Are you submitting a file for our Human service? Excellent! Here's everything you need to know.

Languages and translation pairings

See this article for an overview of all the languages we offer for transcription and captions, and the translation pairings we offer for subtitles.

Services

Familiarise yourself with the different services that we offer:

Transcription: Audio converted to text format. This text does not appear on the video itself and is written in paragraphs. You can choose to convert your transcript to subtitles yourself using the button within the transcription file on our platform. Example: transcribing a classroom discussion.
Translated transcription: A transcript translated into a different language from the audio or video. Example: a legal recording that needs interpretation in a foreign language.
- You will receive a translation of exactly the same content that was in the source transcript, appearing side by side and mostly in the same paragraphs.
- (Video transcripts) we do not include on-screen text unless this is specifically requested and agreed upon prior to upload.
Captions (same-language subtitles): Video with audio converted to text format, appearing on the video itself. The text syncs with the audio's timing and is presented in a maximum of two lines (unless otherwise requested), without significantly disturbing the viewing experience. Example: adding subtitles to an e-learning course on marketing.
Foreign language subtitles: Subtitles translated into a language different from the video's audio. Example: English subtitles for a Japanese-language documentary.
- Please note that we first caption your audio in its original language before we translate the captions into your target language. If you order a translation without requesting a proofread source, we will fail it (this should not be possible to begin with).
- You will receive translated subtitles for all the audio that is spoken in the specified source language, as well as translated subtitles for all on-screen text (OST) that is written in the source language. Any audio in the target language does not need translation and is therefore not captioned; nor is on-screen text.

Style and formatting

Happy Scribe's transcripts and subtitles should strike the perfect balance between readability and accuracy.

Default service level

We employ the following principles by default.

What	Explanation
Transcription of spoken audio	We transcribe spoken audio. We transcribe what is said, even if there are embedded subtitles on screen that say something different. We do not add any context regarding the speaker or the way the audio is spoken, nor do we capture sounds. This way we improve the readability of all transcripts and captions.
Clean-read or verbatim	By default, transcribe the spoken audio in a clean-read format, which means we filter out unnecessary filler words, false starts, stutters, and unintended repetitions. We also correct pronunciation mistakes to keep transcripts and captions legible. This enhances the clarity and flow of our transcripts.
Capturing speech word for word	It remains essential to capture the speaker's character and intentions as accurately as possible. We do not correct grammar mistakes made by speakers, nor do we paraphrase any speech. In this way, we can ensure the faithful representation of any speakers.
All comprehensible speech captioned	We only caption words and sentences that are understandable. If our linguists are uncertain about certain parts, they use [inaudible] or [crosstalk] tags. This helps to maintain accuracy.
Subtitle specifics (format)	We aim for our subtitles to be as legible as possible. Our linguists adhere to the following rules, in order of prioritisation: Logical sentence breaks between the top and bottom line and between capsules. Maximum characters per line (CPL) length of 42, after which a second line or next capsule will follow. Pyramid distribution: bottom line should exceed top line where possible. Maximum characters per second (CPS) duration of 20.
Subtitle specifics (timing)	Timing should coincide with the on and offset of captionable speech. All of our subtitles have a minimum duration of 1 second and a maximum duration of 7 seconds. All of our subtitles are separated by a minimum gap of 2 frames to comply with visibility standards. All of our subtitles are timed to shot changes to improve visibility.
On-screen text	We do not subtitle on-screen text, not even if it is nearly identical with speech (we subtitle the speech instead). However, we do translate it. For subtitling same-language OST, please reach out to hi@happyscribe.com.

Custom services and style preferences

Every user has the ability to create a style guide and attach it to their file. Style guides offer new services as well as more control over the technical specifics of your transcription, subtitles or translation.

Extra services offered by style guides:

Verbatim (transcription)	Keeps in filler words, stutters, false starts, and repetitions. Also provides descriptions of speaker's non-verbal sounds. Suitable for legal, medical and other research-based transcripts.
SDH (subtitles)	Includes sound descriptors (called atmospherics), speaker tags and lyrics. Subtitles suitable for d/Deaf and hard of hearing people. Also known as Closed Captions (CC).

Customisations made possible by style guides:

Correcting grammar	When ticked, speakers' grammar mistakes will be corrected.
Notation tags	Exclude certain or all notation tags, i.e. [inaudible], [crosstalk], [song] or [foreign language. Excluding these tags may change the fluidity of your transcript or subtitles.
Speaker tags (transcription)	Choose how to identify speakers.
Custom presets (subtitles)	Change the CPS, CPL, min./max. duration of your subtitles, as well as the frame gap and shot change presets.

Any of these requests have to be added to your style guide and cannot be made in any other way. It is also important to note that custom subtitle presets may sometimes prove difficult to follow (e.g. low CPS when speakers are talking fast). We are putting in our best effort to accommodate all your specifications.

Punctuation and word formatting

For all matters above and for punctuation and word formatting, we ask all our linguists to closely follow our Happy Scribe guidelines, unless otherwise specified by the customer.

Limits to transcribable content

We unfortunately cannot transcribe the following content:

Type of file	Explanation
Multilingual files	We transcribe only the requested language(s). If an audio file contains multiple languages, we transcribe the requested language and label the remaining segments in other languages as [foreign language]. This can improve accuracy, as our linguists may not be fluent in those foreign languages. However, if you require transcription for each language in your file, please contact us at sales@happyscribe.com, and we will try our best to accommodate your request.
Inappropriate content	Our freelancers unfortunately cannot transcribe the following content: Adult content. Content that promotes abuse, harassment or any forms of serious violence. Content promoting highly illegal behaviour. If you are unsure whether your content falls within these categories, feel free to reach out to hi@happyscribe.com.
Unworkable files	We cannot transcribe files with less than 20% transcribable, spoken, and understandable audio in the correct language. Unworkable files include those with over: 80% song. 80% inaudible speech, or no speech at all. 80% in a foreign language.

Language flavour

Please specify the language as well as its flavour (regional variation or dialect) for the transcript or subtitles, such as Dutch (Belgium) or Spanish (Mexico). Your transcript will be returned to you according to the flavour of the audio. If you notice this is not the case, please feel free to reach out to us at hi@happyscribe.com.

Translation

We also offer specific flavours for translation into:

English (United States or UK)
Spanish (Latin America or Spain)
- Note: for the second person singular, we use tú as a standard for es-ES translations and usted as a standard for es-LATAM translations.
Portuguese (Brazil or Portugal)

This helps our freelancers use the correct spelling, vocabulary and formatting rules. If your preferred dialect is not listed, you may make a special request through hi@happyscribe.com.

No flavour specified

If you select any language followed by (multiple accents) or if the language you select on the platform is somehow missing its flavour notation (e.g. it just says "es" instead of "es-LATAM"), we ask our linguists to stick to what we label the default version.

Without a flavour specification:

English will be British English 🇬🇧.
Spanish will be Spanish from Spain 🇪🇸.
French will be French from France 🇫🇷.
German will be German from Germany 🇩🇪.
Portuguese will be Portuguese from Portugal 🇵🇹.
Dutch will be Dutch from the Netherlands 🇳🇱.
Mandarin will be simplified Mandarin from mainland China 🇨🇳.
Arabic will be Standard Arabic 🇸🇦.

Turnaround time

When you place an order, you will receive an estimated turnaround time for your file. However, external factors such as language or translation requested, file difficulty, length, and upload time may affect the actual delivery time. We strive to deliver your file within the claimed timeframe and always provide a predicted delivery time as well as any updates as soon as this time has changed. If you're under time constraints, please notify hi@happyscribe.com so we can set expectations and try to meet your deadline. In case of significant delays, we will proactively reach out to you.

Is there anything unclear from this article or do you have further questions about the type of content we can subtitle and transcribe for you? Do not hesitate to reach out to hi@happyscribe.com.