Translate a JSON file
Drop a .json file. String values are translated; keys, numbers, booleans and structure are left exactly as they were.
Don't upload confidential documents on the free tier. Why?
Apps and websites often keep their interface text in JSON files, one per language. Translating them by hand means copying hundreds of strings while taking care not to touch a single key, bracket or comma. DropTranslate parses the file, translates only the string values and writes valid JSON back with the same keys in the same order. Your code keeps looking up the same keys, and you get a new language file to drop next to the original.
How it works
Drop the .json
We parse the file, count the words in string values and show the credit cost. Invalid JSON is rejected with a clear message and no charge.
Pick the language
Choose the target language for the new locale file.
Download the .json
Save it as your new locale file, for example es.json.
What changes, what stays
Translated
- String values
Kept as-is
- Keys and nesting
- Numbers, booleans and null values
- The order of keys
Layout: Exact: structure kept
The output is valid JSON with exactly the same keys and structure as your input.
- Placeholders such as {name}, {{count}} or %s should stay unchanged, and the model is instructed to keep them. Search the output for them before you ship, because a broken placeholder breaks the string at runtime.
- Plural rules differ between languages (some have more than two plural forms). If your i18n library uses plural keys, check that the target language has the forms it needs.
- Every string value is translated, including technical values. If the file mixes UI text with values like IDs or colour codes, split them out first.
Tips
- Translate the source-language file (usually en.json), not one that is already translated.
- Very short strings such as button labels can be ambiguous. Have a native speaker check them in the running app.
Not a certified translation
Machine translation, not a certified or sworn translation. If your document goes to an authority, check what it requires first.
Certified, sworn or machine translation: which one do you need?
Questions
Are keys translated?
No. Only string values are translated. Keys, nesting and key order stay exactly the same, so your code keeps working.
What about placeholders like {name}?
The model is instructed to keep them unchanged, and it usually does. Always search the output for your placeholders before shipping, because a changed placeholder causes errors at runtime.
How are credits counted?
By words in string values: one credit per 500 words. Keys and numbers don't count.