Subtitle translation services built for the screen
Your existing subtitles translated into 25+ languages within reading-speed and character limits, delivered in SRT, VTT, EBU-STL, TTML or Netflix-compliant specs.
Subtitle translation converts existing subtitles into other languages while keeping every line within character limits, reading speed and timing. It is priced per minute of content and delivered in SRT, VTT, EBU-STL, TTML, SCC or Netflix-compliant formats. Orion Translations translates subtitles in more than 25 languages, with turnaround from 24 hours.
Subtitles are translation under constraint
A subtitle line lives inside a box: roughly 42 characters per line, two lines, on screen just long enough to read. Spanish runs about 20 percent longer than English; German longer still. Translating subtitles means compressing meaning into that box without losing the joke, the threat or the plot point, thousands of times per film.
Our subtitle translators are AV specialists who work against the picture, not just the text file. Members of our team have delivered on productions for Netflix and Sony, and every file ships within the reading-speed and format rules of its destination platform.
Which formats and specs do we deliver?
| Format | Typical use |
|---|---|
| SRT | YouTube, social platforms, players, e-learning |
| VTT | Web video, HTML5 players, accessibility overlays |
| EBU-STL | Broadcast television deliveries |
| TTML / IMSC | Streaming platforms, Netflix-compliant deliveries |
| SCC | Closed captions for US broadcast standards |
| SDH | Subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing, any format above |
How much does subtitle translation cost?
Pricing is per minute of video and depends on the language pair, how dense the dialogue is, and the deadline. Multi-language and series work is quoted with volume rates, and translating from an existing English template into several languages at once is the most economical route for global releases. Send the files or a link to info@oriontranslations.com and you will have a per-language fixed quote within one business day.
English to Spanish subtitles, and 25+ other directions
English-Spanish is our most requested pair, in both directions, with the Castilian versus Latin American variant chosen per audience. Beyond Spanish we deliver French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Dutch, Nordic languages and more. For pair-specific detail see our English-Spanish subtitling service, or the subtitling agency page if your content still needs subtitles created from scratch.
How does the process work?
Four steps: we check your template and video against the target platform's specs; AV translators translate against the picture with a per-project glossary; a second subtitler reviews timing, reading speed and consistency; you receive upload-ready files in the required format, verified by a final pass with the video. Series keep the same team across episodes.
Every line on screen, exactly when and how your audience needs it.
Get started
Request a Quote
Upload your document and tell us what you need. We respond within one business day with a fixed price and delivery date. No hidden costs. No obligation.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Subtitle translation converts existing subtitles into another language while respecting the technical constraints that make subtitles readable: character limits per line, reading speed, and synchronisation with the picture. It is not plain text translation, because every line must fit its time slot even when the target language runs longer than the original.
- Subtitle translation is priced per minute of video content, with the rate depending on language pair, subtitle density and turnaround. Volume reduces the per-minute rate for series and content libraries. Share the video or the subtitle files via the quote form and you will have a fixed price per language within one business day.
- SRT, VTT, EBU-STL, TTML and SCC, plus platform-specific templates. We deliver Netflix-compliant files where required, including SDH (subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing) and closed captions, ready to upload without reformatting.
- Both workflows exist. Translating against the video is the professional standard, because context decides meaning: who is speaking, irony, on-screen text. If you only have a subtitle template we can work from it, but we will tell you honestly when a passage needs the picture to be translated safely.
- Turnaround starts at 24 hours for short content, depending on length and language count. Series and multi-language projects run in parallel with a shared glossary so recurring terms, character names and running jokes stay consistent across episodes and languages. Release dates are treated as fixed deadlines.
- For internal or throwaway content, sometimes. For published content, no: machine output ignores reading speed, splits lines badly and misses register, irony and cultural references, exactly what subtitles live on. We use human subtitle translators; where AI assists in the workflow, a professional subtitler verifies and signs off every line.
- Yes. If your content has no subtitles yet, our subtitling team transcribes, spots (times) and subtitles the original language first, then translates into your target languages. See our subtitling agency service for origination; this page covers translating subtitles you already have.