Can I afford to hire a professional?
You can’t afford NOT to. Poor translation and interpreting services can be disastrous for your business. See what’s at stake.
What's the difference?
Translators do the writing. Interpreters do the talking. ATA helps you find the right language professional.
Can't a computer do all this?
There are times when machine translation is useful, and times when it's not. Learn when to use Google Translate, and when to hire a professional.
Follow the ATA Compass
The ATA Compass is your guide to translation and interpreting in the global market.
Interpreters help power the global economy, working with businesses, governments, non-profits and individuals. They are an integral part of global communication. Interpreters work with the spoken or signed word. The American Translators Association (ATA) has developed a Guide to Buying Interpreting Services as a resource to help clients identify, select…
Read MoreThe importance of hiring professional educational interpreters Supporting families starts with communication. Trained educational interpreters play a key role in making that possible. Schools do a lot with limited resources. When language access becomes a barrier in education, bilingual staff members often step in to help. That is incredibly valuable,…
Read MoreThe best apps for translating language? It depends… I’m talking about the kind of apps that can take a sentence- or even document-level input and give you back a translation in the blink of an eye. There are plenty of these free translation apps out there. Maybe you’ve heard of…
Read MoreMore Client Resources
Buying Language Services
Download our free mini guides that help you navigate the process of hiring and working with a language professional. They are available in multiple languages.
Guide to agreements and contracts
ATA provides guidance for standard terms, conditions, and clauses. Adaptable samples of agreements and contracts are available.
Need a certified translation?
In the U.S. anyone can certify a translation. A translator does not need to be certified in order to provide a certified translation.