GoLocalise
Portuguese (European) translation project on screen in a localisation studio

Translation · Portuguese (European)

European Portuguese translation services

Audiovisual translation is our specialisation, but our native European Portuguese translators also handle any text — corporate documents, technical and marketing material, articles and eLearning. Written for Portugal, timed the way Portugal actually speaks it.

EN · 00:04

Every single detail is looked after.

PT-PT · 00:04

Cada pormenor é tratado com atenção.

Dual-column delivery — translated to fit the original timing.
Native-speaking linguists
Dual-column format
ISO 9001 & ISO 14001
Timed for voice over & subtitles
In-house subtitling team
Native-speaking linguists
Dual-column format
ISO 9001 & ISO 14001
Timed for voice over & subtitles
In-house subtitling team

About European Portuguese translation

European Portuguese translation, where the script and the spoken line don't run the same length

European Portuguese has a grammatical form English simply doesn't: the personal infinitive, which changes ending by who is doing the action (falar / falares / falarmos). Get the wrong form into a script and a sentence that reads correctly turns ambiguous or wrong the moment it's spoken aloud.

On top of that, European Portuguese drops or reduces most unstressed vowels in speech, so a sentence with a given number of written syllables is often spoken with noticeably fewer. That mismatch between page and voice is exactly what a voice-over timing sheet needs to account for, and it's specific to European Portuguese — Brazilian Portuguese does not reduce vowels the same way.

At GoLocalise, we work with native European Portuguese translators, and every text is reviewed by a second linguist before delivery.

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Linguist working on a Portuguese (European) translation

How can we help you?

Your project manager has everything covered

One point of contact from brief to delivery, and a second linguist on every text before it reaches you.

1

Brief review

We review your source material, your market, and whether the target audience is Portugal or requires a separate Brazilian Portuguese version.

2

Linguist assignment

Your project goes to a native European Portuguese translator with experience in the relevant field.

3

Translation and review

The text is translated and then checked by a second native linguist for accuracy, consistency and correct verb forms.

4

Delivery and timing check

Files are delivered in the format you need, with the spoken-vs-written syllable gap accounted for rather than discovered in the booth.

Regional varieties

Portugal, and the standard African Portuguese-speaking markets follow

European Portuguese is spoken natively by roughly 10 million people in Portugal, with further speakers across the Portuguese diaspora in France, Luxembourg, Switzerland and the UK.

It also serves as the written reference standard for Angola, Mozambique and the other Portuguese-speaking African countries, plus Macau and East Timor, which is separate from the Brazilian standard used across Brazil. We treat European and Brazilian Portuguese as two different services rather than one language with a light edit.

Varieties we cover

  • European Portuguese (Portugal)
  • Portuguese (Angola & Mozambique)
  • Portuguese (Macau & East Timor)
Not sure which one? Ask us →

Areas of expertise

What we specialise in

From corporate video and eLearning to documentary, advertising and subtitles — always audiovisual, with European Portuguese's verb forms and syllable timing handled correctly from the first draft.

Corporate and brand video

Company films and internal communications, written with the correct personal infinitive form throughout.

eLearning and training video

Course modules and training films, terminology and register consistent across the programme.

Documentary and interviews

Factual programming and interviews written for Portugal, not adapted from a Brazilian script.

Advertising and social video

Campaigns and short-form video where the spoken line has to land in the time the syllable count suggests.

Subtitles and captions

Frame-accurate subtitles that read naturally in European Portuguese, not in a neutral or Brazilian variety.

Voice over and dubbing scripts

Scripts timed to the original, allowing for how much shorter the line sounds once spoken.

Built for video and audio

Getting European Portuguese right on screen

European Portuguese brings two considerations English never raises, and both shape how a script sounds once it leaves the page.

The personal infinitive has to be right

Falar, falares, falarmos: the infinitive changes with who is doing the action, a form English has no equivalent for. Get it wrong and a line that reads fine turns unclear the moment it's spoken.

What's written isn't what's said

European Portuguese drops or shortens most unstressed vowels in speech, so a written sentence is often spoken with fewer syllables than it has on the page. We write and time scripts against the spoken form, not the written one.

Not a lightly-edited Brazilian script

European Portuguese is a separate variety, not Brazilian Portuguese with a few words swapped. We translate directly into it rather than adapting from a Brazilian source.

Timed, not dumped

Subtitle files are delivered already spotted and scripts already timed, so nothing reaches the booth needing to be cued first.

Deliverables

How your European Portuguese translation arrives

Subtitle files

SRT, VTT, STL or TTML, burnt in or as separate files, ready to drop into your edit.

Timed to the spoken line, not the written one

We account for the gap between written syllables and spoken ones from the start, instead of finding out in the recording booth.

Dual-column scripts

Source and target side by side with timecodes, the format the studio records from.

Reviewed, never single-pass

Every script is checked by a second native linguist before it reaches the studio.

Translation rates

Professional European Portuguese translation

Standard

For internal documents, correspondence and material where accuracy is the main requirement.

  • Native subject-matter translator
  • Second-linguist review
  • Subtitle files or a timed script
Get a quote
Full production

For marketing, eLearning and technical content, with review, terminology management and timing adjustment.

  • Everything in Standard
  • Terminology management
  • Voice-over timing handled
  • Dedicated project manager
Get a quote

Every project is quoted individually and backed by our Price Match Promise. Send us your files for an exact, no-obligation quote.

Trusted by global brands

We have used GoLocalise on a regular basis for projects in a number of languages. The service we receive is great. The team is always friendly and professional. The voiceovers we receive are of a very high quality and the turnaround is extremely quick. We are very happy to recommend GoLocalise to other businesses.
Jo SamuelAnimator at Pixel Circus
It was a pleasure to work with David and the team at GoLocalise. David gave me lots of help and advice, guiding me through my first subtitling project. He really knows his stuff! The experience was completely pain-free. I would not hesitate to recommend GoLocalise – outstanding work at a good price.
Kerry GilliesDirector at Synergy Language Services
They're reliable, adaptive and obsessed with quality. And while you can never be 100% guaranteed of perfection, you can be sure GoLocalise will go the extra mile to get it right every time. We've worked with them now for over 5 years and we are truly thankful to have such a strong localisation partner for our business.
Lucas ColeSales and Marketing Director at Epipheo

Most common questions

How much does European Portuguese translation cost?

European Portuguese translation is priced per word for text and per minute for audiovisual, depending on volume, subject matter and turnaround, with voice-over timing factored in from the start rather than added as an extra cost later. Send your files and we'll come back with a free, itemised quote, backed by our Price Match Promise.

Are your European Portuguese translations done by native linguists?

Yes. Native translators based in Portugal handle every translation, and a second native linguist independently reviews the text before delivery, checking that verb forms — including the personal infinitive — and register are correct so the result reads and sounds natural to a Portuguese audience.

Do you provide European Portuguese subtitling and voice over as well?

Yes — European Portuguese translation, subtitling and voice over all come from one team, working to a single glossary and register throughout. Scripts are timed to how the language is actually spoken rather than to a syllable count taken from the page, which keeps voice over and subtitles in sync.

What is the personal infinitive, and why does it matter for our project?

It's a verb form that changes depending on who is performing the action — falar, falares, falarmos — with no real equivalent in English. Getting it wrong doesn't just sound off; it can make a sentence genuinely ambiguous once translated, so it's checked on every line, not just flagged as a curiosity.

Why does the spoken version sound shorter than the script reads?

European Portuguese drops or shortens most unstressed vowels in everyday speech, so a written sentence often has more syllables on the page than a native speaker actually pronounces. For voice over this changes pacing, so we time scripts against the spoken form rather than a syllable count taken from the text alone.

Do you deliver European Portuguese subtitles and voice-over scripts, not just documents?

Yes — audiovisual is our specialisation. We deliver spotted SRT/VTT files and timed two-column voice-over scripts ready for the studio, and we also translate plain text and documents whenever a project calls for it, from corporate reports to marketing copy, technical material and eLearning courses.

How does this affect voice-over recording in the booth?

A script timed only from written syllables tends to run short once an actor actually speaks it, leaving dead air or forcing an unnatural pace. We build the timing sheet from how the line sounds spoken, so studio sessions run to the schedule instead of needing a re-time on the day.

Is European Portuguese the same as Brazilian Portuguese?

No — different vocabulary, grammar habits and pronunciation mean they read as two separate languages to an audience, even though they share a name. We treat them as two services with different translators, and we'll flag it if your source material looks written for the wrong one.

How quickly can a European Portuguese translation project be delivered?

Most short documents are delivered within 24 to 48 hours. Word count, subject complexity, and whether the project needs voice-over timing worked out for the studio all move the delivery date, and your dedicated project manager will confirm a realistic timeline with you at the very start of the brief.

Ready to start your European Portuguese translation project?

Send us your documents, script or video and we'll come back with an exact, itemised quote.

Professional voice over services for your audio and video productions

Voice over

  • State-of-the-art studios
  • Neumann microphones
  • On-hand sound engineers
  • 1,000+ voice actors
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Translation

  • 100+ languages covered
  • Tailored to your needs
  • Stringent quality control
  • Dedicated project managers
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Subtitling

  • Experienced subtitlers
  • Industry-standard software
  • Burn-in and graphic editing
  • Open and closed captions
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Transcription

  • Improve accessibility
  • Reach a wider audience
  • Boost SEO and video views
  • Maximise video engagement
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★★★★★4.9 · from 149 reviews · 24–48h