ContactMonkey Grow and Enterprise accounts can automatically translate multi-language emails using DeepL, a professional-grade translation engine. This feature translates most content blocks instantly, saving time on manual translation work.
Manual review recommended: Always have a native speaker review auto-translations to ensure accuracy.
What Gets Translated Automatically
When you use auto-translation, these content blocks translate:
- Button labels - Text on buttons
- Paragraphs - Body text
- Titles - Headings and subheadings
- Lists - Bulleted and numbered lists
- Image alt text - Accessibility descriptions for images
- Video alt text - Accessibility descriptions for videos
- Icons - Icon labels
- Menu items - Navigation menu text
- Meta tags - SEO and email metadata
What Does NOT Translate
These elements stay in your primary language:
- Subject lines - Cannot be changed for any language
- Preheader text - Cannot be changed for any language
- Text content blocks (legacy) - Replace with Paragraph or Title content blocks instead
- Custom HTML content blocks - Requires manual translation
- Table content - Requires manual translation
- Menu content blocks - Anchor link text doesn't translate
- Images - Images with embedded text remain unchanged
- Links - URLs stay the same (link text translates)
How to Use Auto-Translation
Step 1: Set Up Your Primary Language
- Create your email with multi-language enabled
- Build your complete email in your primary language
- Add all content blocks, images, and buttons
Step 2: Translate Your First Additional Language
- Click the language dropdown at the top of the Email Builder
- Select your second language
- Click the magic wand icon (✨)
- All supported content blocks translate automatically
- Review the translations and make manual edits if needed
Step 3: Repeat for Additional Languages
- Select your next language from the dropdown
- Click the magic wand icon (✨)
- Review and edit as needed
- Repeat for up to 4 total languages
Watch the tutorial here.
Reviewing and Editing Translations
Auto-translation is very accurate, but always review before sending:
- Check for context: DeepL may not understand industry-specific terms or company jargon
- Verify tone: Ensure the translation matches your brand voice
- Review length: Translations may be longer or shorter than the original
- Test links and buttons: Confirm interactive elements still make sense
- Cultural sensitivity: Ensure idioms and phrases translate appropriately
Best practice: Have a native speaker review each language version before sending.
Undoing Auto-Translation
If you want to revert a language to your primary language:
- Select the language from the dropdown
- Click the undo icon
- All content reverts to the primary language
Warning: This erases ALL manual edits you made after auto-translating. You'll need to re-translate and re-edit the entire language version.
Manually Editing After Auto-Translation
You can edit any translated content after using auto-translation:
- Click into any content block
- Edit the text directly
- Changes save automatically
- The undo icon will still revert everything, including your manual edits
Tip: If you need to keep some manual edits, copy them to a document before using the undo function.
Auto-Translation vs. Manual Translation
When to Use Auto-Translation
- First drafts and quick turnarounds
- Internal communications with less formal tone
- Standard business language without technical jargon
- When you have native speakers available for review
When to Use Manual Translation
- Legal documents or compliance materials
- Marketing campaigns with a specific brand voice
- Content with cultural nuances or idioms
- Highly technical or industry-specific content
Supported Languages
DeepL supports the following languages (check the language dropdown in your Email Builder for the complete current list):
- English
- Spanish
- French
- German
- Italian
- Portuguese
- Dutch
- Polish
- Russian
- Japanese
- Chinese
- And many more
Note: Language availability may change as DeepL adds support for new languages.
Best Practices
Start with a clean primary language: Ensure your primary language is clear and concise. Complex sentences may translate awkwardly.
Avoid idioms: Phrases like "ballpark figure" or "low-hanging fruit" often translate poorly.
Use simple sentence structure: Shorter, direct sentences translate more accurately.
Test with native speakers: Always have someone fluent review translations before sending.
Keep formatting consistent: Don't change layout between languages—only change text.
Document special terms: Create a glossary of company-specific terms with preferred translations.
Review after updates: If you edit your primary language, re-translate affected sections.
Combining Auto-Translation With AI Writing Tools
You can use both auto-translation and the ChatGPT integration:
- Use ChatGPT to help write your primary language content
- Use auto-translation to create additional language versions
- Use ChatGPT again to refine specific translations if needed
Learn more here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I choose a different translation engine?
No, ContactMonkey uses DeepL exclusively for auto-translation.
Does auto-translation cost extra?
No, auto-translation is included with Plus and Enterprise subscriptions.
Can I translate just one content block?
No, auto-translation translates all supported blocks at once. You can manually edit individual blocks after translation.