two languages paired together to be translated. The language of the original content is known as the source language, and the language you need to translate into is the target language. This article uncovers the most in-demand language pairs worldwide based on current figures.

Language Combinations with High Demand

When it comes to the most popular language pairs, some nations have seen their overseas trade increase more than others. Brazil, China, India and Russia make up about 40% of the world’s population, so these are commonly seen as part of a language combination. Other languages are also becoming prevalent internationally, particularly Portuguese and Hindi.

The Common Sense Advisory organised a study to find the most requested language pairs. Here are the most common combinations according to the results:

• Spanish to Portuguese
• English to Italian
• English to Arabic
• English to Japanese
• English to Portuguese
• English to Russian
• English to French
• English to Chinese
• English to Spanish
• English to German

Why are these Language Pairs in High Demand?

Some of the language pairs listed above are no surprise to professionals and businesses. For example, the French language is spoken across five continents. Just by using these two languages, it is easy for companies to communicate with most populations across the globe. In fact, this is one of the most sought-after language pairs in the UK and worldwide.

Japan is a high-ranking developed nation in the world as it ranks third among the world’s largest economies, making English to Japanese another obvious language combination entry. The country leads the world in the manufacture of high technology and automobiles. It has business links that span the globe, so having a language translation that involves the Japanese language is imperative.

The Arabic language is also essential to businesses, as there are around 300 million Arabic speakers across 23 countries. Many of these countries are oil-rich, making them hubs for international trade. If you operate a business looking to expand into the international market, you must find a reliable translation agency to tackle any language combination you need.

Hiring the Right Translation Agency is Important

The internet is full of translation agencies working remotely for their customers, promising translations in any language combination you desire! However, finding the perfect translation agency takes work. Just because a company provides translations in many language pairs, it doesn’t mean these translations are accurate, high-quality, or authentic.

To this end, here are a few tips you can utilise to help you find the very best agency:

1. Understanding the Market

Before hiring a translation agency, you must first identify your target market/s. This helps you decide what language pairs you’ll need professional help translating. Once you’ve decided on this, professional translators can help you choose which dialect to use in your language combination.

It is worth mentioning that being a native translator is not enough for an accurate translation. Translators should choose the right words that suit the market to avoid making translation mistakes, which requires advanced translation knowledge and experience.

2. Quality of Work

You should search for a translation agency with a track record of delivering high-quality translations for every language combination. An easy way to determine this is to look at what the agency has done in the past. Look at their profile, testimonial, certificates, partnerships, etc. This is the only way to ensure you get a high-quality translation for all required language pairs.

3. Speedy Delivery

Depending on the project, your translation might be urgent. If you’re working to tight deadlines, whatever agency you select needs to have a quick turnaround for the project without affecting quality. The turnaround time should be clear from the initial quote, so you can understand when your translated language combination will be ready.

Nowadays, translation agencies utilise professional translators from various time zones. This ensures that someone always works throughout the day, offering translations in all language pairs.

4. Specialisation

When you have a translation project, you need to check if the agency has the expertise to work on your documents. This includes ensuring they have a translator with experience working on your particular language combination or similar language pairs. However, looking for agencies with specialised industry expertise is also advisable.

For example, a translator specialising in book translations will probably fail to translate for the oil industry. Finding specialised linguists is usually best achieved by working with an extensive translation network – there is bound to be a translator in your subject field on their panel.

5. Confidentiality

It is important to consider confidentiality before sharing the content you need to translate into your chosen language pairs. This is because translation often involves sensitive information concerning a company. Therefore, you need to ensure that there are mechanisms and procedures in place at the translation agency to protect your confidentiality.

The best thing is to go with an agency willing to sign a non-disclosure agreement. This agreement ensures that any content the agency sees when translating into your selected language combination cannot be shared or distributed to anyone else.

Reliable Translation Services in Hundreds of Language Pairs

Renaissance Translations is a leading language service provider offering our services in over 120 languages. Over the years, we have worked on expanding our network of translators to cover all languages and industries. Whether you need us to translate one of these in-demand language pairs or a more unique language combination, we have the expertise to help.

Our company is an associate member of the Association of Translation Companies in England as well as SDL LSP Partner Programme. With our expert team, your translation project will pass through several stages. This ensures you receive consistent and reliable results you can trust. Contact us today to discuss your project.