Translate PDF documents and keep the original layout
A supplier sent a German spec sheet, or your landlord's rules are in Portuguese, and copy-pasting into a translator breaks every table. Your todo.is agent translates the PDF page by page, keeps headings, tables and images where they were, runs OCR on scanned pages and gives you a translated file you can read or edit.
The prompt
- Translate the attached PDF [ATTACH THE PDF] from [SOURCE LANGUAGE] into [TARGET LANGUAGE]. Keep the layout: headings, tables, lists and images in the same place. If pages are scanned, run OCR first. Use a [TONE] style and keep names, product codes and numbers unchanged. Deliver it as [OUTPUT FORMAT]. Add a short list of terms that were hard to translate or could mean more than one thing.
What to change
- [ATTACH THE PDF]: Attach the PDF (up to 50 MB). Long documents are fine; your agent works page by page.
- [SOURCE LANGUAGE]: E.g. "German", or "detect it".
- [TARGET LANGUAGE]: E.g. "English (US)", "Spanish (Spain)" or "French (Canada)".
- [TONE]: E.g. "formal business", "plain and simple" or "technical, keep the jargon".
- [OUTPUT FORMAT]: E.g. "a translated PDF", "an editable Word file" or "a two-column Word file with original and translation side by side".
Example result
- Translation report: Produktdatenblatt_HX200.pdf
- German → English (US) · 12 pages · technical style · PDF and Word
- What was translated
- • All body text, headings, table headers and table cells
- • Image captions and footnotes
- • Text inside two scanned pages (pages 11 and 12, certificates) after OCR
- What was kept as is
- • Product codes (HX200-4B, DIN EN 60204-1), part numbers and measurements
- • Company names and addresses
- • The logo and product photos
- Sample (page 3)
- Original: Betriebstemperatur: -10 °C bis +45 °C. Nicht in explosionsgefährdeten Bereichen einsetzen.
- Translation: Operating temperature: -10 °C to +45 °C. Do not use in potentially explosive areas.
- Layout notes
- • English text is about 10% shorter than German, so some table cells have extra space
- • The 3-column layout on page 5 is kept; one heading wraps onto two lines
- • Text is real text, not images, so you can search and copy it
- Terms to review
- • Wartungsintervall → "maintenance interval" (could also be "service interval" in your industry)
- • Schutzart IP54 → "protection class IP54" (often written "ingress protection IP54")
- • Gewährleistung → "warranty" (legally closer to "statutory guarantee" in Germany)
- • Abnahmeprotokoll → "acceptance certificate"
- • Netzfreischaltung → "disconnect from mains power"
- Important
- • AI translation is good for understanding and everyday use. For contracts, certificates or documents you submit to an authority, use a certified translator
How to do it with todo.is
- Copy the prompt and choose the languages and output format.
- Paste it into todo.is on the Today screen with the PDF, or send both to your agent on WhatsApp, Telegram or email.
- Your agent translates every page and rebuilds the layout.
- Download the file, or reply "use British spelling" or "translate only pages 1 to 4" to adjust it.
Tips for a better result
- Name your field ("medical", "construction", "legal"). The right terms matter more than nice wording.
- Ask for Word output if you want to fix wording yourself. A side-by-side version is great for checking against the original.
- Languages differ in length: German and French run longer than English. Expect small layout shifts in tight tables.
- For official use (visa papers, court documents, diplomas), get a certified translation. Use this one to understand the content first.
translate PDF: FAQ
- Can I translate a PDF and keep the formatting? Yes. Your agent keeps headings, tables and images in place. Very tight layouts can shift a little when the translated text is longer.
- Can it translate a scanned PDF? Yes. Your agent runs OCR on scanned pages first, then translates the text. Clear scans give the best result.
- Which languages can it translate? All major languages, including English, Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Hindi and Turkish.
- Is an AI translation accepted for official documents? Usually not. Authorities often require a certified translator, so use the AI version to understand the document or as a draft.
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