Translating a non-disclosure agreement

How much it costs

For a document of this type, around 1,200 words (4 pages), into one language:

For comparison, a translation firm charges between €144 and €240 for this same document, within five to ten working days. VAT not applicable — article 293 B of the French General Tax Code (CGI). Original layout included. Exact quote displayed before payment, after uploading the file.

A short document, but dense

An NDA rarely exceeds 1,500 words, but each one is binding. The definition of confidential information, the duration of the obligation, the exceptions (information already public, independently developed, required by an authority), the competent jurisdiction: four paragraphs where approximate translation creates a gap.

The most common trap is confusing shall et may in English, that is, between an obligation and an option. A legal specialist does not make that mistake; a general-purpose engine sometimes does.

Bilateral or unilateral, the nuance matters

A unilateral agreement protects one party only; a mutual agreement protects both. The wording differs — Disclosing Party et Receiving Party on one side, each Party on the other — and a translation that mixes the two makes the text ambiguous at the precise moment it should be clear.

The price of a short document

A 1,200-word NDA costs around twenty euros at Professional level, less than ten at Essential level if you simply want to understand a document you have received. For a document that commits you, the Premium level adds cross-checking by a second pass.

The specialist handling it

This type of document is assigned to the legal specialist. See how it works.

Further reading

Going further

Translating a commercial contract: the eight pitfalls that cost dear

Defined terms, legal false friends, governing-language clause, article cross-references, amounts and dates: what turns a contract translation into a dispute, and how to avoid it.