Translation Turnaround Times: How Long Does It Take?
Realistic delivery expectations by document type, volume and service level.
Get a Quote with DeadlineKnowing how long a translation takes is just as important as knowing how much it costs. At M21Global, we provide realistic deadlines from the very first contact, based on volume, complexity and the required service level.
On average, a professional translator produces between 2,000 and 3,000 words per day. However, the final turnaround includes not only the translation itself, but also independent revision (TEP process), quality control and formatting. Each step adds time, but ensures an error-free result.
Explore our translation services and learn how our commitment to deadlines and quality ensures punctual deliveries without compromising rigour.
Indicative turnaround times by volume
The turnaround times below apply to the Standard service level, for common European language pairs and content of average complexity:
- 1 to 5 pages (up to 1,500 words): 1 to 2 working days
- 10 to 20 pages (3,000 to 6,000 words): 3 to 5 working days
- 50+ pages (15,000+ words): 1 to 2 weeks
- 100+ pages (30,000+ words): bespoke delivery plan, with the option of partial deliveries
These figures are indicative. The actual turnaround depends on the content specialism, the availability of linguists for the required language pair and any formatting requirements. Every quote includes the expected delivery date.
Factors that influence turnaround time
Several factors can shorten or extend the turnaround of a professional translation:
- Total volume: the most decisive factor. Larger projects require more days, although they can be accelerated with parallel teams.
- Content complexity: legal, medical or financial texts demand greater terminological rigour, requiring additional research and validation time.
- Language pair: for less common pairs, the availability of qualified linguists may be more limited, affecting the turnaround.
- Formatting: files with complex layouts (InDesign, scanned PDFs, presentations with graphics) require additional DTP work after translation.
- Review rounds: if the project includes client-side review or additional feedback rounds, the overall turnaround increases proportionally.
Rush service
For situations where the deadline is critical, we offer a rush service with dedicated resources. This service is available for deliveries within 24 hours, at weekends and on public holidays, with a supplement of 30% to 50% on the standard rate.
Rush does not mean compromised quality. All rush projects go through the full review process. The difference lies in resource allocation: we mobilise parallel teams and reorganise priorities to meet the required deadline.
However, not every project can be accelerated indefinitely. A 200-page report cannot be translated with quality in 24 hours, even with unlimited resources. That is why we always provide an honest turnaround estimate, so you can make informed decisions.
The TEP process and what it means for turnaround
TEP stands for Translation + Editing + Proofreading. It is the standard process under the ISO 17100 standard and what guarantees the final quality of every delivery.
Translation: the native linguist produces the first version, following the glossary and project instructions. Editing: a second, independent linguist reviews the translation for accuracy, terminology and style. Proofreading: verification of formatting, consistency and spelling before delivery.
This process adds approximately 30% to the time the translation alone would take. But it prevents costly errors: contracts with incorrect clauses, regulatory documentation with wrong terminology or financial reports with numerical inconsistencies. Learn more about our critical review process.
Project management for tight deadlines
For large-scale projects or particularly demanding deadlines, we assign a dedicated project manager who coordinates the entire workflow:
- Milestone-based planning: we divide the project into partial deliveries with defined dates, so you can track progress and use the content as it becomes ready.
- Parallel teams: in multilingual projects, we translate simultaneously into several languages, reducing the overall turnaround.
- Continuous communication: the project manager is your single point of contact, available to answer questions, communicate updates and manage unforeseen issues.
This model is particularly useful for simultaneous market launches, audits with legal deadlines and editorial projects with fixed publication dates.
Frequently Asked Questions
A professional translator produces between 2,000 and 3,000 words per day, depending on content complexity. General texts allow greater speed; legal, medical or financial texts require more time for research and terminological validation.
Yes, for shorter documents (up to approximately 3,000 words). The rush service carries a supplement of 30% to 50%, but maintains the full review process. For larger volumes, we offer staggered partial deliveries.
M21Global makes a firm commitment to agreed deadlines. If, for any reason attributable to our team, the deadline is not met, we apply a compensation policy that may include discounts on the invoice or additional services at no charge. This commitment is documented in our SLAs.
Yes. For large-scale projects, it is common practice to divide the delivery into milestones agreed with the client. This allows you to begin using the translated content before the entire project is complete, which is particularly useful for phased launches or audits with interim deadlines.
The TEP process (Translation + Editing + Proofreading) adds approximately 30% to the time of translation alone. However, this investment prevents costly errors that would take far more time and money to correct afterwards. We never skip the review in order to meet deadlines.