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 world icon (🌐) → Translate
- 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 world icon (🌐) → Translate
- Review and edit as needed
- Repeat for up to 4 total languages
Undoing Auto-Translation
If you want to revert a language to your primary language:
- Select your desired language from the dropdown
- Click the world icon (🌐) → Reset translation
- 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.
🎥 Click here for a video walkthrough
Translate All / Reset All
Use this prompt to translate every language version of your email at once, without switching between languages one by one. This is especially useful when working with many translations simultaneously.
- Select the primary language from the dropdown
- Click the world icon (🌐) → Translate All
- To undo all translations at once, click the world icon (🌐) → Reset All
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.
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 Grow 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.