You've read the Test Instructions, Test Expectations and Style Guide and you're ready to take your first test? Follow the instructions below to get started!
Selecting your language pair
Go to the test page, select your language pair from the drop down menu, and click Show tests.
Please note that we expect our translators to be native speakers of their target language. If this is not the case, please refrain from taking a test where you're not a native speaker of the target language, even if you have studied it for many years.
Can't find your test? See why here.
When you click Show tests, your test page will refresh and your test options will appear below. In this case, I've selected Italian to Dutch.
The Pre-test
Before you can take the Standard or Pro tests, the pre-test is the first step you need to clear.
Start:
Click on the "Start" button to begin the pre-test.
Test Format:
The pre-test consists of 5 multiple-choice questions. Choose the answer that most accurately translates the question text. You need to pay special attention to detail. All the wrong answers contain either spelling errors, obvious mistranslations or omissions.
Results:
After you finish, you will immediately receive your result. You must answer at least 4 out of 5 answers correctly to pass.
- If you get 5/5 correct answers, you may take the Standard or Pro level test.
- If you get 4 correct answers, you may take the Standard level test.
Retesting:
You will have three attempts to take this test, so if you didn't pass the first time, we encourage you to try again.
The translation test
To move on to the Standard or Pro translation test, go to your test page and scroll down to see your available options.
IMPORTANT: You don't need to choose your language pair again from the menus.
Test Format:
You will be asked to translate a source text of roughly 300 words.
There is no time limit and there is no 'save' feature, so we recommend you to save your translation offline.
If you need to close your browser and continue at a later time, you will be able to continue the test from the tests page by clicking "Start" again.
As long as you don't click Submit, it will not count as a test attempt.
As it's not possible to add any formatting to the tests (bold, italics, non-breaking spaces, etc.) this won't count against you.
Once you have finished and carefully reviewed your test translation, click the Submit button. A confirmation window will pop-up, click Ok.
Frequently Asked Questions
When will my test be reviewed?
- Tests are generally reviewed within 7 days. Each test is reviewed by one of our trained language specialists and some submissions may take longer to review depending on their content. If 14 days pass and you have not received your test results, please submit a request to support.
How do I check my test status?
- You can check the status of each of your tests on the Tests page. This page will show you which language pair tests you've started and which levels you've passed or failed.
How many times can I test, and how long do I need to wait?
- After you fail a test, you need to wait 72 hours (3 days) to be able to try again. You can test up to three times during a six-month period. If you fail the test three times, you'll need to wait six months to get another three chances.
- If your qualifications have been revoked, you must wait 30 days until you can take the test again. After 30 days have passed, you will be able to take the test up to three times during a six-month period.
Can I see the full test results?
- Sorry, no. To avoid potential sharing of correct/incorrect answers we do not allow test-takers to see their questions after completing the test. We understand this can be frustrating, however the validity of our tests is vital to us and our translator network.
May I share details of the test with others?
- No. Test answers are not to be shared with other test takers. We routinely change test questions and answers, and conduct automated online searches to find content from our tests.
I've been a professional translator for over 6 years, why didn't I pass the Standard test?
- A common reason why applicants may not pass their first Gengo test is failing to pay careful attention to some easy to miss rules of writing, and/or making errors that conflict with our Style Guides. For this reason, it's very important to read both of these from our Resources page. To learn how to pass the test and find out more about our error tolerance, please read our Test Expectations here.
I would like to dispute my test result
- Our test results are final and we're unable to reconsider our decision. If you still have any test attempts left, you are welcome to try again.
The system shows an error when I try to submit my written test
- Testing is turned on and off regularly to balance the demand from our customers with our available crowd, and ensure that no language pairs are over-crowded. There is a small chance that the test you are taking is turned off as you are submitting it. If that happens, please contact support and attach your test translation to your request. We will then process your test submission through the support team.
There are mistakes in the source text of my written test question. What should I do?
- The test is designed to mimic the kind of work submitted by our customers on the platform. It is very common to see imperfect source text, and handling these texts is part of your day-to-day as a translator. For the test, we recommend carefully considering the context of the question, researching possible solutions, while also looking through Gengo's resources, then use your best judgement to translate the text.
I can't see the test for my language pair or access is blocked. Why is that?
- Testing for this language pair is either temporary disabled or you have too many Standard qualifications and access is blocked. Please refer to this article for more information.
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