Looking for expert Estonian translation services? Since 2003, Green Crescent has been providing professional translation services between English and Estonian to clients worldwide. We specialize in various industries, including legal, technical, business, and marketing sectors. Our team ensures accurate, high-quality translations tailored to your specific needs. Get a fast, free Estonian translation quote today!
Our Comprehensive Estonian Translation Services
Green Crescent’s skilled team of Estonian translators includes subject matter experts for industry-specific needs. We provide translations that account for the nuances of the Estonian language and its various regional dialects, ensuring accuracy and cultural sensitivity.
- Northern Estonian (Tallinn and surrounding regions)
- Southern Estonian (Võru, Setu dialects)
- Standard Estonian (used in formal communication and media)
We specialize in both English to Estonian and Estonian to English translations, offering the following services:
Simple Translation
Our simple translations in the English/Estonian language pair are designed for basic communication needs. These translations are completed by a single Estonian translator without the involvement of an editor or proofreader, and therefore should not be considered final or fully polished work for most professional or formal use cases. While typically of high quality, simple translations are essentially "rough drafts" that do not go through additional editing, proofreading, or other quality control processes. These translations are ideal for personal letters, informal communications, initial drafts that will later be revised, or for situations where you need to quickly understand the general meaning or "gist" of an Estonian text.
Standard Translation (TEP)
Our Standard Estonian Translation service is designed to provide high-quality translations for everyday use, including business correspondence, websites, reports, presentations, and similar content. This service includes translation, editing, and proofreading (TEP) to ensure the highest level of accuracy and clarity in your Estonian communications.
Organization Critical Translation (TEP+)
Our Organization Critical Estonian Translation service is designed for situations where perfection is essential. This option is recommended for texts intended for large-scale printing, technical documents, legal contracts and patents, medical documents, or any case where an error could be critical or costly. Each translated line is reviewed by a minimum of three linguists, with multiple rounds of proofreading. Subject matter experts (SMEs) may be involved as needed throughout the Estonian translation, editing, and proofreading (TEP) process.
Bilingual Editing
Bilingual Editing for Estonian Translation is the process of editing a translated text by comparing both the source and target texts in the English/Estonian language pair. The editor, fluent in the source language and a native speaker of Estonian, ensures that the translation is accurate, consistent, and faithful to the source text while also maintaining clarity and fluency in Estonian. This step occurs after the initial translation in our TEP (Translation, Editing, Proofreading) Organization Critical and Standard Translation services. We also offer this service as a standalone option for translations completed by individuals or organizations not affiliated with Green Crescent.
Proofreading
With each additional round of editing and proofreading, the error rate of a document approaches the perfection horizon. Our proofreading service for English to Estonian and Estonian to English translations involves reviewing a single-language text to identify and correct surface-level errors, such as spelling mistakes, grammar issues, punctuation errors, and formatting inconsistencies. This step is the final phase in our TEP (Translation, Editing, Proofreading) Organization Critical and Standard translation services. We also offer proofreading as a standalone service for translations completed by individuals or organizations not affiliated with Green Crescent.
Legal Translation
Green Crescent's elite team of linguists, each with subject matter expertise in specialized legal fields, is ready to assist you with the translation of a wide range of judicial, administrative, and private legal documents between Estonian and English. Nearly all countries recognize that submitting documents for translation does not compromise attorney-client privilege. Furthermore, we can implement enhanced security measures to ensure strict confidentiality upon request.
Technical Translation
Technical translations involve any text that features specialized vocabulary or language registers, necessitating additional research and terminology verification. Common technical subject matter includes legal, medical, scientific, engineering, and IT topics, but any text that utilizes industry-specific terminology or neologisms may be considered technical in nature. These translations cannot be executed by generalists alone; they require the expertise of linguists with in-depth knowledge of the relevant technical field in both Estonian and English.
Medical Translation
Green Crescent has established protocols to ensure compliance with international medical standards and regulations. Our Estonian medical translations are treated as "organization critical," unless otherwise specified, and we are committed to implementing the necessary digital security measures and legal safeguards for every project involving medical content. Our team of skilled linguists, specialized in medical terminology, ensures that your translations are both accurate and secure.
Localization
Our translation services are tailored for specific target markets that require localized Estonian content. Green Crescent is equipped to accommodate requests for regional nuances, ensuring that your content resonates with the intended audience. Our experienced linguists are well-versed in the cultural nuances of the Estonian language, allowing us to provide translations that are not only accurate but also culturally relevant and engaging. By focusing on the unique linguistic characteristics of Estonian, we help you effectively connect with your audience and enhance the impact of your message.
Website, App, and Software Localization for Estonian
At Green Crescent, we leverage our extensive experience in software development to provide specialized Estonian localization services. We excel in adapting your website, app, or software’s content, design, and functionality for Estonian-speaking audiences. Whether you need a fully multilingual solution or specific adaptations for Estonian, our services encompass translating text, adjusting images, and modifying layouts. We also adapt and program code for both mobile and desktop applications, ensuring that your app functions seamlessly across Estonian-speaking regions while adhering to platform-specific guidelines. Let us help you create an engaging and culturally relevant experience for your Estonian-speaking users.
Back-translation
Back-translation is often a crucial component of the quality control process, particularly when translating highly technical documents or for critical translations in the Estonian/English language pair where an error could have significant consequences. This process involves an independent linguist translating a previously translated text back into its original source language—either Estonian or English—without reference to the original document. The resulting text is then compared to the original translation to verify its intelligibility, accuracy, and suitability for its intended use.
Peer Review
Green Crescent offers professional focus group services that include a comprehensive "read-through" conducted by one or more linguists who were not involved in the original translation process. This approach allows for an unbiased assessment of the translation's quality, style, and overall fitness for its intended purpose. The focus group can evaluate various aspects of the text, including linguistic accuracy, cultural relevance, and the effectiveness of the messaging in reaching the target audience.
SME Review
Subject Matter Expert (SME) review is a specialized form of peer review conducted by non-linguist professionals with deep expertise in specific fields. This process is particularly important for Estonian to English or English to Estonian translations of highly technical texts, ensuring that the content is both linguistically accurate and technically precise. In fields such as legal, medical, scientific, and engineering, SMEs help verify the correct use of industry-specific terminology, adherence to regulatory or technical standards, and the contextual relevance of the translated material.
Transcreation
Our Estonian Transcreation Service goes beyond simple translation by creatively adapting your content to resonate with Estonian-speaking audiences. At Green Crescent, we ensure that your brand’s messages, campaigns, and communications maintain their original intent, emotional impact, and tone, while aligning with the cultural and linguistic nuances of the target market. Whether it’s marketing, branding, or advertising, we reimagine your content to feel authentic and compelling in Estonian.
MTPE-Full (Machine Translation Post-Editing - Full)
MTPE-Full (Machine Translation Post-Editing - Full) refers to the comprehensive post-editing of a machine-translated text between Estonian and English, ensuring the final product meets the highest standards of linguistic quality. In this process, once the machine generates the translation, a skilled human editor thoroughly reviews the entire content, ensuring that it is not only accurate in meaning but also flows naturally and fluently in the target language. This detailed editing process includes correcting grammar, syntax, and terminology, adapting the text for the intended audience, and ensuring it adheres to any stylistic preferences or regulatory requirements.
MTPE-Light (Machine Translation Post-Editing - Light)
MTPE-Light (Machine Translation Post-Editing - Light) is a more streamlined version of post-editing, designed for situations where speed and cost-efficiency are prioritized over linguistic perfection. In this process, the human editor focuses primarily on fixing major errors and ensuring that the overall meaning of the machine-translated text is clear and understandable in the target language (Estonian or English). While MTPE-Light may not deliver a translation that is fully refined or ready for publication, it provides an efficient and cost-effective solution for internal documents, reports, and communications where basic comprehension is sufficient.
Additional Language Services and Options for Estonian
Certified Translation
Green Crescent provides certified translations of a wide range of legal documents, including birth, marriage, and death certificates, diplomas, school transcripts, passports, and much more, in both Estonian and English. Our certified translations are recognized for their accuracy and compliance with legal standards, making them suitable for official use. You can receive hard copies of our standard certificate of translation mailed directly to your home or business.
Rush Service
If you require expedited service, Green Crescent can usually accommodate such requests. However, please note that rushing translations often comes with trade-offs, which may affect both price and consistency. Please consult with a project manager for more details.
Discounts
Volume discounts are available for large projects, long-term clients, and for non-profits, charities, NGOs, and government organizations.
Minimum Fee
There is a minimum project fee of $75.00 USD per language, which can be reduced or waived for regular clients.
Additional Language Services
In addition to translation, Green Crescent offers a range of other Estonian language services, including interpretation, transcription, website design and development, and desktop publishing.
About the Estonian Language
Estonian is the official language of Estonia, spoken by about 1.1 million people. It is part of the Uralic language family, sharing roots with Finnish, though it has distinct characteristics. Estonian has been influenced by German, Swedish, Russian, and other neighboring languages throughout its history, making it a fascinating language for both linguistic study and translation.
The Cultural Context, History, and Linguistic Features of Estonian
Estonian has a rich cultural history tied to the region’s political and social developments. Over time, it has integrated various loanwords from German, Russian, and Swedish due to foreign rule and trade relationships. Despite these influences, Estonian has retained its unique structure and vocabulary, particularly in terms of its case system and vowel harmony.
Estonian literature blossomed in the 19th century during the national awakening period. One of the earliest examples of Estonian literature is the national epic *Kalevipoeg*, written by Friedrich Reinhold Kreutzwald in 1857, which played a key role in the development of modern Estonian identity and language.
The Writing System: Latin Alphabet
Estonian uses the Latin alphabet with 27 letters, including additional characters such as "õ," "ä," "ö," and "ü" to represent sounds that are specific to the language. Unlike English, Estonian does not use the letters "c," "q," "w," "x," or "y" in native words.
Vowels and Consonants: Estonian has 9 vowels that are key to vowel harmony, a feature that determines the way vowels combine in words. Additionally, consonants can be short, long, or overlong, which affects meaning. For example, "lina" (linen) and "linna" (to the city) differ based on the length of the consonant.
No Article System: Estonian lacks articles ("a," "an," "the"), which can pose challenges when translating into English, as the context must be inferred to determine definiteness or indefiniteness.
Estonian Alphabet
The Estonian language uses a modified version of the Latin alphabet, consisting of the following:
- 21 consonants: b, d, f, g, h, j, k, l, m, n, p, r, s, š, t, v, z, ž, c, q, w
- 9 vowels: a, e, i, o, u, õ, ä, ö, ü
The Estonian writing system closely follows phonetic rules, where the pronunciation generally corresponds to the written form. This makes it easier for learners of the language to read and pronounce words correctly.
Key Linguistic Differences Between Estonian and English for Translation
When translating between Estonian and English, several linguistic factors must be taken into account to ensure accuracy and fluency in both languages:
Sentence Structure: Estonian generally follows a Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) sentence structure, similar to English. However, word order can be more flexible in Estonian, allowing for emphasis on different parts of the sentence based on context.
Cases: Estonian has 14 grammatical cases, which modify the function of nouns, pronouns, and adjectives within sentences. This is a significant difference from English, where word order plays a more critical role. For example, the word "kodu" (home) can change to "kodust" (from home) or "kodusse" (to home), depending on its case.
Gender-neutral Nouns: Estonian does not assign gender to its nouns, unlike English. This can simplify translation in some respects, but also requires careful attention to ensure that meaning is correctly conveyed, especially when gender-specific terms are used in English.
Verb Conjugation: While Estonian verbs do not change according to the subject’s gender or number, they do vary in terms of tense, aspect, and mood. For example, "olen" means "I am," but "olen olnud" means "I have been," illustrating how verb forms can change with context.
Politeness Levels: Estonian lacks distinct formal and informal pronouns like many other European languages, but the tone and context are essential in conveying respect or familiarity. This must be carefully managed when translating texts that require varying levels of formality.
By recognizing and adapting to these linguistic differences, Green Crescent ensures that our Estonian translation services are linguistically accurate and culturally relevant. Whether your project involves legal documents, technical manuals, or creative content, we provide high-quality translations that effectively resonate with Estonian-speaking audiences.
An Insight into Estonian Wit and Expression
This passage is from Truth and Justice by Anton Hansen Tammsaare, first published in 1926. This monumental work is a cornerstone of 20th-century Estonian literature, exploring the complex themes of individual struggle, societal pressure, and the search for justice and truth.
- Estonian: "Tõde ja õigus ei ole kunagi lihtsalt antud; neid tuleb otsida ja leida."
- English Translation: "Truth and justice are never simply given; they must be sought and found."