Translating English → Vietnamese documents in Information Technology (IT) requires both language skills and technical understanding. Below is a practical workflow used by professional translators.
1️⃣ Understand the IT context first
Before translating, read the document to understand:
- The technical domain (software development, networking, cybersecurity, AI, cloud…).
- The target audience (developers, end users, managers).
- The purpose of the document (manual, API documentation, whitepaper, UI text).
Example:
- Developer documentation should keep many technical terms in English.
- End-user guides often need clear Vietnamese explanations.
2️⃣ Build a terminology glossary
IT translation requires consistent terminology.
Examples:
| English | Vietnamese |
|---|---|
| Server | Máy chủ |
| Database | Cơ sở dữ liệu |
| Framework | Framework / Khung phát triển |
| Deployment | Triển khai |
| Repository | Kho mã nguồn |
| Authentication | Xác thực |
| Encryption | Mã hóa |
Tip: Many terms should not be fully translated (e.g., API, Docker, Git).
Tools to build glossaries:
- SDL Trados Studio
- MemoQ
- Wordfast
3️⃣ Use CAT tools (Computer-Assisted Translation)
Professional translators rarely translate manually.
Common CAT tools:
- SDL Trados Studio
- MemoQ
- Smartcat
- OmegaT
These tools help:
- Maintain terminology consistency
- Reuse previous translations (translation memory)
- Improve productivity.
4️⃣ Follow common IT translation conventions
Keep English for some technical terms
Example:
- API → API
- Git commit → commit
- Docker container → container
Translate conceptual terms
Example:
| English sentence | Vietnamese translation |
|---|---|
| The system stores user data in a database. | Hệ thống lưu trữ dữ liệu người dùng trong cơ sở dữ liệu. |
5️⃣ Pay attention to code and formatting
Never translate:
- code snippets
- command lines
- configuration files
- variables
Example:
Original
git clone https://github.com/example/project.git
Translation
Giữ nguyên lệnh:
git clone https://github.com/example/project.git
6️⃣ Review and technical validation
After translation:
- Revision – another translator checks the translation.
- Technical review – an IT expert verifies terminology.
- Proofreading – check grammar and formatting.
This workflow aligns with practices used in ISO 17100:2015 for professional translation services.
✅ Example translation
English
The application uses a REST API to communicate with the server.
Vietnamese
Ứng dụng sử dụng REST API để giao tiếp với máy chủ.
