English to German translation
German is already selected as the target language. Paste your English text to get an idiomatic German draft, then compare it with the original in the two-pane workspace. Adjust formality and tone separately to suit the person you are writing to.
Choose formal or informal address
English “you” does not tell a translator whether to use the German “Sie” or “du.” Leave Formality on Auto to follow the available context, or select Formal or Informal when you know which address fits.
Use an established preference where possible. A first business contact may call for “Sie,” while a colleague who has agreed to “du” will usually expect that form. Auto can use clues in your text, but it cannot know an unstated relationship.
Formality and friendliness are separate choices. A warm message can still use “Sie,” and a message using “du” can remain matter-of-fact. Review pronouns and verb forms together so the address stays consistent.
Examples of natural German wording
These are original editorial illustrations, not recorded outputs from the tool.
Keep a polite request polite
English: “Could you let me know if you need any more information?”
Formal German: „Könnten Sie mir mitteilen, ob Sie weitere Informationen benötigen?“
Informal German: „Könntest du mir mitteilen, ob du weitere Informationen benötigst?“
Both versions keep the request and its polite phrasing. The difference is the form of address and the corresponding verbs. Neither version adds a deadline or assumes the recipient needs more information.
Translate an idiom by its meaning
English: “I'll keep you posted on the delivery.”
Natural German, informal: „Ich halte dich über die Lieferung auf dem Laufenden.“
“Keep you posted” means providing updates. A word-for-word version using the German word for “posted” would miss that meaning. This translation keeps the promise to provide updates without inventing an arrival date.
Clarify an ambiguous date
English: “The appointment is on 09/10.”
Depending on the date convention, this could mean September 10 or October 9. A fluent translation cannot settle that ambiguity by itself. Check with the sender or use other clear information in the source before choosing a date.
If October 9 is confirmed, a suitable German version is: „Der Termin ist am 9. Oktober.“ Writing the month out makes the date clear. Without that confirmation, selecting October would be a guess.
Review the details beside your original
Paste your text, check the target language and choose any formality or tone settings you need. The translation updates as you edit the input, so you can add missing context and review a new version.
Pay particular attention to names, dates, amounts, negations and conditions. “We may deliver on Friday” must not become an unconditional promise. German sentence order can change substantially while preserving the same idea, so compare the meaning of each complete sentence.
For technical material, the Technical style gives terminology greater priority. Check specialist terms against the source and your intended usage. If you want a separate language check after translating, use Proofread. For the reverse direction, open German to English.
Common questions
Can I translate without creating an account?
You can try TextRewrite as a guest. Free allowances and text limits apply; the workspace shows the limit for your current account. Check what portion of your text is being processed before using the result.
Does Auto always choose the right form of address?
No. Auto follows the context it has. If the recipient's preference is not clear from the text, select Formal or Informal yourself and review the resulting address throughout the translation.
How is idiomatic translation different from translating word by word?
An idiomatic translation aims for natural wording in the target language while keeping the intended meaning. That may require different word choices or sentence structure. It should not add facts, remove qualifications or turn uncertain statements into promises.