The internet has made sharing information and ideas across language barriers easier than ever before. For businesses and content creators, translating videos into other languages is essential for reaching and engaging with broader global audiences.

Videos are a powerful medium for conveying complex ideas, stories, and messages through the combination of audio and visual content. While English is the dominant language of business and the internet, not all viewers speak English fluently. Providing translated versions of videos helps break down language barriers and expand reach.

Steps For Translating Videos

Translate English video to Portuguese requires careful attention at each step of the process. Here are the key steps:

Transcribe The English Audio

The first step is to transcribe the entire English audio verbatim into text. This ensures you have an accurate written record of everything said in the video. Pay close attention to details and capture every word.

Translate The Transcript Into Portuguese

Once you have the English transcript, translate it into idiomatic, natural-sounding Portuguese. Translate not just word-for-word, but capture the full meaning and intent. Adapt jokes, cultural references, and expressions to make sense for a Portuguese audience.

Record Or Synthesize The Portuguese Audio

You now have a Portuguese transcript. The next step is to create the Portuguese audio. You can either record a voice actor reading the translation or use text-to-speech software to synthesize the audio. Make sure the recording sounds clear and natural.

Match Audio To Mouth Movements

Now comes the meticulous step of matching the Portuguese audio back to the mouth movements in the original video. This lip-syncing process requires carefully stretching, compressing, and editing the audio so that the speech aligns with the video. The timings must match as closely as possible.

Following these key steps allows you to produce a complete Portuguese-language version of the original video. Pay close attention to accuracy and timing throughout the process. The result should be a professional translation your Portuguese audience can enjoy.

Common Portuguese Video Formats

Portuguese audiences consume video content across a variety of formats and platforms. Here are some of the most common types of videos that get translated from English into Portuguese:

YouTube & Social Media Videos

YouTube is extremely popular among Portuguese speakers, with Portuguese being the 7th most used language on the platform. Many Portuguese viewers like watching vlogs, gaming videos, music videos, comedy sketches, and more from their favorite YouTubers and online creators. Besides YouTube, video content on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok are also widely viewed and shared. Translating English videos into Portuguese opens up greater reach and engagement for creators on these social platforms.

Business Presentations & Corporate Videos

Many global companies do business in Portuguese-speaking countries like Brazil and Portugal. To communicate effectively with local staff and customers, corporate videos like training materials, product demos, and internal communications need to be translated into Portuguese. Business presentations at conferences and events also often require Portuguese subtitles or voiceovers.

News Broadcasts & Documentaries

Major English news outlets like CNN, BBC, and Al Jazeera have Portuguese versions of their websites and channels. To localize their content, they produce Portuguese translations of English news videos, talk shows, and documentaries. Many educational documentaries on YouTube and other platforms also offer Portuguese subtitles.

Entertainment – Movies, TV Shows

Portugal has a thriving domestic entertainment industry that produces movies, shows, and music in Portuguese. At the same time, Hollywood and English entertainment is also widely popular, especially in Brazil. Streaming platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video offer many major Hollywood movies and shows dubbed or subtitled in Portuguese. Dubbing and translation enable wider reach and enjoyment of English entertainment content for Portuguese speakers globally.

Hiring Professional Translators

Hiring a professional translator is the best way to ensure high-quality translations for your videos. Professional translators have expertise in translating specifically for video, which requires adapting the language so it matches the visuals and flows naturally. Here are some key benefits of hiring professionals:

  • Domain Expertise – Professional translators specialize in certain niches and have an extensive vocabulary in that domain. This allows them to translate industry-specific videos accurately. For example, someone experienced in translating medical content will translate a healthcare video more precisely than a generalist translator.
  • Localization Expertise – Professional translators understand the culture of the target language and can adapt the translation appropriately. They know how to localize references, jokes, slang, and other elements that require cultural adaptation. This results in a translation that feels natural and makes sense to the Portuguese audience.
  • Quality Control – Professional translation agencies have rigorous quality control measures. The translation is reviewed by editors to check accuracy, flow, and localization. Some even provide back translations (translating back to the source language) to double-check. This level of quality control ensures precision.
  • Natural Dialogue – Translating dialogue while matching lip movements requires skill. Professionals know how to adapt the translation so it sounds fluid and natural but still aligns with the visuals. Amateurs often end up with awkward or unnatural-sounding dialogue.
  • Where to Find Qualified Portuguese Video Translators: Look for translators who have specific experience with video translation and previous examples to show. Online marketplaces like Upwork or ProZ have search filters to find Portuguese video translators. Check profiles for video translation samples. You can also search for translation agencies that offer Portuguese localization services. Look for ones with proven experience, quality assurance processes, and native-speaking translators.

Hiring professionals may have a higher upfront cost than amateurs but it pays off through higher quality results, fewer errors, and avoiding potential mistranslations which could reflect poorly on your brand. For important or public-facing videos, professional translation is highly recommended.

Alternatives To Translation

Translating videos into other languages can be expensive and time-consuming. If you have a limited budget or need to get videos out quickly, there are some alternatives to consider:

Using Multilingual Speakers In The Original Video

If possible, have presenters and speakers in your original video who can speak both English and Portuguese fluently. This allows you to film the video once, without needing to translate or overdub it. The presenters simply switch between languages as needed.

This works best for videos with a host or narrator guiding the content, like vlogs, tours, tutorials, or presentations. It allows a more natural flow between languages instead of abrupt transitions between translated clips.

Adding Portuguese Subtitles

Subtitles are cheaper and faster than actually dubbing or translating the audio. Generated subtitles can be inaccurate, so it’s best to have the Portuguese subtitles manually created by a fluent speaker.

Subtitles let viewers follow along in their language. This expands your reach while avoiding complex and costly overdubbing or editing.

Providing Transcripts Instead Of Translating Audio

For instructional or informational videos, provide a transcript in both English and Portuguese. This avoids audio translation costs entirely.

Users can then watch the original video and follow along with the transcript in the language they prefer. The transcript feels more natural to read than listening to dubbed or subtitled audio.

Transcripts also improve accessibility for hearing-impaired users. Learning how to transcribe a YouTube video can be a valuable skill, and these transcripts can then be used to create subtitles or captions. Providing transcripts in multiple languages expands the video’s reach and benefits more users.

Conclusion

As we’ve discussed, translating English videos into Portuguese can pose some unique challenges, but with the right strategies, tools, and resources, it is very achievable.

Providing Portuguese subtitles and voiceovers for videos opens up content to millions more potential viewers. Given the growth of online video, quality translation is crucial for engaging audiences and making content accessible across languages. As global connectivity increases, the demand for video localization into many languages is only going to increase.