Professional Machine Translation Post-Editing by Expert Linguists
Translate large volumes quickly and affordably. We pair machine translation with professional human editors who refine every line, so your content stays natural, accurate and on brand.
What Is Machine Translation Post-Editing (MTPE)?
Machine translation post-editing (MTPE) is a workflow where an AI translation engine produces a first draft and a professional linguist then corrects and improves it. It is faster and more affordable than translating from scratch, and far more reliable than raw machine output. NexTranslate offers light post-editing for clear, understandable content and full post-editing for content that is ready to publish.
Machine Speed, Human Accuracy
Machine translation is fast, but on its own it gets terminology wrong, misses context and sounds unnatural. Those errors are cheap to produce and expensive to publish.
Post-editing machine translation fixes that. Our linguists review the machine draft line by line and correct meaning, grammar, terminology and tone to the level you choose, so you get the speed of automation without handing your brand to an algorithm.
Every job is matched to the right engine and editing level for the content, and your glossary and translation memory are applied throughout. The result is consistent output at a cost and pace that full human translation cannot match on large volumes.
- Light or full post-editing, matched to how the content is used
- A professional linguist reviews every machine-translated file
- Glossaries and translation memory keep terminology consistent
- NDA-protected workflows for confidential content
- Batch or continuous delivery for daily, weekly or ongoing volumes
- 24 to 48 hour target for suitable projects
Content That Suits Post-Editing
E-commerce Catalogs
Thousands of product names, descriptions and specifications, kept consistent across every SKU.
Support Articles
Help center, FAQ and knowledge base content that has to keep pace with your product.
Website Localization
Large sites where speed and budget both matter, with full post-editing for customer-facing pages.
Internal Documents
Policies, reports, training notes and communication for global teams.
Your Own MT Output
Output from your existing engine, reviewed and edited by our linguists to the level you need.
Regulated Content
Legal and other regulated material, handled with full post-editing and specialist review only.
Secure, Scalable and Streamlined
MTPE only saves money if the workflow around it is reliable. These are the controls built into every project.
NDA-Protected Workflows
Every linguist is bound by a strict NDA, and your files are handled securely and confidentially. Additional security requirements are assessed per project.
Batch or Continuous Delivery
Send content in one large batch or as a steady stream, on a schedule that matches your release and publishing timelines.
Translation Memory and Glossaries
Approved terms and previously translated segments are reused, keeping quality consistent and avoiding paying twice for the same text.
Scales With Your Volume
Capacity for daily, weekly or ongoing content demands, from a single product feed to an entire help center.
Integration-Ready
Work can connect with translation management platforms.
Continuous Improvement
Your feedback and our editors' corrections feed back into glossaries and memory, so each batch starts from a better draft.
Light Post-Editing or Full Post-Editing?
Both start from machine output and end with a human check. The difference is how far the linguist goes.
| Light post-editing | Full post-editing | |
|---|---|---|
| Goal | Correct and understandable | Ready to publish |
| What the linguist fixes | Errors that change meaning, plus clear mistakes | Meaning, grammar, terminology, tone, flow and style |
| Best for | Internal notes, simple information and high-volume content | Customer-facing content, marketing and website localization |
| Regulated content | Not recommended | Recommended for legal and other regulated content |
| Speed and cost | Fastest and lowest cost | Faster and lower cost than full human translation |
Our Machine Translation Post-Editing Process
Every file is checked by a human before it reaches you. Raw machine output is never delivered on its own.
Get a post-editing quote- 1
Content Analysis
We evaluate your content type, subject domain and language pair to choose the most suitable machine translation engine and the right editing level.
- 2
AI Translation Output
Your files run through secure, high-performance AI translation models, custom or third-party depending on your needs, with your glossary applied.
- 3
Human Post-Editing
A skilled linguist improves grammar, clarity, terminology, tone and contextual accuracy to the agreed level, so the output reads as natural, human-sounding text.
- 4
QA and Final Review
We run quality checks, validate formatting and deliver. Your feedback is integrated into glossaries and memory for continuous improvement.
When to Use MTPE, and When Not To
Post-editing is a strong fit for many content types, but not all. We will tell you honestly which workflow suits each part of your content.
A Strong Fit
High-volume, repetitive or fast-changing content such as product listings, support articles and internal documents, where speed and cost matter most.
Use Full Post-Editing
Customer-facing pages, marketing copy, website localization and regulated content, where every sentence must read as if it were written by a professional.
Choose Human Translation
Creative campaigns, slogans and the most sensitive legal or medical documents, where nuance or liability outweighs the savings of a machine draft.
For Teams With More Content Than Budget
Machine translation post-editing pays off for businesses that need large volumes of multilingual content with fast turnaround.
Get a post-editing quote- E-commerce brands with large, frequently updated catalogs
- Support teams with growing help centers and knowledge bases
- Companies already using machine translation that need human quality
- Teams publishing daily or weekly content in several languages
- Global organizations translating internal documents at scale
What is machine translation post-editing, and how does it help?
Machine translation post-editing combines machine translation with expert human editing to deliver fast, cost-effective and accurate translation. The machine produces the first draft quickly, and a linguist makes it correct, consistent and natural.
Do you provide light and full post-editing?
Yes, we offer both, depending on your quality requirements. Light post-editing fixes key errors so the message is clear and turns content around quickly. Full post-editing refines tone, flow and clarity to produce publish-ready content.
What content is ideal for MTPE?
E-commerce catalogs, product descriptions, support articles and internal documents are the best fit. These are high-volume, often repetitive texts where speed and consistency matter more than creative style.
Is MTPE suitable for website localization?
Yes. Full post-editing speeds up multilingual website deployments while keeping customer-facing pages accurate and on brand. Headline and campaign copy may still need a creative rewrite.
Can MTPE be used for legal content?
Yes, but we recommend full post-editing with a subject specialist for legal and other regulated content. For the most sensitive documents, full human translation may be the safer choice.
Do humans still review the output, and does MTPE compromise quality?
Yes, all machine-generated content is reviewed by a professional linguist before delivery. With experienced editors, glossaries and QA checks, quality stays high for the editing level you choose.
Is MTPE more affordable than traditional translation?
Yes, it typically costs less than translating from scratch, though the saving depends on content type, language pair and editing level. Your quote shows the rate for your project.
Do you use custom AI models for translation?
Yes, we choose custom or third-party engines based on your content, and support them with glossaries and translation memories to maintain accuracy.
Can you post-edit output from our own engine?
Yes. Send us your machine translation output and we will post-edit it to the level you need. We can also tell you where your engine is making repeated errors.
Is our content kept confidential?
Yes. All linguists are bound by strict NDAs, and your documents are handled securely and confidentially. Any additional security or data-handling requirements, including where machine translation is processed, are assessed per project.
How fast is machine translation post-editing?
Our standard target is 24 to 48 hours for suitable projects, depending on volume, complexity and language pair. Larger or continuous programs get a tailored delivery schedule, in batches or as a steady flow.
Who should choose MTPE?
Businesses that need large volumes of multilingual content with a fast turnaround and a controlled budget. If you are unsure whether your content suits post-editing, send a sample and we will recommend the right approach.
Often Combined With
Translation and Localization
Full human translation for high-stakes or highly nuanced content.
View serviceLinguistic Quality Assurance
Measure the quality of your machine output against a clear standard.
View serviceMultilingual Content Management
Post-editing built into an ongoing multilingual update workflow.
View service