Nordic language translation

Translation between Nordic languages might seem straightforward since Swedish, Norwegian and Danish are all related languages. However, professional translation requires more than an understanding of basic similarities, as the differences in terminology, culture and business practices are significant.

Why does Nordic translation require specific expertise?

Despite Scandinavian languages sharing common origins, they have evolved differently. False friends are common – words that look identical but have different meanings. ‘Rolig’ means fun in Swedish but calm in Norwegian. ‘Kontroll’ means check/verification in Swedish but means control/power in Norwegian. Within business communication, there are also established terminological differences. The same or similar business terms are translated differently in Norway, Denmark, Sweden and Finland. Technical documentation, product manuals and marketing materials must be adapted for each market in order for a company to be perceived as professional.

How professional Nordic translation works

Quality translation between Nordic languages requires native translators for each target language. A Swedish translator handles translation into Swedish, a Norwegian into Norwegian, and so forth. This ensures idiomatic and natural language. Customer-specific term bases document how terms should be translated into each Nordic language. This guarantees consistency when the same information needs to be communicated across the entire Nordic market.

Benefits of the right translation partner

An experienced translation partner with networks across the Nordic region offers specialists in Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish and Icelandic. By understanding both the similarities and differences between markets, we ensure that your message is communicated accurately and appropriately throughout the region.   Read more about how we at Fluid Translation approach translation.