Translation rate for Eastern European languages Thread poster: audry6 (X)
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audry6 (X)
Local time: 15:23
English to Lithuanian
Hi there!
could anyone please advise me on possible rates for an English-Lithuanian translation?
Since I am just starting in this business I realize the importance of being subtle when it comes to money matters. at the same time I wouldn't want to quate a rate which is lower than I could get - this would suggest low self-confidence I suppose:)
thanks!
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| Find out what local self-employed people earn per hour | Aug 7, 2007 |
If you have an idea, or could find out, what local self-employed people earn per hour, then you would have a basis for ascertaining your own hourly rate, which is obviously your starting point. I assume you would at least wish to earn what local tradesmen charge. Much more than that we do not apparently get.
Then either use the Rate Calculator in the Jobs menu, or do a more sophisticated calculation of your required earnings by yourself.
Good luck with your business!... See more If you have an idea, or could find out, what local self-employed people earn per hour, then you would have a basis for ascertaining your own hourly rate, which is obviously your starting point. I assume you would at least wish to earn what local tradesmen charge. Much more than that we do not apparently get.
Then either use the Rate Calculator in the Jobs menu, or do a more sophisticated calculation of your required earnings by yourself.
Good luck with your business!
Astrid
P.S. I am assuming that you already know how many words per hour you can do, or reasonably ought to be able to do, with the required amount of experience, in your language pair.
[Edited at 2007-08-07 21:19] ▲ Collapse
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Kootvela (X)
Local time: 17:23
Lithuanian to English
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When I had to do translations, I paid attention to the following:
1) is it to or from English to Lithuanian?
2) how long is the text?
3) what is it about? If it is more scientific, I charge more because special dictionaries are needed and some people who could consult me.
4) are there any graphs or charts to be also put into the translated version? Then, it's extra work, I charge more.
The prices I've heard in Vilnius are about 30 litas (minim... See more When I had to do translations, I paid attention to the following:
1) is it to or from English to Lithuanian?
2) how long is the text?
3) what is it about? If it is more scientific, I charge more because special dictionaries are needed and some people who could consult me.
4) are there any graphs or charts to be also put into the translated version? Then, it's extra work, I charge more.
The prices I've heard in Vilnius are about 30 litas (minimum) per A4 page without pictures. Some charge for the amount of words.
Ele ▲ Collapse
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audry6 (X)
Local time: 15:23
English to Lithuanian
TOPIC STARTER | Rate per word | Aug 8, 2007 |
Hi girls!
thanks for your answers. However, I realise that my question was a bit obscure thus difficult to answer.
Firstly, I live in UK so what I wanted to know is what I could reasonably charge for English-Lithuanian translation. I mean rate per word.
The problem is I have been doing translations for quite some time now but not for the money- it was just a part of my job and not my full-time occupation. That's why I would like to find out what rates I could quote (appr... See more Hi girls!
thanks for your answers. However, I realise that my question was a bit obscure thus difficult to answer.
Firstly, I live in UK so what I wanted to know is what I could reasonably charge for English-Lithuanian translation. I mean rate per word.
The problem is I have been doing translations for quite some time now but not for the money- it was just a part of my job and not my full-time occupation. That's why I would like to find out what rates I could quote (approx.) to my future clients.
I would appreciate your help! ▲ Collapse
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MariusV 
Lithuania
Local time: 17:23
English to Lithuanian
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Hi audry,
Well, the EN-LT translation rates increased quite a lot during the recent years (together with the living costs that increased even more and that are still increasing). For example, in 1998 0.05 USD per word was very good even for an average agency, now if you want to hire a decent or at least more or less professional free-lancer living in Lithuania and working for the international market (not some local agencies from the province), you should start your estimation from ... See more Hi audry,
Well, the EN-LT translation rates increased quite a lot during the recent years (together with the living costs that increased even more and that are still increasing). For example, in 1998 0.05 USD per word was very good even for an average agency, now if you want to hire a decent or at least more or less professional free-lancer living in Lithuania and working for the international market (not some local agencies from the province), you should start your estimation from 0.05 EUR per source word and count on some 0.06-0.07 EUR at least (if the text is not very technical - depends what you want to be translated). Many professional and well-established free-lacers might not even accept that (I know some people whom you could not even get out of the bed if you do not offer 0.10 EUR).
If you are a free-lancer and want to work as a a free-lancer, well, 0.08 EUR would be an optimum choice. Being in your place, I would not go below this limit (some UK agencies used to offer even some 0.04 EUR) and better is to be patient and to wait a little till you collect clients paying 0.08 EUR than to meddle with those low-grade squeezer agencies offering cents (they get lump amounts from UK end clients and make a profit something like 1:4 or even more)...
If you want to know what would be reasonable to charge as an agency (esp. from the UK, USA, Scandinavia, and other W. European countries) if you work under agency promo, do not quote below 0.12 EUR (start from some 0.15 EUR and try to negotiate). If the client does not agree to that telling "our budget is too tight", well, it means it is either an agency that mediates for another agency or even a chain of several "mediators" till it reaches the end client with some 0.30 EUR per word (in Switzerland the average rate the local agencies ask from end clients for EN-LT is around 0.50 EUR per word - YES, it is true!). Any serious and established agency will accept your quote of 0.12 EUR or even higher.
Of course, many things depend on many factors, such as who is the client (company, private person), geographical location of the client (non-Lithuanian agencies from Eastern Europe often are just "in between", i.e. they work for some Western Agencies). It also depends on area, urgency, your personal skills of negotiation, and your priorities to quality or lower rates. So, it is just a "general starting point" and all what you agree and what you get depends on many things.
ALSO have in mind that the Lithuanian translation market now is getting crazy with a huge boom of the demand - the country is just 3 million of people and the number of translators is "pro rata" (compared, say, to the UK). Established translators are actually overloaded with work and please get the most possible from the deadline negotiation (do not count for more than, say, 2000 words per working day of the turnaround as it can be problematic to do the job faster).
Hope it gives some hint
[Edited at 2007-08-09 19:37] ▲ Collapse
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juvera
Local time: 15:23
English to Hungarian
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| Marius gave a very good, detailed answer to your question | Aug 11, 2007 |
valid for the UK market as well, but if you want to see some statistics, here is the ITI survey.
It was conducted in 2001, so there is a time factor, and you have to take into account the increased demand in your language.
Unfortunately they didn't have Lithuanian participants in the survey, but it gives you a general idea, and I think you can compare Lithuanian to Finnish for example... See more valid for the UK market as well, but if you want to see some statistics, here is the ITI survey.
It was conducted in 2001, so there is a time factor, and you have to take into account the increased demand in your language.
Unfortunately they didn't have Lithuanian participants in the survey, but it gives you a general idea, and I think you can compare Lithuanian to Finnish for example as far as rates are concerned.
www.iti.org.uk/uploadedFiles/surveys/ITI2001R&S.pdf ▲ Collapse
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