Links to some useful translation tools

On this page of my website, I've listed a few computer-based tools of interest to translators. Click on the links to the manufacturers' websites to find out more. You can also take a look at my blog to see what current developments there are in translation technology. 

N.B. This page doesn't always cover the latest versions of the software, so please refer to the firms' own websites for the latest news about them.



memoQ from Kilgray

This application is an increasingly popular computer-aided translation tool that I also use and recommend (at least for German/English texts, although it supports many more, including right-to-left languages like Arabic and Hebrew).

MemoQ is made by a Hungarian software firm of the same name in Budapest and has been on the market for several years now. Various versions currently exist, the latest one (in Sept 2021) being memoQ 9.8. This version of memoQ has a ribbon-based interface (more on this in my blog). The GUI can even be customised to include your most frequently used  functions, which makes it more convenient to use in my opinion.

This CAT tool is relatively easy to work with - it won't take you long to get started. It's an integrated package including a text-alignment module, term extraction and management, a TM module, a (quick-alignment) feature called LiveDocs for storing your own reference sources (even PDFs and graphics), and optional plug-ins allowing you to use specific online dictionaries, online translation memories and machine-translation offerings if you wish to (e.g. Google Translate and Asia Online).

What's more, it lets you process a wide range of file formats, including Trados Workbench files, TTXs (from TagEditor) and the XLIFF files created by Trados Studio. Since version 6.2.6, it has also allowed you import packages from Studio directly. (This is also possible for Transit packages.) MemoQ's own internal file format is a variety of XLIFF.

If you set it accordingly, memoQ will display your translation in a preview window as it's being created (providing the format of the source file permits this). Microsoft Office documents can be displayed this way, as can TagEditor's TTX files. This feature is an option that can be switched on or off (e.g. to create more space for your translation on the screen). The ability to customise memoQ is one of its strengths. 

Another useful new feature is the integration of an external PDF conversion service called TransPDF (more on this in my ).

Some links you might like to follow up:

  • My blog post on memoQ 2014

  • documentation on memoQ on the firm's website (user guides, videos, training material, etc.).

    Take a look at the material at Kilgray's online resource centre to find out more about how memoQ works. If you register as a user (it's free), you can then access this page and and watch recorded webinars on various aspects of using memoQ. (You can also attend live webinars for free.)

  • The various versions of memoQ

    There are stand-alone versions for freelance translators and server-based agency/corporate versions for teams. 

Special offers

MemoQ runs these on its own website and at proz.com every few months, especially around the end of the year. They only last a few days and give you the chance to buy a licence at a very good rate. To check out the offers, go to memoQ's website or TGB (group buys) on proz.com.

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Links to other translation aids

MemoQ has collected a number of links to 3rd-party tools, which I've chosen to add here because it lists the most popular ones on a single page. The list includes CodeZapper for reducing the number of tags/codes in a source text (see below) and ApSIC Xbench for editing TMs.

The programs mentioned are for quality assurance, pre-processing and post-editing of texts, and database management (e.g. for cleaning up TMX memories and validating/enhancing the quality of your databases).

MemoQ also runs webinars on optimising source texts for translation, which means pre-processing them to remove surplus tags/codes and improve the formatting to make translation easier. CodeZapper by Dave Turner comes in handy for this purpose. See his web page and MemoQ's outline on how to convert PDF files into translatable text.

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Deja Vu from Atril

This CAT tool has been around for many years and is still a powerful one, especially when it comes to assembling translations automatically (by drawing on the terms and sentences in your own databases) and creating project-specific termbases using its unique "lexicon" tool (for term extraction).

Several versions exist, the current one (in 2017) being Déjà Vu X3. (Agencies farming out assignments use the Workgroup and TEAMserver versions.) DVX 4 is due out in January 2018, so I heard from their sales team.

"DVX3" has a ribbon interface for its menus and is more customisable than earlier versions, plus it has better file filters, improved pre-translation (using fuzzy matches and machine translation together), a preview window for Microsoft Office formats and YAML and an inline spell-checker (based on Hunspell). Project management has also been revamped. An attractive, modern package.

Déjà Vu is very good at assembling target texts using the data you have saved in its TMs and "glossaries" (i.e. term bases). Its intelligent way of digging for data and inserting it into target segments is known as DeepMiner.

To learn a bit more about Déjà Vu X3, take a look at Atril's short e-learning videos.

Users of Déjà Vu have been running a very helpful mailing list at Yahoo! for some time. You can ask questions about the tool here and compare it with other CAT tools like memoQ from a user's perspective.

Other useful tips on usage can be found on Necco's tt4t site and blog see below).

The developers of the package are very quick to help if you have a technical problem. In addition to their practical videos, webinars and other types of training are also available.

Regarding pricing, go to Proz.com's TGB page or contact Atril about it directly.

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SDL Trados Studio

SDL Trados has put a series of training videos on YouTube, which users of their "Studio" CAT software package can watch for free - click here to go to the video site.

The other videos in this series currently cover topics such as creating a project, handling project packages sent by agencies, reviewing and finalising projects, and sorting out licensing issues.

The full range of official resources and practical information for users (and potential buyers) can be found at translationzone.com. One of the many helpful things you can find on this site is a series of practical tips on using various CAT tools from SDL.

For some tips on using Studio and SDL's other products, take a look at Paul Filkin's blog, multifarious. The articles on this site are on a host of subjects, including SDL OpenExchange (now known as SDL AppStore), a platform with a wide range of add-ins to enhance recent versions of Studio (as of 2014).

Studio 2017 is one of the more recent versions of the CAT tool being offered by SDL (the current one in Sept. 2021 is Studio 2021). I've reviewed the trial version of it on my blog. Like other CAT tools with a modern design such as Déjà Vu X3 and memoQ translator pro, it has an interface partly based on Microsoft's ribbon menus and Windows 10 interface. It also lets you access SDL's AppStore and call up training resources like video tutorials straight from Studio. (Very convenient. See my blog post for more details.)

For details about upgrades and other special offers, go to SDL's online shop at www.sdl.com or check out the group buys at proz.com.


Related blogs and wikis

  • Translation Tribulations by Kevin Lossner frequently covers issues concerning popular CAT tools.

  • Dominique Pivard has created lots of short but very informative videos in English about CAT tools. You can access these on his video blog at no charge.
    He covers memoQ, SDL/Trados Studio 2011, MultiTerm, Trados Workbench, terminology- and TM-management tools, utilities like CodeZapper and other translation-related resources. An excellent, well-informed, user-friendly source of information on CAT.

  • Tuomas Kostiainen is a Trados specialist from Finland. His blog on migrating to Trados Studio 2009 contains useful tips and information about the popular CAT package and related programs.

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Other pages of interest:

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Any more tips?

I hope you've found something of benefit on this page. You're welcome to send me any tips of your own if you feel they would help other translators.

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ATS, Amper Translation Service, translation, editing, translation agency, language services, Carl Carter, resources, blogs, CAT, CAT tools, TEnTs, translation tools, translation technology, memoQ, MemoQ, Déjà Vu X2, Déjà Vu X3, DVX3, memoQ 2015, memoQ 2014 R2, SDL Trados Studio 2014, tips, tricks, videos, webinars, training, translationzone, user groups