What it is
International Translation Day is observed on 30 September, the feast day of St Jerome, who is traditionally seen as the patron saint of translators. The date is celebrated by translators' associations and the United Nations has also recognised it.
For agencies, educators and B2B brands it is a day to thank translators and interpreters and to remind clients that good translation is craft, not a word-for-word swap.
Symbols: A dictionary, two speech bubbles in different languages, a headset, a bookmark
Emoji: 🌐 📖 🗣️ ✍️ 🤝 💬
Colours: Deep blue, ivory, teal
Hashtags: #TranslationDay #InternationalTranslationDay #Translators #Localization #Interpreters
What to aim for
- Show the human craft behind translation and build trust in your team
- Educate clients on what makes a translation good
- Reach B2B buyers who need multilingual content
Post ideas by format
Post
- A thank-you to translators and interpreters who helped on your projects, with one example of a tricky phrase
- “Why we never use word-for-word translation”: one clear example
Carousel
- “5 things to prepare before ordering a translation”: one slide each
- “Translation or localisation?”: a short comparison across four slides
Reel / short video
- Hook: “This phrase cannot be translated word for word.” The translator explains two options in 20 seconds
- A day in the life of an interpreter in five cuts
Stories
- A quiz: guess the meaning of an idiom from another language
- A question sticker: “Ask a translator anything”
Ready-made post examples
Layouts we wrote as examples. Replace the details with your own business before you publish.
On International Translation Day we want to thank translators and interpreters who work between languages every day. Their job is not to swap words but to carry meaning, tone and sense of humour. Behind every clear instruction in a foreign language there is a person who made a hard choice. Who is the translator or interpreter you would like to thank today?
Happy International Translation Day. Here is a game: an idiom from another language that cannot be translated word for word. Swipe to see the literal version, then guess what it really means. The best answers will get a shoutout in Stories. Tell us in the comments about a phrase in your language that is hard to translate.
When a product enters a new country, the translation is only the first step. Dates, currencies, tone and examples need to feel natural to local users. A good translator knows when to adapt rather than copy. On International Translation Day we thank the translators we work with. If you plan to enter a new market, send us your questions and we will share our checklist.
Meme and trend formats that fit
- Lost in translation. Two panels: the literal translation of a phrase versus the intended meaning. Use harmless examples that you wrote yourself and never mock a specific language or person.
- What the client sees vs what the translator does. A light comparison of the simple-looking request and the real work behind it. Keep it appreciative so it reads as respect for the craft.
What to avoid
- Do not use bad machine translations of real clients or brands as a joke
- Do not promise instant, perfect translation for any language and any topic
- Avoid disparaging any language or its speakers
When to post
- Prepare a week ahead and ask your translators for one favourite tricky phrase
- Publish in the morning of 30 September
- The day after, share the best guesses and thank the community for taking part
What to check afterwards
- Comments and guesses in the quiz
- Saves of the checklist carousel
- Quote requests or messages from B2B accounts
Add one line about your business: the free generator gives three captions with hashtags for the network you choose. No sign-up.
Around the same days
- September Equinox
- World Pharmacists Day
- European Day of Languages
- Preschool Educators’ Day (Russia)
- World Tourism Day
- National Coffee Day (US)
- World Heart Day
- Internet Day (Russia)
- Breast Cancer Awareness Month
- International Coffee Day
- International Day of Older Persons
- World Smile Day
- World Vegetarian Day
- Teachers’ Day (Kazakhstan)
- World Animal Day
- Teachers’ Day