Before starting a freelance job as a translator, what are the questions you ask your customer about in order to give a completion date?

As a freelance translator, the most important questions that should be asked before accepting any translation job are: Type of document to be translated, number of pages and the due date. 

Normally, a freelance translator needs an answer to three major questions when dealing with a potential client.

First, what is the nature of the job at hand?

Second, what is the volume/size of the same Job?

Third, when does the client need the job finished?

By having answers to the first question, a freelancer will be able to specify the price range and the difficulty of the material she/he is dealing with.

Having an answer to the second one, however, gives the translator a glimpse on when s/he will be able to deliver their services.

The third question is considerably left to the choice of the client, i.e. a client might have a deadline earlier than that proposed by a translator, in which case a translator might will need to adjust her/his quote to the new requirements. An increase in price per word or other specifications might be negotiable.

Hope that answers the question and be helpful to somebody.

Regards,

Amr J. Al-Halaby

Arabic <> English Translator

Freelance translator should ask about the following questions:

First, What is the field of documents to be translated?

Second, what is the number of pages and words in each?

Third, what is the deadline for the job?

As a freelance translator, you have ask him information about type translation he want and how he want , and date for give him the translation 

and step two know information about your customer for can help him have good translation

First of All i will ask the Client about the deadline for the Delivery of the work,then i will adapt the job with my time. 

Nature of the job

Volume - Word count

Deadline

In such case, a freelance translator should have answers for the following questions:

First, What is the field of documents to be translated?

Second, what is the number of pages?

Third, what is the deadline for the job? 

I hope this answer will be useful.

Best regards.

The Customer knows the due date. You ask what it is, then if you divide the number of pages to be translated by your daily Rate of Pages you can do, you should know whether or not you can complete the task by the due date. I hope it helps,

In my opinion, it's better to see the document/documents first. Then, you determine time&fees

If thre is some more to be given by the customer or NOT. In case of URGENT translation, the

charges may be doubled. But always there must be an advance payment say 50% for instance.

I hope I have given a useful answer.

Kind regards.

Every translator has own favorite topics, like a duck takes to water. And the next question I believe to be asked is the topic of a text, a deadline, a payment rate and so on.

I would say the type of the text, its language and target translation language and the length