Signs a cheap translation will be rejected — and what to check

A translation can fail not because the translator lacks skill, but because the buyer and provider didn't align on scope upfront. Spotting the warning signs before you pay—and knowing what to scrutinise—saves you the cost of rejection, rework or delay.

Vague pricing and hidden scope creep

The first red flag is a quote with no detail. A translator who lists a flat rand amount or only mentions "per word" without clarifying what counts as a word, whether formatting changes cost extra, or how many revision rounds are included has left the door open for misalignment—regardless of what they charge. When a quote lacks these details, it often means the translator hasn't fully scoped your document yet—worth clarifying before you accept, whatever the price. Ask them to specify: What is the word count of *your* file? Will they handle embedded text in images or graphics? Do technical terms in your field need research, or are they already in the translator's glossary? Do revisions stop after one round, and who pays if the client or end-user flags errors later?

A quote built without confirming your actual word count or file complexity may reflect assumptions rather than your job's real requirements—worth checking at any price point. You end up paying again when scope balloons.

Poor communication about the language pair and dialect

A translator who doesn't ask which *type* of English, Portuguese or Afrikaans you need has skipped a step that matters for accuracy. South African English differs from British or American. Portuguese for Brazil is not Portuguese for Portugal or Angola. If your document goes to a regulator, court, or institution in a specific country or province, the dialect matters. Some providers skip this conversation entirely, whatever they charge. The translator assumes, you assume, and the output doesn't fit.

Ask your provider to confirm not just the languages, but the intended audience, region and any style guide or terminology they should follow. If they don't ask, it's worth raising the question yourself before work begins.

No reference to verification or revision process

When a translator doesn't mention how they check their work, ask directly—don't assume either way. A thorough translator will describe their process: Do they have a second pair of eyes review it? Do they compare the source and target side-by-side at the end? Do they have terminology lists for your industry? A translation done in a single pass without review is more likely to contain errors, regardless of what it cost. Typos, inconsistent terminology, mistranslated technical terms and tonal mismatches slip through because no one caught them.

Before you commit, ask how they quality-check. If the answer is vague or silent, that's a signal the document may land in an inbox full of problems.

Inability to produce what the recipient actually needs

This is the costliest failure. Your translated document arrives, and the court, regulator, visa officer or business partner rejects it because it lacks a certification statement, an official stamp, or compliance with a specific format. A translator who doesn't clarify upfront whether your end-use requires a certified translation, a notarised version, or a plain copy has left a critical gap—worth checking before you commit, at any price. They deliver something, you pay, and only later do you learn it doesn't meet the requirement.

Before you hire, tell the translator exactly who will read or approve the document and what they've asked for in writing. Does the recipient need to verify the translator's credentials? Must the translation be certified? Does it need to include a statutory declaration? A translator who takes these questions seriously is one who knows what rejection looks like and works to avoid it. Proceeding without this conversation means you may not notice the mismatch until it's too late, so raise it before signing off.

What to do before signing off

Get a detailed quote in writing that names the source language, target language, intended use and any special requirements. Ask the translator to list their qualification, any relevant registration, and their revision process. Request a small sample translation or ask them to translate a short, tricky sentence from your document so you can assess quality before committing to the whole job.

If a translator resists these requests or dismisses them as unnecessary, that response itself is the warning sign—not their price. On Strove, you can compare verified translators, see their credentials and read reviews from others who've handed them real work. That extra layer of vetting upfront costs nothing and saves the price of rejection later.