| Pages in topic: [1 2] > | Setting up as freelance translator in the Netherlands, then moving to France in a few years Thread poster: Frederique Meerburg
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Dear fellow translators and language specialists,
Happy Translation Day to you all! 😊
Though I didn't specifically plan it that way, today I have my appointment with the KVK (Chamber of Commerce in the Netherlands) to start my freelance business as a translator, so I hope this is a good sign.
A little introduction: I was born in the Netherlands but moved to French-speaking Switzerland at the age of 4 (my dad was a diplomat) and entered the local educatio... See more Dear fellow translators and language specialists,
Happy Translation Day to you all! 😊
Though I didn't specifically plan it that way, today I have my appointment with the KVK (Chamber of Commerce in the Netherlands) to start my freelance business as a translator, so I hope this is a good sign.
A little introduction: I was born in the Netherlands but moved to French-speaking Switzerland at the age of 4 (my dad was a diplomat) and entered the local education system. Though we spoke Dutch at home, French became my mother tongue. In middle school, I have been subjected to more dictées than you can shake a stick at and read Hugo, Maupassant, Baudelaire, Sartre, etc.. As a voracious reader from an early age, I also read big parts of my dad´s library: books about history, politics, disarmament, Artic exploration, as well as much fiction, much of it in English.
In the last two years in high school, I switched to English to pass my Internation Baccalaureate in that language. Then I moved to California and did my BFA and MFA in Fine Arts there. I stayed in the USA for 12 years, working at technical jobs as a bronze caster, carpenter, forklift mechanic, welder, and such. Unusual for a woman I suppose, but California was open-minded enough to see plenty of women in those roles. During these years, I became complety fluent in English and consider this language my second mother tongue, and it is the language I think in.
In 2002, excited about the creation of the European Union and wishing to be nearer to my family, I moved to Barcelona and lived there for 12 years. Here I learned to speak Spanish and Catalan and had a great variety of jobs including ice cream vendor, telemarketer, translator, head of maintenance at a sailing/windsurf school, guest house manager, and more.
In 2014 I moved to France and bought a house in the Dordogne, where I started a carpentry/furniture-making business with my ex. After breaking up, my ex took the woodworking machines, I kept the house. My dad died around this time, and to support my handicapped mom's wish to remain in her own house in the Netherlands, I moved back to my country of origin after several decades abroad, leaving a caretaker in my house in France. My Dutch had gotten pretty rusty during that time.
I got a job with a technical website specializing in car paint and car body products that wanted to break into the French market. So I translated the entire site and many products: the French site went live and became rather successful within a few years, despite (or maybe because of) COVID. I bought my desktop with two screens in January 2020 and have worked from home during the pandemic. I also started doing the English translations of the products. During this time, my mom's health worsened. My employer has been setting up a new building and insisted that I quit working at home and come full-time to the new office. Though excited for them and their growing business, I did not want to commute two and a half hours a day and leave my mom alone, so I decided to give notice and we parted on good terms.
I took a few months off and took some Microsoft Office classes and applied for several remote jobs. Alas, my CV is, I suspect, too weird for most Dutch employers, and after a string of rejections, I decided to become a freelance translator, which would allow me to work and keep an eye on my mom all day.
Though I have now 3-4 years of experience as a NL-FR and NL-EN translator of technical products and many years of working in technical jobs in a variety of countries and languages, I have no translation degrees or education. I have been thinking about taking classes at the Alliance Française in The Hague and taking the DELF/DALF exams. Would this be a good idea? I did a level test with them and they said I was C1 level and spoke almost without an accent. I also do exercises on the Projet Voltaire site, which I like a lot.
I love tools and machines, and would be interested in doing technical translations (product descriptions, manuals) but have also a great interest in architecture, ecological building, autonomous/regenerative systems (such as solar power, rainwater reuse, bicycles), and rewilding projects.
In a few years from now, when my mom passes, I will move back to France and was wondering how difficult it would be to move my business and become a ¨traducteur autonome¨ there. I am already familiar with French bureaucracy! 😅
I am still trying to learn the translation terminology and have been preparing my ProZ profile, logo, and website, which hopefully will go live the next week. I have been thinking about using the ProZ invoicing system, would that make my transition from NL to FR easier later on?
I would gladly accept tips, advice, and criticisms from you all, and wish you a fabulous Translation Day 😉 ▲ Collapse
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Many of us have no degree in translation (mine is in economics), what really counts in this profession is experience and language skills, which you seem to have in abundance, so go ahead and take the plunge. Good luck with everything!
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I am a German and French > English translator, specializing in business/finance and legal translation and I currently reside in France. I have a UK translation and interpreting degree and I worked in the translation industry in Germany for 15 years on both the LSP side and the client side prior to moving and ended up building up my network there.
I set up my business as an "autoentrepreneur" here in France when we moved here five years ago from Germany. This is the easiest legal fo... See more I am a German and French > English translator, specializing in business/finance and legal translation and I currently reside in France. I have a UK translation and interpreting degree and I worked in the translation industry in Germany for 15 years on both the LSP side and the client side prior to moving and ended up building up my network there.
I set up my business as an "autoentrepreneur" here in France when we moved here five years ago from Germany. This is the easiest legal form to set up but there are disadvantages compared to other forms (pensions being one of them). Social security contributions are around 22.4% at the time of writing (09/2022) and obviously your tax rate depends on income, so it goes without saying that you have to do the maths and see if it makes sense for you. The profession is not protected here either and you will probably find that a translation qualification as such is not required but you may nevertheless choose to obtain one for a variety of reasons. You can find out more on the official website here: https://www.autoentrepreneur.urssaf.fr/portail/accueil.html
Translation is undervalued in France and you may well find that the average rate for your language combination is lower than in the Netherlands. However, you could keep your NL clients and continue working with them from here in France.
DELF/DALF would definitely be a good idea if you wish to improve your knowledge of French with a view to employment in France outside of the language services industry as many employers like B1+. I have heard great things about l'Académie française and that it is well worth the price.
If you wish to demonstrate your knowledge of French for your translation career and your translation skills and you intend to remain a freelancer, you might want to look at the CIOL qualifications (https://www.ciol.org.uk/) instead, especially if you are working with English. It seems like this type of course/qualification might suit you and your future plans better.
For business tips, advice and questions regarding self-employment in France, join the group "Ladies in Business in France" on Facebook. It is a very useful group.
Good luck! ▲ Collapse
| | | | Samuel Murray 
Netherlands
Local time: 08:41
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
+ ...
Frederique Meerburg wrote:
Though I have now 3-4 years of experience as a NL-FR and NL-EN translator of technical products and many years of working in technical jobs in a variety of countries and languages, I have no translation degrees or education.
It's good for a translator to have some translator training. However, it is important to realize that the translator training is meant to benefit you, and not clients. As a ZZP'er you're going to be working with many foreign clients and agencies who either don't care about translator qualifications or have their own prejudices about it. So find a translator course or courses that will add value for you. You can also try to educate yourself by reading some books about translation as a subject and books about being a freelance translator.
In a few years from now,... I will move back to France and was wondering how difficult it would be to move my business...
Your clients won't care or even notice if you've moved to another country (especially if it's also in the EU). It will have tax implications for you, so you need to consult with a tax adviser or hope that colleagues can steer you in the right direction.
I have been thinking about using the ProZ invoicing system, would that make my transition from NL to FR easier later on?
No, I don't think so. The way you need to keep records would be similar in both countries, but ultimately the way you submit your tax returns will be different. So use whichever invoicing system (including just a spreadsheet) you find comfortable.
Read the tax authorities' handbook for new businesses:
https://www.belastingdienst.nl/wps/wcm/connect/bldcontentnl/themaoverstijgend/brochures_en_publicaties/handboek_ondernemen
Remember, for Dutch clients, you have to charge VAT; for other EU clients, you have to charge no VAT and put "VAT shifted" on the invoice (and submit a separate "Intracommunautaire prestaties" tax return every three months in addition to your normal VAT return); and for non-EU clients you have to charge no VAT. Your 3-monthly VAT returns should reflect only invoices where you charged VAT or shifted the VAT. As a non-salaried person you're going to have to pay provisional tax, so make sure you have enough cash flow to do that next year.
[Edited at 2022-09-30 15:20 GMT]
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OK, so you haven't had any training as a translater. I'm sure you are not alone in this. Many people who regard themselves as bilingual and good at languages (however this might be defined) start out translating without any paper qualifications.
I myself have only ever translated as a sideline and never had to earn my living from it. The only translating training I had was when doing my MA in French and German (back in the 1970s). Here we learnt to translate a chunk of obscure literary pr... See more OK, so you haven't had any training as a translater. I'm sure you are not alone in this. Many people who regard themselves as bilingual and good at languages (however this might be defined) start out translating without any paper qualifications.
I myself have only ever translated as a sideline and never had to earn my living from it. The only translating training I had was when doing my MA in French and German (back in the 1970s). Here we learnt to translate a chunk of obscure literary prose into the equivalent in the other language. The longer we took over this, the better the result! I remember the only "help" I had for that was the 20 volume English Dictionary in the faculty library which at least led to a large mother tongue vocabulary.
The first commercial translation I had to do was as a favour for a friend - it was the sales brochure for a manufacturer of funeral equipment and I soon realised that this was a different kettle of fish to those bits of select prose at university. But now, many decades of "learning by doing" later I have a few clients who entrust me with quite important stuff, so I consider myself as "established". I even have 730 KudoZ points!
You are already much better equipped that I ever was - all those hands-on jobs where you learnt technical vacabulary, translating web sites, plus becoming bi- or even trilingual. I bet you know a lot more about the "business" side of things that I did for the first 30 years or so until I had ProZ forums to help me.
My advice is to try and get translating assignments jobs directly from companies who produce the kind of goods you know a lot about, irrespective of where these companies are based. Agencies might see your lack of translating qualifications as an excuse to fob you off with low rates. You appear to have a go-getting personality, so just get going! Good luck! ▲ Collapse
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Adding to what I said: thanks to the EU, we have the right to move to another Member State in order to practice an employment or an activity. I moved back from Belgium to Portugal 6 years ago and it had no impact whatsoever on my customers. Of course, I had to adapt: different VAT rates (21% in Belgium, 23% in Portugal) and I had to deal with more paperwork and bureaucracy when it comes to taxes and accounting (though things in Portugal have improved hugely during the 40 years I lived in Belgium... See more Adding to what I said: thanks to the EU, we have the right to move to another Member State in order to practice an employment or an activity. I moved back from Belgium to Portugal 6 years ago and it had no impact whatsoever on my customers. Of course, I had to adapt: different VAT rates (21% in Belgium, 23% in Portugal) and I had to deal with more paperwork and bureaucracy when it comes to taxes and accounting (though things in Portugal have improved hugely during the 40 years I lived in Belgium).
[Edited at 2022-10-01 12:44 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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Double post...
[Edited at 2022-10-01 12:44 GMT]
| | | | Frederique Meerburg
Netherlands
Local time: 08:41
Member (2022)
Dutch to French
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | Thanks everyone for your input! | Oct 2, 2022 |
Hello Diana, Samuel, Teresa, Sabinah,
thank you very much for your responses and tips. I talked to the Alliance Française and I will try to take a class in the next cycle (January) and then go for the DELF exam. Will also check out the CIOL, thanks.
I went down to the Kamer van Koophandel on Friday and set up the business manually as their computer system was down, so hopefully tomorrow I will get the KVK nº so I can set up the bank account, the new domain name/hostin... See more Hello Diana, Samuel, Teresa, Sabinah,
thank you very much for your responses and tips. I talked to the Alliance Française and I will try to take a class in the next cycle (January) and then go for the DELF exam. Will also check out the CIOL, thanks.
I went down to the Kamer van Koophandel on Friday and set up the business manually as their computer system was down, so hopefully tomorrow I will get the KVK nº so I can set up the bank account, the new domain name/hosting, and the website. I´ll get the VAT or BTW nº probably friday. The logo is well on it´s way and I must probably register it somewhere when it´s done.
My sister (who has also her own business in the Netherlands) recommended the KNAB bank and Yourhosting for the domain/website, but willing to check out other options.
For CAT tools, I have been using WordFast Anywhere (the free version) for many years now, but have been thinking about checking out some of the other ones.
It´s gonny be a busy week... on y va! 😉 ▲ Collapse
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Kay Denney
France
Local time: 08:41
French to English
Definitely go for it! You have oodles of different areas of expertise, which is important for clients. They like it when you tell them about your personal experience in their line of business, it's something that really boosts their confidence in you.
I don't know about the Netherlands but I can confirm that the autoentrepreneur status is great for those starting out in translation: you simply pay the 22.50% at the end of the month (and the website sends you a reminder if you forget), and... See more Definitely go for it! You have oodles of different areas of expertise, which is important for clients. They like it when you tell them about your personal experience in their line of business, it's something that really boosts their confidence in you.
I don't know about the Netherlands but I can confirm that the autoentrepreneur status is great for those starting out in translation: you simply pay the 22.50% at the end of the month (and the website sends you a reminder if you forget), and the rest is for you. We are exempt from VAT, so billing is very easy, and you don't even need a professional account: all my payments go into my ordinary bank account. In a country that delights in administrative complexity, this status is truly original as a masterpiece of simplicity.
There is a ceiling to the amount you can earn (equivalent to around €3,000 a month). If you exceed the ceiling two years running you have to choose a different status, which will be more complicated, but the chances are that you won't be in a position to have to change in your first year in France. ▲ Collapse
| | | | lumierre
Local time: 08:41
Member (2013)
German to English
+ ...
| just moved to france | Oct 3, 2022 |
I just moved from germany to france and, despite my preparations, had to do with a six month wait period before being able to start my business again, as all depends on social security number, and there is a 3 months waiting time before applying and then a 2 or more months waiting time until provisional number issued and then 1 month more to create the autoentrepreneur business...
| | | | Kay Denney
France
Local time: 08:41
French to English
.
[Edited at 2022-10-03 06:31 GMT]
| | | | Kay Denney
France
Local time: 08:41
French to English
lumierre wrote:
I just moved from germany to france and, despite my preparations, had to do with a six month wait period before being able to start my business again, as all depends on social security number, and there is a 3 months waiting time before applying and then a 2 or more months waiting time until provisional number issued and then 1 month more to create the autoentrepreneur business...
I'm sorry that happened to you.
Not that anyone will tell you to do so in an official capacity, but you can actually start your business straightaway without declaring anything. Then once you have your social security number, you can back-date the start of your business and declare all previous earnings. I didn't declare my business for several months, but I was able to back-date the start and declare income even for December of the previous year. I did need to make an appointment with Urssaf to explain my situation, but it wasn't at all a problem. They know that it takes time to set stuff up and they also understand you need to earn your living.
(This is the kind of thing that we Brits and Germans have trouble with at first: for us, rules are rules. In France, rules are made to be bent.)
If you don't like the idea of bending the rules, it would surely be possible to continue using whatever setup you had in the country you were living in before, as if you were simply on a prolonged holiday in France, then wind that business up once you have everything sorted in France?
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Frederique Meerburg
Netherlands
Local time: 08:41
Member (2022)
Dutch to French
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Hey lumierre, sorry to hear the transition from Germany to France took a while to set up. I know that French bureaucracy is a bit overwhelming, but I must say it has massively improved since gouv.fr has started to make just about everything available online. Now you just have to find your way! I remember setting up my carpentry business at the time in about 2 months. I had to go for a week´s class in de Chambre de métiers and set up another bank account. I used debitoor at the time for invoici... See more Hey lumierre, sorry to hear the transition from Germany to France took a while to set up. I know that French bureaucracy is a bit overwhelming, but I must say it has massively improved since gouv.fr has started to make just about everything available online. Now you just have to find your way! I remember setting up my carpentry business at the time in about 2 months. I had to go for a week´s class in de Chambre de métiers and set up another bank account. I used debitoor at the time for invoicing.
Kay, that´s really interesting about the possibility of backdating, good to know! ▲ Collapse
| | | | Frederique Meerburg
Netherlands
Local time: 08:41
Member (2022)
Dutch to French
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | I have my KVK nº but still looking for banks as KNAB needs a new smartphone | Oct 3, 2022 |
I received my KVK nº but could not open up a bank account with KNAB as they require their banking app to be run on a newish smartphone, and my old iPhone isn´t cutting it. I called KNAB and asked them if I can´t bank by desktop and sms, but no, not possible withou app on new phone!
So now I am studying the alternatives.
Wasn´t able to download the Wise app either so that one´s out as well.
After some online comparisons and being able to download the relevant apps I... See more I received my KVK nº but could not open up a bank account with KNAB as they require their banking app to be run on a newish smartphone, and my old iPhone isn´t cutting it. I called KNAB and asked them if I can´t bank by desktop and sms, but no, not possible withou app on new phone!
So now I am studying the alternatives.
Wasn´t able to download the Wise app either so that one´s out as well.
After some online comparisons and being able to download the relevant apps I am looking at the following business accounts:
ASN
bunq
N26
Holvi
Does anyone use these banks and if so what is your experience? Thank you 😊 ▲ Collapse
| | | | Samuel Murray
Netherlands
Local time: 08:41
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
+ ...
Frederique Meerburg wrote:
I received my KVK nº but could not open up a bank account with KNAB...
Is there a reason why you don't just use one of the established banks, e.g. Rabobank? AFAIK you need to get a business account, but why not just get a business account at your current Dutch bank?
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