Skip to content
Learn AI Cases
IntermediateProductivity· about 1 hr

Translate work documents: set a glossary and rules first, let AI translate, then check item by item

Don't just say "translate this." Have AI build a glossary and a do-not-translate list first, translate by those rules, then compare against the source for omissions, variables and formatting, and read it once as a native reader.

Start step 1 ↓

The problem

Hand AI a product description, support template or UI strings and you often get one term translated three ways in three places, variables like {first_name} translated away, broken Markdown or links, and text that reads like a translation.

AI tools used

Tap a tool to see what it is and which other cases use it

What to prepare

  • The documents to translate
  • Existing terms or brand wording

How to do it

  1. 1

    Write a translation spec and glossary first

    Give it all the files at once so AI finds recurring terms; don't translate yet. Review and edit the glossary yourself before using it.

    Prompt

    Replace the 5 ✎ dashed parts with your own details, then copy.

    I want to translate the documents below from source language (sample, replace with yours) to target language and region, e.g. Traditional Chinese for Taiwan (sample, replace with yours). The readers are audience (sample, replace with yours) and the purpose is purpose (sample, replace with yours).
Don't translate yet. First list:
1. Glossary: recurring proper nouns and product terms, with one suggested translation each
2. Do-not-translate list: variables (like {first_name}), code, URLs, file paths, brand names
3. Tone and format rules: formality, punctuation, dates, numbers, currency
Mark anything you're unsure of as "needs confirming."

Documents: paste (sample, replace with yours)
  2. 2

    Translate by the spec

    Paste back the spec you approved. Never change the structure of structured files (JSON, CSV).

    Prompt

    Replace the 2 ✎ dashed parts with your own details, then copy.

    Translate the documents using this spec.
- Always use the glossary translation for each term; don't vary it
- Keep everything on the do-not-translate list exactly as is
- Don't change Markdown, HTML tags, variables, URLs or file structure
- Translate meaning, not word for word; adapt to where the text appears (heading, button, help text, marketing copy)

Spec: paste the approved spec (sample, replace with yours)
Documents: paste (sample, replace with yours)
  3. 3

    Run a technical check against the source

    In a new chat, have AI compare section by section and only list problems, not fix them.

    Prompt

    Replace the 2 ✎ dashed parts with your own details, then copy.

    Compare the source and the translation section by section. Only list problems; don't rewrite:
1. Sentences left out or added
2. Variables, tags or URLs changed or translated
3. Places that don't follow the glossary
4. Numbers, dates or names that don't match
Give the source and translation location for each problem.

Source: paste (sample, replace with yours)
Translation: paste (sample, replace with yours)
  4. 4

    Finally, read it as a native reader

    The last step in the shared workflow: set the source aside, read only the translation, and ask "would a local believe this was written for them?" Stiff, translated-sounding lines usually only get caught here.

Done?

Was this helpful?

See the Intermediate learning path →