Table of Contents

Open Table of Contents

• 1. Introduction
• 2. The Challenges of Translating PDFs
  • Common Issues:
• 3. Nuances of Indian Languages in Translations
  • Contextual Translation:
  • Literal vs. Contextual Accuracy:
  • Script and Grammar Rules:
• 4. AI-Enabled, Human-Verified Translation for Legal and Official Documents
  • Why AI-Human Hybrid Models Work:
• 5. Best Tools for PDF Translation
  • SmallPDF
  • Devnagri
• 6. Conclusion

1. Introduction

In a multilingual country like India, translating PDF documents between Indian languages such as Hindi, Gujarati, Marathi, and Tamil, and English is more complex than it seems. Whether it’s a legal document, financial report, or technical manual, translating PDFs accurately requires not only linguistic knowledge but also the ability to preserve the document formatting and the nuances of Indian languages.

This blog will dive into the challenges of PDF translations, explain when to use AI tools and when to rely on human translators, and introduce some of the best tools for translating PDFs into Indian languages while retaining accuracy and structure.

---

2. The Challenges of Translating PDFs

Unlike simple text documents, PDFs present unique challenges for translation due to their fixed formatting and embedded elements like images, tables, and non-standard fonts. This becomes even more complicated when working with Indian languages, which often have complex characters and ligatures that don’t easily align with English’s linear structure.

Common Issues:

• Formatting Distortion: Translating a PDF can lead to misalignment of text, tables, or images. For example, converting English to a right-to-left script like Urdu or translating Hindi, Gujarati, or Marathi may distort the layout.
• Language Complexity: Indian languages, such as Hindi, Tamil, and Marathi, contain intricate grammar rules and idiomatic expressions that can’t be directly translated using basic tools.
• Embedded Content: PDFs often include embedded media (charts, graphs) that can complicate translation, especially if the content is image-based.

---

3. Nuances of Indian Languages in Translations

When translating PDFs between English and Indian languages like Hindi, it’s crucial to account for linguistic nuances. Indian languages have contextual grammar, and other grammatical rules that differ significantly from English.

Contextual Translation:

Certain words in Indian languages don’t have direct equivalents in English, and vice versa. For instance, the Hindi word “संभव” (sambhav) can mean “possible” or “likely,” depending on the context. Free translation tools often get these distinctions wrong.

Literal vs. Contextual Accuracy:

Let’s take the English phrase “I am running late” as an example. If translated literally into Hindi, it could be misinterpreted as “मैं दौड़ रहा हूँ देर से,” meaning “I am physically running late,” which is incorrect. The accurate translation would be “मैं देर से पहुँचूँगा,” meaning “I will arrive late.”

• Incorrect Translation: “I am running late” → मैं दौड़ रहा हूँ देर से
• Correct Translation: “I am running late” → मैं देर से पहुँचूँगा

Script and Grammar Rules:

Languages like Tamil, Hindi, or Gujarati follow intricate linguistic rules that basic AI-powered tools often struggle to adapt to. For instance, compound verbs in Hindi can change meanings based on how the verb is compounded with auxiliary verbs. Inaccurate translations can lead to miscommunication in formal documents.

Example:

• English: “He finished the work.”
• Literal Hindi translation: “उसने काम खत्म किया।”
• Correct contextual translation in Hindi: “उसने काम पूरा किया।” (In Hindi, “पूरा” conveys a more complete sense of finishing the work, making it contextually accurate.)

---

4. AI-Enabled, Human-Verified Translation for Legal and Official Documents

When it comes to legal documents like contracts, agreements, or case files, translation accuracy is critical. AI translation tools like TwingLabs offer a fast, scalable solution for processing large volumes of documents. However, for sensitive and official documents, a human verification layer is essential to ensure contextual accuracy, avoid misinterpretation, and comply with legal standards.

Why AI-Human Hybrid Models Work:

• Speed: AI tools can rapidly process and translate large documents, offering near-instant translations for time-sensitive materials like court filings or RFPs.
• Human Expertise: Human translators review the AI-generated translations, correcting any cultural nuances, grammatical mistakes, or legal terminology errors that the AI may have missed.

This AI-human hybrid approach ensures that documents retain their legal validity and accuracy without sacrificing the speed and scalability that businesses and legal professionals require.

---

5. Best Tools for PDF Translation

SmallPDF

A popular choice for translating PDF documents, SmallPDF uses OCR technology to extract and translate text from scanned PDFs. It’s quick and handles simple PDF translations well, though it may struggle with maintaining complex formatting.

• Pros: Free to use, fast for basic translations, works with scanned documents.
• Cons: Struggles with complex layouts and images

Devnagri

Devnagri is an AI-powered translation platform built specifically for Indian languages like Hindi, Marathi, and Gujarati. It offers accurate translations while preserving the meaning and cultural context of the content. Devnagri also supports bulk translation, making it ideal for businesses managing large volumes of PDFs.

• Pros: Accurate, fast, handles bulk translations.
• Cons: Paid platform, better suited for businesses with larger translation needs.

---

6. Conclusion

Translating PDFs from English to Indian languages like Hindi, Gujarati, and Tamil, or vice versa, requires careful consideration of the tools you use. For simple, quick translations, AI-powered tools like SmallPDF and Devnagri offer fast solutions, but they may struggle with accuracy and formatting. When precision is paramount—such as with legal documents, financial reports, or technical manuals—the AI-human hybrid approach offered by platforms like TwingLabs ensures speed and accuracy, without compromising on quality.

At TwingLabs, we’re developing an AI-powered translation solution that aims to balance speed and accuracy for Indian languages. While automation can handle bulk tasks, we acknowledge the need for human oversight in complex translations.

Ready to translate your PDFs efficiently? Explore TwingLabs to discover our cutting-edge translation solutions for Indian languages.