Do you translate in all languages?
No. We are specialized in translations from and into Arabic.


Do you use automatic translations?
Automatic translations or to be precise Computer Assisted Translations (CAT) are not yet reliable enough to produce decent translated texts, and in particular from/to Arabic. Our translations are done by a selected group of veteran translators, experts in their fields. They use numeric glossaries and dictionaries during their terminology search. They also use what we call Translation Memory.

What is a Translation Memory?
TMs are linguistic software used by translation experts. The TM divides the source text into segments (sentences) on which the translator performs his job. The TM registers translated segments (source and target), and when they are repeated in the text -fully or in part- the software shows the target text already translated by the translator. TMs are useful because they avoid re-translating an already translated segment, ensuring thus consistency in the various parts of the text. It is not possible thus to translate a single term in two different ways. Wordfast, Trados and OmegaT are famous TMs.

What is the benefit of writing a special Glossary for my Company if the texts to be translated are different each time?
We draft glossaries exclusively for our Major Clients. The Glossary is very important because it is a professional tool that ensures the use of the same terminology in all your documents. We often use more than one translator to produce your translated texts, and we cannot guarantee that they all translate specific terms in the same way. Therefore, we deliver to our translators simultaneously with the job-to-do a Glossary containing your translated specific terms, and they are bound to use it.

What is the Style Guide?
The Style Guide contains a number of instructions previously validated by the Client, and it is delivered to the translator before he starts working on your texts. We may recommend for example the use of the expressions: His Highness for Princes, His/Her Royal Highness for Kings and Queens, His Excellency for ambassadors and ministers etc. Some Clients want to use both Gregorian and Hegira dates; others prefer just one of them. Some specific terms are different among Arab Mashreq and Maghreb: weekend for example is Thursday and Friday in UAE, it is Friday and Sunday in Qatar, and Saturday and Sunday in Tunisia. Even alphabetic sorting may be used according to two different systems.

Are the translations done in your Offices in Doha?
Our translations are done by Qatari and expatriate translators living in Qatar. But we also use our database of veteran translators residing in various regions of the world. We may for example, submit translations to be done to our colleagues in Australia or USA. Thanks to the time zone differences, they would do the job (during the night according to Qatar Time Zone) and deliver it early in the morning to our Offices in Doha.

How are rates calculated?
Many parameters decide the costs: complexity of the source text; source and target languages; volume of translations that are ordered monthly... When we sign the Translation Services Agreement with our Major Clients, we specify clearly the rates as well as the order and delivery schedules. Taking into account the quality of our translations compared to our competitors, our rates are competitive.

What are the delivery schedules of the translations?
We advise our Clients to give us enough time to perform decently our translations and guarantee thus their quality. Nevertheless, we do our best to finish the translations of our Major Clients as soon as logically possible. We divide important volumes of translations among many translators that are coordinated by one or more revisers or Project Managers. The latter guarantee the consistency of style and terminology. A professional translator translates 1.500 to 2.000 words daily. If 10 translators work simultaneously on your document, it means that we produce 20.000 words by day, equivalent to 90 pages ca. In case of Rush Jobs, our Clients would have to pay a supplement of 30 to 50% of the ordinary rate.