I’ve been translating free software on and off for years. It started with wanting to translate a project I used daily, and then it continued because it was interesting and fun. In this post I want to share a few thoughts about why translations are important, and what’s worth keeping in mind in this context.
Why Bother at all?
The simple answer is that good translations means more people can use tools in their own language. But it’s more than that.
A shared language is one of the strongest bonds holding a society together. It brings people closer and is deeply tied to people’s cultural identity. We are often pretty good at adopting anglicisms in the IT world, but there is value in preserving and using your beautiful mother tongue when possible. When making the software available in your native language, you help that preservation.
When you translate software, you learn a lot about the programs at a deep level. You discover features you never knew were there, and you get to think about how the user experience is built. It makes you truly understand both the program and the technology behind how it works.
AI translations are impressive. I use them all the time to do the groundwork. But they still miss meanings and linguistic nuances, and they need a human to review them, line by line. Human translators will still be needed for review and language quality.
If you want to help with free software but don’t code, translating is a great way to start. You get to be part of a project, learn how open source workflows and practices function, and make a real difference—without writing any code at all.
Challenges
You don’t need to be a professional translator who makes a living translating Japanese haiku day in and day out, but you do need decent language skills. Good spelling and grammar aren’t optional. Bad translations can mess up how well software works and make it look amateurish. In the worst cases, they can even cause problems in the translated software.
Keeping things consistent is another big headache. Using the same words everywhere sounds easy until you face the English word “file” and have to choose between fil, arkiv, or dokument in Swedish. What makes sense depends on the situation, and sometimes you just don’t have enough information.
Sometimes you also need to learn entirely new domains in depth. Can you translate an advanced video editor—or maybe software for birdwatching—without knowing the domain terminology? Usually not. Most of the time you need to dive deep into the domain of the software you translate.
Translating can take a lot of time. It can become a way to get things done while putting off other tasks. You see immediate progress, which feels good. But it’s easy for hours to slip by without noticing. Setting time limits helps keep things balanced.
Good software changes constantly. That means translations need constant updates. Keeping up with this over time can be challenging.
And the hardest part? Translating technical ideas where there isn’t an established word for it yet. Technology moves fast, and language doesn’t always keep up. Bridging that gap takes creativity and a good feel for language. Sometimes you just have to choose a word and see if it holds up over time.
That’s all for now. If this got you thinking, check out Translations for tips on how to get started. Good luck with translating!
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