Why English to Chinese is harder than it looks
Simplified and Traditional are not a style choice. Mainland China and Singapore read Simplified; Taiwan and Hong Kong read Traditional. Sending the wrong one is legible but immediately marks the message as not written for that reader, so it is worth knowing where your reader is before you send.
English tense has to become a context word. Chinese verbs do not change, so “I went” needs 了 or a time word to land as past. A translation that drops it reads as present tense, which can change a plan into something already done.
Politeness is shorter than English expects. English piles on “would you mind,” “if possible,” and “when you get a chance.” Chinese politeness is carried by 请 and by 您 instead of 你, and the padded version reads as evasive rather than polite.
Every counted thing needs the right measure word. One book is 一本书, one cup of tea is 一杯茶, one car is 一辆车. English “one” gives no clue which, so anything you count is a good reason to read the preview before sending.
Written by Hardik Vegad, Co-founder, Translatify. Last updated .
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