Translating a user manual
A user manual is not a commercial document; it is a regulatory item. Without instructions in the language of the destination country, the product cannot be placed on that market.
How much it costs
For a document of this type, approximately 12,000 words (30 pages), into one language:
Understand the document, internal use.
Ready to send, by the technical specialist.
Cross-reviewed. For what commits you.
By comparison, a translation agency charges between 1 440 € and 2 400 € for the 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 file upload.
The language requirement, country by country
Directive 2006/42/EC on machinery (replaced in January 2027 by Regulation (EU) 2023/1230) and the sectoral directives require that the instruction manual be provided in the official language or languages of the Member State where the product is placed on the market. This is not a recommendation: it is a condition of CE marking, and its absence is grounds for withdrawal.
In France, law no. 94-665 of 4 August 1994 (loi Toubon, art. 2) adds that the instructions for a good sold to a consumer must be in French. An importer who delivers instructions in English only is in breach, even if the product is perfect.
What breaks in a poorly translated manual
Three things, always the same:
- Cross-references to figures. "See figure 4" must continue to point to figure 4. Text that is extracted then pasted back loses these links.
- Units and values. A tightening torque of 2.5 N·m, a resistance of 138 Ω at 20 °C: these values are not translated, they are copied exactly. Manuce's technical specialist leaves them intact.
- Safety notices. DANGER, WARNING, CAUTION correspond to standardised levels, with prescribed vocabulary in each language. Rendering them with a synonym weakens the manual.
A long document, therefore a sliding-scale tariff
A 12,000-word manual benefits fully from the tiered pricing: the per-word price falls beyond 5,000 then 20,000 words. And if you translate it into five languages to cover your European markets, the discount reaches 50% on the entire order.
The file returns in its original format — Word, PDF or exported InDesign — with its diagrams, tables and boxed text in place.
Frequently asked questions
Must the manual be translated into all European Union languages?
No: into the official languages only of those countries where you place the product on the market. A manufacturer who sells in France, Germany and Spain needs three versions, not twenty-four.
Are diagrams and tables preserved?
Yes. The file comes back to you as is, in the target language: images, tables and colours in place, the text replaced in position.
What about a scanned PDF?
A PDF without a text layer cannot be processed automatically: it must first go through character recognition. Manuce detects this and tells you at upload rather than returning an empty file.
The specialist handling it
This type of document is entrusted to the technical specialist. See how it works.
Further reading
Going further
Instructions, CE marking and languages: what the regulations actually require
Loi Toubon, European directives, declaration of conformity, working documents: language is not a commercial choice but a legal obligation. An overview of what must be translated, and for which market.
This document, into a specific language
Test it on your document, free of charge
An extract from your file translated by the chosen specialist, before any payment. You assess, then you decide.