General

Why internationalize?

Over 50% of your potential market does not speak English as a native language. So if you want to double the size of your potential market and thereby increase your revenue, localization is the solution you are looking for.

How hard is it to internationalize my app?

Just spell “color” with a “u” and you’re halfway there. On a more serious note, you can check our Developer Guide for more details.

What languages do you offer?

We offer all major languages supported by current smartphone devices.

How much does it cost?

The cost is calculated based on the number of words you wish to translate, the translation level you wish to purchase, and the number of languages you require. There is no charge to sign up for an account. Quotes are automatically generated within a few minutes of you uploading your content.

What if I have lots of apps?

You can submit as many apps as you like to the system. Our premium service manages all of your apps in such a way that common strings across all your apps are translated and paid for once, and these common translations are leveraged across all your apps.

Payment

How will I be billed?

Currently payment can be made via PayPal. If you don't have a PayPal account, you can use a credit card on the PayPal payment page.

What if I change my app - do I pay for it all again?

No. If you submit a new version of the app while your project is still live, our software will compare the two and automatically identify the strings and objects that have changed. That way you won’t be charged twice for the same translation.

Getting Started

How do I register?

Go to the Registration page and follow the step-by-step instructions.

The Translation Process

How does translation work?

The process starts when you give us the text strings in your application so that we can translate them into the language(s) of your choosing. To do this, you must internationalize your app. In Xcode, this involves setting up your project with the proper locales into which the localized content will be placed. Once this is complete, simply upload your English source files to Tethras and follow the step-by-step process. The system will detect the files with strings for translation and extract them. You may then check that these are the correct files for translation and, if satisfied, specify the languages into which you want to localize your app. You can also provide general instructions (such as not translating the company name) and specific details (such as whether the string “E-mail” is a noun or a verb in a specific instance) A translator (or, if you wanted numerous languages, more than one translator) then logs in and translates the strings per your instructions, before re-submitting them to our site.You pay for the translation and download it: you now have the version in the languages you want.

What is a pseudo-translation?

Pseudo-translation is generated when a developer first uploads a job to Tethras for translation. The system attempts to recognize what strings must be translated and machine-translates what it finds. A pseudo-translation will be somewhat crude: the main goal here is to check that all of the work to be translated has been detected, rather than trying to do a perfect job without involving a human translator. A developer can download this ‘rough draft’ at this stage, before deciding whether to submit the files for the full translation service - which includes proper checking by a human.

How long does it take to translate?

This will depend on the size and nature of the project. Once you have submitted a project, it is instantly posted as an available job; announcements will also be e-mailed to our pool of translators. If you are in a hurry, you will be able to choose our express service.

What about my marketing text?

This can sometimes be the most important part of the project. We take your advertising and marketing information as raw text and translate it with all the emphasis and tone you meant it to have. This is then returned directly to you.

Security

How secure is my data?

Tethras allows you to rename your projects when you submit them to us, which will give an additional layer of anonymity. Your files are not shares with our translators and securely stored on our Cloud repository. Please see our Privacy Policy for further details.

Our Translators

How good are the translations?

We use professional translators from throughout the world and we place a strong emphasis on context as we try to ensure that our translators are familiar with your end users use patterns.

What quality control do you use?

All of our translators are graded by their peers and by language experts. We have strict quality control systems to ensure the highest quality of our translators.

What if I am not happy with the standard of translation?

Our quality control team will review your job, and if the translations are found to be sub-standard, then you will have the option of having the job reworked at no cost to you. We appreciate all feedback on our language and service quality.

How do I give context-specific instructions for the translator (keywords, jargon, slogans, etc.)?

When you submit the job to Tethras, you will have the opportunity to provide both general instructions (e.g. “don’t translate the name of my company”) and specific instructions (e.g. “in this context, the word ‘E-mail’ on its own represents a noun instead of a verb).

I have a specialist app that uses technical jargon: can you handle this?

We do not translate safety-critical or highly specialized documents such as machinery manuals, legal documents, etc. at present. If you have a highly specialized translation job, then contact us directly for a full list of what we can do.

How do you choose your translators? Are they native speakers ?

Our translators have to pass a test before being able to translate, in order to be sure of their capacity to translate your app. They are all native speakers and translate into their mother tongue.