Translation Memory Uitgelegd: Hoe Het Tijd en Geld Bespaart

Stel je voor: je hebt vorig jaar je website vertaald naar Swahili en dit jaar moet je nieuwe product pages toevoegen. Moet je vertaler weer opnieuw beginnen met alle standaard teksten, disclaimers en menu items? Nee – dankzij translation memory (TM) zijn deze elementen al vertaald en kunnen automatisch hergebruikt worden.

Bij Zeldzame Vertalingen gebruiken we geavanceerde TM technologie voor alle vertalingen, van medische documenten tot marketing materiaal. Klanten besparen gemiddeld 30-40% op terugkerende vertaalprojecten. Deze gids legt uit hoe.

Wat Is Translation Memory?

Simpele Definitie

Translation Memory is een database die elke vertaalde zin opslaat. Wanneer dezelfde of vergelijkbare zin opnieuw voorkomt, stelt het systeem de eerdere vertaling voor.

Technische Uitleg

TM werkt met “segments” – meestal zinnen of kleine alinea’s, een methodologie gestandaardiseerd door organisaties zoals TAUS (Translation Automation User Society). Het systeem:

1. Analyseert brontekst
2. Zoekt matches in database
3. Stelt exacte of vergelijkbare vertalingen voor
4. Vertaler verifieert/past aan indien nodig
5. Nieuwe vertaling wordt toegevoegd aan TM

Wat Het NIET Is

❌ Translation Memory is GEEN automatische vertaling (zoals Google Translate) ❌ TM vervangt NIET menselijke vertalers ❌ TM werkt NIET als standalone tool

✅ TM is een hulpmiddel dat vertalers ondersteunt ✅ TM zorgt voor consistency ✅ TM versnelt herhalend werk

Hoe Translation Memory Werkt

Match Types

100% Match (Exact Match):

Eerdere vertaling:
NL: "Wij leveren binnen 24 uur"
SW: "Tunatoa huduma ndani ya masaa 24"

Nieuwe tekst bevat exact dezelfde zin
→ TM stelt dezelfde vertaling voor
→ Vertaler verifieert alleen (geen nieuwe vertaling nodig)

Fuzzy Match (90-99% match):

Eerdere vertaling:
"Wij leveren binnen 24 uur"

Nieuwe tekst:
"Wij leveren binnen 48 uur"

→ TM toont eerdere vertaling
→ Vertaler past alleen "24" naar "48" aan
→ Sneller dan volledig opnieuw vertalen

No Match (<70% match):

Compleet nieuwe zin zonder vergelijkbare content
→ Vertaler vertaalt from scratch
→ Nieuwe vertaling wordt toegevoegd aan TM

Praktisch Voorbeeld

Project 1: Website Vertaling (2024)

• 500 zinnen vertaald
• Alle zinnen opgeslagen in TM
• Tijd: 2 weken

Project 2: Website Update (2025)

• 200 nieuwe zinnen
• 150 existing zinnen (menu, footer, disclaimers)
• TM matches: 150 zinnen × 100% match
• Alleen 200 zinnen nieuwe vertaling nodig
• Tijd: 4 dagen (70% sneller)

Voordelen van Translation Memory

1. Cost Savings

Typische Besparingen:

First project: 100% nieuwe vertaling
Second project: 20-30% besparing
Third project: 30-40% besparing
Ongoing: 40-60% besparing op updates

Pricing Models Met TM:

• 100% match: 0-20% van normal rate
• 95-99% match: 30-50% van normal rate
• 85-94% match: 50-70% van normal rate
• <85% match: 100% normal rate

Real Numbers: Een klant met jaarlijkse contract updates:

• 3-year total besparing: €4.000

2. Time Efficiency

Project Doorlooptijd:

Zonder TM:
- 10.000 words = 10-12 werkdagen
- Review & QA = 2-3 dagen
- Total: 12-15 dagen

Met TM (50% matches):
- 5.000 words nieuwe content = 5-6 dagen
- 5.000 words TM matches = 1 dag review
- Review & QA = 1-2 dagen
- Total: 7-9 dagen (40% sneller)

Especially Belangrijk Voor:

• Spoedvertalingen
• Time-sensitive campaigns
• Regular updates (website, docs)
• Large volume projects

3. Consistency Garantie

Terminology Consistency:

Zonder TM:
Product naam: 15 verschillende vertalingen
Technical term: 8 variaties
Company name: 3 spellingen

Met TM:
Product naam: 1 consistente vertaling
Technical term: Exact altijd hetzelfde
Company name: Perfect gespeld altijd

Praktijkvoorbeeld: Medische vertaling voor ziekenhuis Amsterdam:

Zonder TM: “diagnose” vertaald als 5 verschillende termen in Somali Met TM: 1 consistente medische term door alle 50 documenten

Impact: Minder verwarring, betere patiënt safety

4. Quality Improvement

TM = Quality Repository:

• Alleen approved vertalingen in database
• Fouten gecorrigeerd eenmalig, dan consistent
• Best practices gebuild over tijd
• Continuous quality improvement

Versioning:

Version 1.0: Initial translation
Version 1.1: Client feedback incorporated
Version 1.2: Terminology refined
Version 2.0: Style guide implemented

TM bevat always nieuwste approved version

5. Multi-Translator Projects

Probleem Zonder TM: Project met 5 vertalers:

• Elk gebruikt eigen terminologie
• Inconsistente style
• Overlap in werk
• Veel tijd in harmonization

Oplossing Met TM:

Shared TM Database:
→ Alle vertalers zien approved translations
→ Automatic terminology consistency
→ No duplication of effort
→ Unified style across team

Wanneer TM Het Meeste Oplevert

Best Use Cases

1. Repetitive Content

• Product beschrijvingen (e-commerce)
• Technical documentation
• User manuals
• Software UI strings
• Email templates

2. Regular Updates

• Website content updates
• Contract renewals met kleine changes
• Annual reports
• Policy documents
• Newsletter series

3. Multiple Language Pairs Als je vertaalt naar meerdere talen:

Nederlands → Swahili (TM 1)
Nederlands → Tamil (TM 2)
Nederlands → Bengali (TM 3)

Same source content:
→ Consistency in alle talen
→ Parallel efficiency
→ Centralized updates

4. Large Volume Projects

• 50+ pagina documentatie
• Complete website (100+ pages)
• Product catalogs
• Training materials

When TM Less Effective

Creative Content:

• Marketing slogans (need transcreation)
• Poetry or literary text
• Highly contextual content
• One-off creative campaigns

Highly Variable Content:

• Unique case studies
• Personal stories
• Completely new content each time

Small One-Time Projects:

• Single 1-page document
• Never to be updated
• No similar future content

TM Voor Verschillende Project Types

E-Commerce Websites

High TM Value:

Repeating Elements:
- Navigation menu (altijd hetzelfde)
- Product specs template
- Checkout process
- Standard descriptions
- Footer/disclaimer text

TM Match Rate: 40-60%
Cost Savings: 35-50% op updates

Praktijkvoorbeeld: Online shop targeting Swahili speakers:

• Initial site: 300 pages, €15.000
• Seasonal updates (4x/jaar): 50 new products each
• Annual savings: €12.000

Legal/Contract Documents

Standardized Clauses:

Contract bevat:
- 60% standard legal language (perfect TM match)
- 30% semi-standard (needs adaptation)
- 10% unique terms

TM Match Rate: 60-80%
Turnaround: 50% faster

Consistency Voordeel: Voor juridische documenten:

• Legal terms altijd identiek
• Clause wording consistent
• Lower legal risk
• Faster legal review

Technical Documentation

Module Reuse:

User Manual Structuur:
- Safety warnings (100% reuse)
- Technical specs format (high reuse)
- Step-by-step instructions (medium reuse)
- Product-specific details (low reuse)

Average TM Match: 50-70%
Quality: Significant improvement

Healthcare/Medical

Medical Terminology:

Patient Information:
- Standard medical terms (perfect match)
- Instructions format (high match)
- Disclaimers (perfect match)
- Condition-specific info (varies)

TM Match Rate: 40-60%

Critical Benefit: Medische documenten for Rotterdam ziekenhuis:

• Consistent terminology = patient safety
• Faster turnaround = better care
• Lower costs = more languages covered

NGO/Government Communications

Template-Based:

Government Forms:
- Instructions (always same)
- Legal requirements (standard)
- Contact info (same)
- Specific fields (varies)

TM Match Rate: 50-70%

Multi-Municipality: Forms for Amsterdam, Den Haag, Utrecht:

• Shared TM for common elements
• Municipality-specific terms tracked
• Consistency across cities

TM Technology & Tools

Professional TM Systems

SDL Trados:

• Industry standard
• Excellent for large projects
• Strong terminology management
• Enterprise features

MemoQ:

• User-friendly interface
• Good for collaboration
• Flexible workflow
• Cloud-based options

Phrase (formerly Memsource):

• Cloud-native
• Great integrations
• Modern UX
• Scalable

TM Features We Use

Terminology Management:

TM Database:
├── Translation Segments
│   ├── Source text
│   ├── Target translation
│   ├── Date/Metadata
│   └── Quality status
│
└── Termbase
    ├── Product names
    ├── Technical terms
    ├── Company-specific
    └── Do-not-translate list

Quality Assurance:

• Automatic consistency checks
• Terminology verification
• Number/date format checks
• Punctuation consistency
• Tag/formatting validation

Version Control:

• Track changes over time
• Rollback capabilities
• Audit trail
• Multiple approved versions

Getting Started Met TM

For First-Time Users

Step 1: Assess Your Needs

Questions:
□ Vertaal je regelmatig updates?
□ Heb je repetitive content?
□ Werk je met multiple languages?
□ Is consistency critical?
□ Large volume projects?

3+ "Ja" → TM zeer waardevol

Step 2: Choose Your Approach

Option A: Work with TM-Enabled Translation Agency ✓ No setup needed ✓ Professional TM management ✓ Cross-project leverage ✓ Expert optimization → Recommended for most organizations

Option B: Own TM System For very large organizations:

• Annual budget >€100K translation
• In-house translation team
• High technical capability
• Long-term commitment

Step 3: Build Your TM

Phase 1: Foundation (First Project)
→ All content goes into TM
→ Terminology decisions tracked
→ Style guide developed
→ Investment phase (normal costs)

Phase 2: Growth (Projects 2-5)
→ TM matches increase
→ Savings start appearing
→ Quality improves
→ ROI becomes clear

Phase 3: Maturity (Project 6+)
→ High match rates
→ Significant savings
→ Excellent consistency
→ Optimized workflow

Best Practices

1. Start Early Begin TM vanaf first project, niet later

• More data = better matches
• Consistency from day one
• Avoid legacy inconsistencies

2. Keep TM Clean

Quality Control:
✓ Review all TM additions
✓ Remove outdated content
✓ Update changed terminology
✓ Maintain consistency rules
✗ Don't add unverified translations
✗ Don't keep multiple versions without reason

3. Leverage Across Projects

Corporate TM:
├── Marketing TM
│   ├── Website content
│   ├── Email campaigns
│   └── Social media
├── Legal TM
│   ├── Contracts
│   ├── Terms & Conditions
│   └── Privacy policies
└── Technical TM
    ├── User manuals
    ├── Spec sheets
    └── Support docs

4. Collaborative Management

Stakeholders:
- Project Manager: TM strategy
- Translators: Quality input
- Subject Matter Experts: Terminology
- Clients: Final approval

Regular Reviews:
→ Quarterly terminology check
→ Annual TM cleanup
→ Style guide updates
→ Process optimization

ROI Calculation

Calculate Your Potential Savings

Simple Formula:

Annual Translation Volume: [X words]
Average Cost Per Word: [€Y]
Estimated TM Match Rate: [Z%]
TM Discount: [typically 50-75% on matches]

Annual Savings = X × Y × Z × 0.625

Example:

Volume: 100,000 words/year
Cost: €0.15/word
TM Match: 40% (after year 1)
TM Discount: 62.5% (on matched segments)

Savings: 100,000 × 0.15 × 0.40 × 0.625 = €3.750/year

3-Year Savings: €11,250
5-Year Savings: €18,750

Additional Value:

• Time savings: 30-40% faster
• Quality improvement: Less errors
• Consistency: Better brand
• Scalability: Easier to add languages

Payback Period

TM Setup Investment: Minimal (included in projects)
Break-even: Typically project 2-3
Long-term ROI: 200-400% over 3 years

Case Studies

Case 1: E-Commerce Platform

Client: Fashion retailer Languages: Swahili, Yoruba

Year 1:

• Initial website: 10,000 words
• TM built from scratch

Year 2:

• Seasonal updates: 4 × 2,000 words
• TM match rate: 35%

Year 3:

• Seasonal + expansion: 12,000 words
• TM match rate: 42%

3-Year Total: €5.400 saved, plus consistency benefits

Case 2: Healthcare Provider

Client: Hospital Amsterdam Languages: Tigrinya, Somali, Dari, Pashto

Challenge:

• Patient info in multiple languages
• Medical terminology must be consistent
• Regular updates needed
• Budget constraints

Solution: Centralized TM for all 4 languages

Results:

• Plus: Dramatically improved consistency = better patient care

Case 3: Tech Startup

Client: SaaS platform Languages: 12 languages including Tamil, Bengali, Urdu

Product: Software with UI + Help docs

TM Strategy:

• Shared TM across all languages
• Agile translation workflow
• Weekly update cycles

Impact:

Initial Translation: 4 weeks
Weekly Updates: 2 days (was 3-4 days)
Cost Per Update: -55%
Time to Market: 40% faster

Business Value:
→ Faster feature releases
→ Better user experience
→ Lower localization costs
→ Easier to add new languages

Start Besparen Met TM

Klaar om translation memory te gebruiken voor je projecten? Bij Zeldzame Vertalingen bouwen we TM databases voor al onze clients – of het nu Hausa, Igbo, Telugu of andere zeldzame talen betreft.

Vragen over TM? Neem contact op voor een ROI assessment.

Start je eerste TM project: Vraag een offerte aan en begin meteen met besparen.

English Summary

Translation Memory (TM) is a database that stores previously translated segments for reuse in future projects. It provides 30-60% cost savings on repeat content, ensures perfect terminology consistency, accelerates project turnaround by 40-50%, and improves quality through standardization. Most valuable for repetitive content, regular updates, multi-language projects, and large documentation. Professional TM systems like SDL Trados, MemoQ, and Phrase offer features like terminology management, quality assurance, and version control. ROI typically breaks even after 2-3 projects with long-term savings of 200-400% over 3 years.