How to translate a Dutch PDF to English

Dutch documents people translate most

Dutch paperwork reaches English readers through work, study and family. Typical files:

• Municipal records: an uittreksel from the BRP, the personal records database, or a birth or marriage certificate from the gemeente.
• Education: a diploma and its cijferlijst (grade list), or a transcript from a Dutch or Flemish university.
• Money and work: a loonstrook (payslip), a jaaropgaaf, a letter from the Belastingdienst or a bank statement.
• Housing and business: a huurcontract (lease) or an extract from the KvK, the chamber of commerce register.

Belgian documents in Dutch work the same way. LoreAI detects Dutch from the text, whether the file comes from Amsterdam or Antwerp.

Do you need a translation at all?

For civil records, check this first. A Dutch municipality can issue an international extract of a birth certificate, which includes explanations in 10 languages, English among them[1]. The Hague charges €17.80 plus postage and sends it within 5 weeks[1]. If the office that receives your papers accepts that extract, you may not need a translation.

For a contract, a payslip or a letter there is no such form, and a translation is the way to read it.

How Dutch names, grades and amounts come through

Names with van, de and ter

Kept as written. Pieter van der Berg stays Pieter van der Berg, with the lowercase prefix

IJ and accents

Kept. IJsselstein keeps its capital IJ, and Daniëlle keeps its diaeresis

Dates

Written dates such as 12 maart 2024 become 12 March 2024. Dates in figures keep their day-first order

Amounts

Kept as printed. 1.250,00 keeps its period and decimal comma

Grades

Kept on the Dutch scale. A 7,5 stays 7,5, on a scale where 10 is the top mark

Tables

A cijferlijst or a loonstrook comes back as a Word table, row for row

How to translate a Dutch PDF with LoreAI

1. Pick the file. A PDF from MijnOverheid or a bank portal works, and so does a scan or a phone photo of a paper letter.
2. Type your email at the top of this page. The 6-digit code we send opens LoreAI. Your first document is free, up to 3 pages and 3 MB.
3. Choose English as the target. Dutch is detected automatically.
4. Download the Word file. Headings, tables and stamps follow the order of the Dutch page, ready to edit or forward.

For scans in general, see the scanned PDF guide. The PDF translator covers every other language pair.

Dutch records for USCIS

USCIS accepts a Dutch document with a full English translation that the translator certifies as complete and accurate, plus a statement that the translator is competent in Dutch and English[2]. LoreAI is not a certified translation service. A Dutch speaker reviews the Word file and signs the certification, as explained in how to get a certified translation.

Questions people ask