Quick Start Guide

This guide will get you translating in under 5 minutes.

If you’re not sure where to begin: import a file, translate a few segments, then export back to your CAT tool.

Step 1: Start Supervertaler

Launch the application by running Supervertaler.exe (Windows) or python Supervertaler.py (from source).

Note

If you want to use AI translation, set up your API keys first: Setting Up API Keys.

Try the sample project (optional)

To see what Supervertaler does before you import a file of your own, choose Help → 🎓 Open Sample Project. It opens a small English → Dutch project – the quick start guide for a pump, 14 segments – with its own TM and glossary. It shows:

• glossary terms highlighted in the grid and listed in TermLens, including a forbidden term next to the preferred one and a non-translatable brand name;
• a 100% TM match, and several fuzzy matches with the differences highlighted in the match panel;
• segments that are already confirmed next to untranslated ones;
• an inline tag to insert with Ctrl+,.

A short note lists what to try. Segment 4 is selected to begin with: the match panel shows a fuzzy match, and TermLens shows the glossary terms in it.

The sample TM (Sample TM (Supervertaler)) and glossary (Sample glossary (Supervertaler)) appear in the TMs and Termbases tabs. They are created the first time you open the sample and reused afterwards, and they are switched on only for the sample project. Nothing else in your data is changed. If the project you have open has unsaved changes, Supervertaler asks whether to save them first. The sample isn’t saved anywhere unless you press Ctrl+S.

Step 2: Import a Document

1. Go to Project → Import
2. Choose your file type:
   • DOCX - Standard Word documents
   • Text File - Plain text (one segment per line)
   • memoQ Bilingual - memoQ XLIFF or bilingual DOCX
   • Trados Package - SDLPPX files
   • Phrase Bilingual - Memsource bilingual DOCX
   • CafeTran Bilingual - CafeTran external view
3. Select source and target languages when prompted
4. Your document appears in the translation grid

Note

If you’re working with memoQ/Trados/Phrase/CafeTran, always choose the matching import option so tags and statuses round-trip correctly.

Step 3: Navigate the Grid

The translation grid has 5 columns:

Column	Description
#	Segment number
Type	Segment type (¶, heading, list item, …)
Source	Original text (read-only)
Target	Your translation (editable)
Status	Translation status indicator

Basic Navigation

Action	Shortcut
Next segment	Enter or ↓ (at end of cell)
Previous segment	↑ (at start of cell)
Go to segment	Ctrl+G

Most navigation is designed to feel memoQ-like: arrow keys move within a cell, and at the top/bottom line they can jump between segments.

Step 4: Translate a Segment

Manual Translation

1. Click in the Target cell
2. Type your translation
3. Confirm the segment (confirmed statuses matter when exporting back to CAT tools)

AI Translation

1. Select a segment
2. Use the Translate action (single segment; Ctrl+T) or Batch Translate (multiple segments)
3. Review and edit if needed
4. Confirm the segment when you’re happy

Note

If AI translation isn’t available yet, double-check provider setup in Setting Up API Keys.

Step 5: Save Your Project

1. Press Ctrl+S or go to Project → Save
2. Choose a location and filename
3. Projects are saved as .svproj files

Step 6: Export Your Translation

1. Go to Project → Export
2. Choose the appropriate format:
   • DOCX - Translated Word document
   • Bilingual Table - Side-by-side source/target
   • Return Package - For CAT tool workflows

Caution

For CAT tool workflows, always export the matching return format (for example, SDLRPX for Trados return packages) to preserve tags and statuses.

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What’s Next?

Recommended next steps

• Setting Up API Keys – enable AI translation
• Installation – verify dependencies and optional components
• CAT Tool Integration – memoQ/Trados/Phrase/CafeTran workflows
• Keyboard Shortcuts – faster editing and navigation

Set up AI Translation	Configure API keys →
Learn Keyboard Shortcuts	View all shortcuts →
Work with CAT Tools	CAT tool integration →