Translations from Swedish to English by qualified professional translators
Which type of English translation should I choose?
One of the first questions our project managers will ask you when you order a translation into English is whether it should be from Swedish into American English or from Swedish into British English. We ask this question because there are quite a few differences between the language variants, and we want you and the end users to be happy with the result.
The answer to the question may seem obvious; if the text is for retailers in the USA, it must be translated into American English; if it’s for British readers, you naturally want a translation into British English; and if it’s an advertising campaign for Australia, you should find a translator with just Australian English as their native language. In advertising and marketing materials especially, it’s important to use language that speaks directly to the recipient; the wrong kind of language risks creating distance and undesirable associations.
But if you want to target people all over the world; how do you do that?
Most of our Swedish customers translate their material into English so that a broader audience that does not understand Swedish can understand it. It could be people around the world who are interested in your website, or people who for various reasons are in Sweden. In such a context, there really is no right or wrong English version.
Sometimes one hears talk of ”international English”. This can actually mean a few different things. Most often, it refers to a language in which one has deliberately tried to erase the most obvious differences between British and American English. The goal here is to create a neutral language free of cultural references in order to avoid offending anyone. Sometimes, instead, one is looking for a translation from Swedish into English that is simpler and adapted for people with limited knowledge of the language, a readable English.
Get in touch with us if you’re unsure which English variant is best for your project. Our project managers will help you sort things out and find the right option and translator for your specific text.
Regardless of the variant, English is the language most people use for communication, trade, and political purposes around the world. Therefore, many companies choose to invest in good translation from Swedish into British or American English. These are the two most common variants we translate into.
We have a large network of specialised translators who produce top-quality translations into their native language. Our translators have various areas of expertise, and before every translation, we carefully review the source material and consult a suitable native-speaking translator, who also assesses the material before we provide you with a quotation.
We can naturally also help with language pairs other than Swedish to English. If you’d like to know whether we have a particular language pair, you're welcome to contact us. You can do this most conveniently by completing our here.
Our business areas
We work across a number of different business areas such as medicine, technology, IT, law, finance and marketing. Below we explain what is generally worth considering when translating from Swedish to English (whether you choose the British or American variant) and more specifically within each respective industry area.
General tips for business areas when translating into English
A good source text is a must for the best possible translation. Make sure the manuscript is clear to ensure the best possible translation. Who is your target audience for the text and what is the message? Please provide this information to the translator when ordering, so that the translator can more easily understand and adapt the text.
A well-crafted text often takes time to produce. It’s often said that the preparatory work is the most time-consuming phase, but it’s also the most important in terms of the best end result. Therefore, be sure to clearly communicate the purpose of the material; what you want to achieve with the text and how the material will be used. If there’s a specific deadline for the assignment, please don’t forget to let us know.
If you're clear about your content from the outset, this will also be reflected in the translation, as the translator will have a better foundation to work from. For translations into English, it’s a good idea to provide as much information as possible. For example, what tonal quality and register are desired. If there’s a glossary or other business-specific information that you believe could be relevant to our translation, please share that information with us as well. This will enable us to help you achieve the top-quality translation you're aiming for.
We produce our translations according to your wishes and jointly review your intended tone and register before we begin the translation. We also make sure the text is adapted to your specific industry terminology.
Because translating from Swedish into English should be simple, convenient and time-saving, we always deliver in the same file format in which we received the material.
Tips for translating from Swedish to English in medicine, healthcare and social care
A mistranslation in healthcare can have devastating consequences. It’s therefore extremely important to provide as much necessary information as possible to facilitate our translation into Danish. Relevant information could, for example, be who the recipient is. Is the text intended for patients and their relatives, or for healthcare professionals? Usually, the translation needs to be localised to suit different conditions. We would be grateful to receive this information when you place the order.
Tips for translating from Swedish to English in technology and IT
Technical translations from Swedish to English demand a high level of industry expertise from the translator in the field the specific to which the text relates. Both in-depth technical knowledge and precision are required in addition language skills.
Whether you need to translate user manuals, your website or other types of texts, it’s always useful for us to know how the material will be used. Is the material for internal use or is it aimed at consumers, retailers, or perhaps subcontractors?
If there’s any reference material that may be relevant to our translators, or specific industry-standard terminology that should be included when translating from Swedish to English, please let us know when ordering the translation.
Tips for translating from Swedish to English in law, economics, and finance
Regardless of the industry and the type of operations performed, a company always has a variety of legal documents and financial documents. Sometimes you need help with the translation of such documents into English (British or American English). Here are some tips on what to keep in mind when translating financial reports or legal documents from Swedish to English.
When translating an annual report or a quarterly report, it’s necessary to plan the translation in advance, as it’s usually a complex process involving many stakeholders.
Many clients also choose the same translator they’ve worked with in the past, and who’s become well acquainted with their business. So, be sure to book your translator well in advance to ensure their availability when your company needs translation support. We review the schedule together with you.
It’s a good idea to prepare the following ahead of the translation:
- What is the translation agency's deadline?
- Would you prefer deliveries of the texts as we proceed or as a single, combined delivery?
- Will the translator need to be on standby for any corrections after translation delivery?
- Are the titles of the company's key personnel already in English? If so, a list of these is very helpful for keeping the translation consistent. If the titles are not translated into English, should they be based on American or British English?
- Should words such as ”the Company”, ”the Group”, ”Board of Directors” and ”Annual General Meeting” be written with capital letters or with lowercase? Both variants are fine, but consistency should of course prevail throughout the text. It’s particularly important to establish this at the beginning if more than one translator is working on the text
- Do you want to translate the word ”procent” as ”percent”, ”per cent” or ”%”? Also, consider whether the word should be written the same way in running text and in tables, or whether, for example, it should be written as ”%” in tables and ”percent”/”per cent” in running text
Are you interested in delving deeper into what is important when translating the annual report from Swedish to English? Then you can continue reading the annual report translation below, where you can find further tips and advice.
Because we take your security seriously, we maintain strict confidentiality so you can feel completely secure entrusting your documents to us for translation. We also establish separate non-disclosure agreements for assignments that require them. Feel free to contact us for further information.
When translating legal documents, it’s important to provide information about the type of translation you require. If your document requires a certified translation with a stamp, Språkbolaget can help with this. In that case, the document needs to be translated from English into Swedish or from Swedish into English.
Tips for translating from Swedish to English for communication agencies, advertising agencies or in-house marketing departments
It is not uncommon for companies to hire external agencies to help with communication and marketing. At Språkbolaget, we often receive requests to translate, for example, a website, some posts, or marketing texts.
It’s not uncommon for companies to hire external agencies to help with their communication and marketing. At Språkbolaget, we often receive requests to translate such things as websites, SoMe posts or marketing texts.
What we don’t always find out (unless it’s obvious in the translation material) is who the end customer is and what their wishes are. Thus it's very helpful to let us get to know your end customer with a brief presentation in the case of translations from Swedish into British or American English. This can range from requests for register and tone to words that should be included in the translation for better keyword optimization. Other information that’s useful for us to know is: what is the target audience for the text? Or what market should the translation be used for.
It’s better to leave too much information than too little for us as all relevant information can contribute to a better delivery of top-quality translations.