Certified translation or machine translation — which do you need?
These are two different products that get searched for with the same words, and picking the wrong one wastes either a lot of money or a lot of time. A certified translation is a legal document produced by an authorised person. A machine translation is a fast, cheap way to find out what a document says. This page is about telling, in advance, which one your situation calls for.
What a certified translation actually is
A certified, sworn or authorised translation is a translation with someone's professional accountability attached to it. The exact term and the exact rules vary by country — a sworn translator in one jurisdiction, a certified translator plus a signed statement of accuracy in another, sometimes a notary on top — but the substance is the same everywhere: a named, qualified human states that the translation is complete and accurate, and can be held responsible if it is not. That accountability is the entire product. It is why it costs what it costs, why it takes days, and why no software can produce one regardless of how good the output reads. A machine translation described as "certified" is either using the word loosely or misleading you; either way, an authority that wanted a real one will reject it. If a form, an office or a person has asked you for a certified translation, stop reading comparison articles and find an authorised translator. Nothing else will be accepted, and the rejection will cost you more than the translation would have.
When you need the certified one
As a rule, whenever a document is being submitted to an institution that will make a decision about you based on it. Typical cases: immigration and residence applications; court filings and anything a court will read; marriage, birth and death certificates submitted to a registry; academic transcripts and diplomas for university admission or credential recognition; documents for a notary; some insurance and probate matters; adoption files. The tell is usually in the wording of the request itself — "certified", "sworn", "authorised", "official", "by a translator accredited in", "with a statement of accuracy". If you see any of those, that is what you need. When in doubt, ask the body that wants the document, before paying anyone. They will tell you exactly which form of translation they accept, and sometimes the answer is less demanding than you feared.
When a machine translation is the right tool
Far more often than people expect — because most documents are not being submitted anywhere. They are being read. A lease or employment contract you want to understand before you sign it. A letter from a bank, an insurer or a landlord. A municipal or tax notice. A school or nursery form. Terms and conditions you have been asked to accept. A supplier's quote. A medical summary from a hospital abroad, so you know what happened before you speak to your own doctor. A manual. An email thread. In all of those the question is "what does this say?", and a good machine translation answers it in a minute for the price of a coffee. Paying a certified translator to answer it would be like hiring a surveyor to find out whether a room has a window. A sensible middle path also exists, and it is the one to use when the stakes are real but no stamp has been demanded: machine-translate the document first to find out what is in it, then take the two or three clauses that actually matter to a professional — a lawyer, an adviser, a translator. You pay for expertise on the part that needs it instead of on forty pages of boilerplate.
How to read a machine translation carefully
If you are relying on one for a decision, read it the way you would read a draft, not a statement of fact. Check the numbers against the original — amounts, dates, deadlines, percentages, account and case numbers. These are the things you can verify without knowing the language, and they are the things that matter most. Watch the obligations. "Shall", "must", "may" and "should" carry different weight, and softening one changes the meaning of a clause. If something reads as optional and the consequences of being wrong are large, check it. Be careful with names of laws and institutions. A good translator leaves these in the original and explains them, because an invented English name for a national statute is worse than no translation. And know what you are holding. Machine translation is a reading aid. It is not evidence, it is not advice, and it is not a substitute for a professional where one is required.
Frequently asked questions
Can any software produce a certified translation?
No. Certification is a named qualified human taking responsibility for the accuracy of a translation. Software cannot supply that, whatever the output quality.
How do I know if I need a certified translation?
If a body has asked for one, you need one; the request usually uses the words certified, sworn, authorised or official. If you are simply trying to understand a document, you do not.
Is a machine translation good enough to sign a contract on?
It is good enough to understand a contract and to decide which parts need a professional look. For a high-value or long-term commitment, have the clauses that matter checked by someone qualified before signing.
Can I machine-translate first and get it certified afterwards?
You can use one to decide whether certification is needed and what to ask about, but a certified translator will work from the original document rather than from the machine output.
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