
Translation isn’t something just anyone can do. In order to convert something from one language to another, you really need to have a firm and established grasp over both those languages. In fact, just knowing two different languages isn’t exactly enough to translate the source text in one language to the translated version. Most, if not all, languages have words and phrases that associate strongly with the context in which they are used. When it comes to context, words that have one meaning can have a completely different one just because of how they were used and it is the translators’ job to not lose the original meaning when it comes to translation.
Great translators and their teams need access to the full text as well as a firm understanding of it. How the words piece together to create the intended meaning and what each word itself means depending on the way it is used in the phrase. If you literally transfer it word for word you can be sure that you’re going to have quite a lot of grammatical mistakes in the translated text. A lot of phrases in one language won’t translate well when done literally.
You need to understand how a phrase is going to morph. It helps translators to use every tool at their disposal and that includes things like a dictionary. Learning the things that are needed to translate can be done so by gaining experience and practicing. There’s a great online article which really helps break down the job of a translating team and how they need to proceed with their given project. You can read it here. So long as you stay true to the source text and convey its original meaning, things should be fine.