Guide · Certified translations
Does the whole document need translating, or are selected pages enough?
A long document may contain only a few pages that interest you. Check with the recipient before assuming that translating a selection is sufficient.
Reviewed on 27 October 2026
The short answer
A partial translation may suit an expressly limited purpose, but it must not be mistaken for a complete translation of a larger document. Selected pages do not satisfy a procedure that requires the full record. Agree the selection and context before ordering.
What does complete mean for your assignment?
The agreed source and recipient’s instructions define the scope. A document is not always just its main page. Reverse sides, seal text, marginal entries and associated attachments can matter for understanding or evidence.
Also distinguish a separate attachment from a page arbitrarily removed from a larger record. Clear document descriptions and page references help. If the checklist requests a complete certificate, do not choose scope only by the paragraph that interests you most.
Request an extract clearly
Supply the whole document initially and identify the proposed extract by page or heading. Include the recipient’s response if it expressly allows that selection. This helps assess whether context is preserved and the scope can be described appropriately.
A summary is different from accurately translating selected contents. Explain which service is needed. Without clear agreement, do not treat a shortened version as certified confirmation of the entire text.
Avoid gaps and later additions
Discuss privacy-related omissions beforehand. Redaction may conceal required information or necessary context. Defining a suitable scope is preferable to ending up with an incomprehensible selection.
If the full record is requested later, additional translation and a newly issued version may be necessary. An addition is not automatically free or available by the original deadline. Establish the required submission version before work begins where possible.
Your next steps
Check the recipient’s requirements for completeness.
Supply the whole record for context.
Identify the requested pages or sections precisely.
Agree the extract and any later additions beforehand.
More questions
Do stamps and reverse sides count?
They may form part of the required contents. Include them for assessment rather than independently treating them as irrelevant.
Is a summary the same as a partial translation?
Not necessarily. A summary condenses material; a partial translation translates selected content. Define the service precisely.
Can missing pages be added later?
An addition can be assessed. The work, deadline and appropriate new issued version must be agreed separately.
Prepare your documents and requirements
Start with a free initial estimate or discuss any special requirements with us.
Free, no registration and not yet an order.