Check what a sworn translator will never do.

Even for an extra fee.

Can a translator change “L” to “Ł” in the name “Malgorzata”? Or convert inches for centimeters? Check the most intriguing stories straight from our translation office. Explore the secrets of a sworn translator’s work.

These are 10 examples of what a sworn translator will not do for you, even for an extra fee. Some of them are not so obvious. After all, correcting an obvious typo in a company name seems like a simple formality. Or is it?

Here are real situations we have encountered over the years. Polyland translation office in Kraków has been providing services for over 8 years. We translate texts, contracts and official documents into 40 languages. Working with us guarantees quality, punctuality, and reliability.

Commandment I

Thou shalt not include false information in a translation.

Real Situation: TYPO AND KRS

A client’s document contained a typo in the name of the company. They asked the translator to make necessary changes. They had KRS with the right name. Unfortunately, the translator couldn’t make the correction independently. The client had to provide a new, corrected document.

A piece of advice: correct the original first

Noticed an error in the document? Before submitting it for translation, have it corrected by the issuing institution. You shouldn’t contact the translator until you have received the updated version..

You have a second option. The translation will mirror the original’s incorrect spelling exactly. However, the translator can include a comment in square brackets, noting the correct information found in another official document.

Legal basis: Sworn translator’s professional code of conduct:

17. Fidelity of translation
“A sworn translator must translate a document exactly as it is written or spoken, conveying the full content without omitting, adding, or altering anything”.

Commandment II

Thou shalt not add extra information in the translation if it is not present in the source text (except for comments in brackets [ ]).

Real Situation: MISSING VACCINE DOSE

A client came to us with a vaccination card. One of the vaccine doses was missing from the document. As a result, the total number of doses her child has received didn’t match the official requirements. The translator couldn’t add information that wasn’t present in the original document. .

Remember!

Not a single letter, number, or even a symbol (!) can be added to the translation if it is not in the original text. The only exception is adding a note in square brackets [ ], which serves as a translator’s comment.

Commandment III

Thou shalt not alter the data. Not even the obvious ones!

Real Situation: MALGORZATA WITH “L”

A Polish client living in France had her name written as MALGORZATA (without Polish diacritical marks) in her French documents. The translator could not change it to Małgorzata.

At Polyland Translation Office, we often encounter cases where Polish clients submit documents issued in other countries. These documents typically lack Polish characters in names. A sworn translator cannot modify them, even if they know that „Malgorzata” should correctly be “Małgorzata”.

Legal basis: Sworn translator’s professional code of conduct:

„§ 50. Diacritical marks and their absence in proper names

Polish proper names, especially first and last names, that appear in the source text without the necessary diacritical marks must be reproduced in the translation exactly as they appear (without diacritical marks).”

Commandment IV

Thou shalt not certify the accuracy of a translation if you have not seen the original..

Real Situation: BIRTH CERTIFICATE AND SHIPPING

A client living permanently in the USA wanted to have her child’s birth certificate translated and certified as an accurate copy, but she didn’t want to send the original document to Poland. She was afraid, that the package will get lost or damaged. .

Remember!

Polish Civil Registration Offices require certification of compliance with the original for documents such as birth, marriage or death certificates. For other offices and institutions, it is important to inquire before ordering the translation..

What to do then?

If the translation must include a statement of compliance with the original, the document must be delivered to the translation office. Translation from a copy is possible, but such translations may not always be accepted by offices, banks, universities, or other institutions.

Commandment V

Thou shalt not omit any part of a document in the translation without informing about it.

Real Situation: BANK DETAILS

A client brought a bank transaction statement for translation. They wanted to omit one entry that was inconvenient for them without notifying the translator. Unfortunately, the translator could not comply.

In sworn translations, it is possible to exclude a part or page of the document. However, a proper annotation must always be included to inform about it. For example: “the document consists of 5 pages; because of the client’s request, only the first 2 pages are translated.”

Commandment VI

Thou shalt not translate documents directly from foreign language to another foreign language..

Real Situation: FROM UKRAINIAN TO ENGLISH

A client wanted to translate her documents directly from Ukrainian to English because she was aiming for a faster delivery and lower cost. It was a sworn translation.

Remember!

Even if a translator is authorized to perform sworn translations in both languages, the translation must always be done in two stages through the Polish language..

Therefore, if your document is in English and you need a sworn translation into Norwegian, you must first have it translated from English to Polish, and then from Polish to Norwegian. This is the only legally accepted method, even if the translator is certified for both languages.

Commandment VII

Thou shalt not translate illegible information without certainty.

Real Situation: A VEEEERY OLD DOCUMENT

A client had a very old document. A portion of handwritten entries were faded and unreadable. The client told the translator what they thought was written there. The translator could not proceed with the translation based on this oral assurance. .

Be careful!

If a stamp, handwritten entry, or other elements are difficult or impossible to read, the sworn translator is required to describe them as unreadable in the translation.

Commandment VIII

Thou shalt not expand abbreviations that are unknown to you (and whose meaning cannot be found in publicly available sources)..

Real Situation: CHINESE ABBREIATIONS

A client provided a document to translate from China, which was issued in English. The document contained several abbreviations of Chinese institutions. These organizations were not well-known, and the expanded forms of the abbreviations were not available in sources. Therefore, translating them was not possible.

Legal basis: Sworn translator’s professional code of conduct:

„§ 45. Words with unknown meaning to the translator
Words, expressions, abbreviations, acronyms, etc., whose meaning is unknown to the translator, should be transcribed and accompanied by a note stating that they are presented in the original language, as their meaning could not be determined despite the translator’s best efforts in consulting available sources.”

Commandment IX

Thou shalt not translate entries from the source document written in a third language..

Real situation: GERMAN OR ENGLISH?

A client ordered a translation of a car purchase agreement written in German. The document contained just one short and simple sentence in English. The client also requested the sworn German translator to translate that sentence, arguing that everyone knew what it meant. According to the law, the translator could not do this.

What is a third language?

A third language is a language that is unrelated to the translation. It is neither the language in which the source document was written nor the language into which the document will be translated. Even if the third language contains only one widely known word, the translator is obligated to describe it as a „third language entry”.

Beware of stamps

It is common for an office to offer a document in either the official language of the country or in English. If English is chosen, the document might still have an official stamp in the native language of the country (e.g., birth certificates from Norway).

In this case, two translations are required: one for the entire document in the original language and one for the stamp in the second language..

Commandment X

Thou shalt not convert units of measurement.

Real situation: INCHES AND CENTIMETERS

A client’s document contained measurements in inches. They requested the translator to convert them into centimetres in the translation. Unfortunately, the translator could not do this.

Remember!

Values, units, and measurements must appear in the same form as in the source document.

A translator cannot perform conversions or change units. The same rule applies to monetary values and currencies.

What a translator can do, but is not obligated to?

Here are three situations that clients frequently ask us about:

1. Attaching the source document to the translation.

This is often practiced by translators, but it is not a legal requirement.

If an office or other institution requires the source document to be attached to the translation, inform us when placing your order.

2. Authentication of a completed non-certified translation.
O takim uwierzytelnieniu decyduje każdorazowo tłumacz przysięgły. Bierze pod uwagę m.in. jakość obu tekstów.

3. Providing a translation with a qualified electronic signature. The standard format is a paper translation with the translator’s seal and handwritten signature. If you need a translation with a qualified electronic signature, let us know when placing your order. Not every translator has such a signature.

Prepare your documents and avoid complications

Following these 10 key rules will help you prepare your documents for translation.

The profession of a sworn translator in Poland is legally regulated. The rules for providing such services are defined by law, regulations, and the Professional Code.

Even a seemingly minor change, like a single letter or number, can have serious consequences for the translator, including losing certification!

Before your visit, make sure your document is free of errors, has clear and readable text, contains no unclear abbreviations, and has stamps in the same language as the rest of the document.

Not sure if these rules apply to your document?.

Contact us and send your document for a free quote!

call: 609 853 852 or write to us: bok@polyland.pl

Sources:

1. https://tepis.org.pl/tepis-1990-2015/

2. https://tepis.org.pl/kodeks-tlumacza-przysieglego/

3. https://www.gov.pl/web/sprawiedliwosc/zasady-wykonywania-zawodu-tlumacza-przysieglego