10+ Tips to Create the Best Prompts for Translators and Language Professionals

Discover 10+ powerful tips provided by industry experts to craft effective AI prompts and boost your productivity. Learn how to get better results from tools like ChatGPT with clear, actionable strategies.
Jun 18 / Alfonso González Bartolessis
Nowadays, mastering the art of prompt writing has become an essential skill.

Whether you're a translator, interpreter, project manager, localization manager, or any other role in the language industry, the right prompt can save hours of work, spark creativity, and unlock powerful results.

But what makes a good prompt truly effective?

To answer that, we turned to industry experts, seasoned professionals who use AI tools daily to streamline tasks and enhance productivity.

In this article, they share their top tips, techniques, and real-world insights to help you craft better prompts and get more done.

Whether you're just starting or looking to level up, these 10+ expert-backed tips will transform the way you interact with AI.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
  • 1.  A trial-and-error process by Andrés Romero Arcas
  • 2. Reviewing the output critically by Dorota Pawlak
  • 3. Don’t limit yourself to linguistic tasks by Ekaterina Chashnikova
  • 4. Simulate end-user comprehension by Almira Zainutdinova
  • 5.  Use a precise and detailed template for better results

1. A Trial-And-Error Process


First of all, we should consider prompting as a “trial-and-error process”.

This insight reflects a core reality of working with AI: it’s less like programming and more like having a conversation with an unpredictable but powerful collaborator.

Even well-structured prompts can yield unexpected or incomplete responses, and that’s not necessarily a failure, but part of the process. Over time, you’ll learn how small adjustments can dramatically improve results.

We’ve asked Andrés Romero Arcas, Language Technology Expert, Linguistic Engineer, and Machine Translation and AI Specialist at Acolad Group, about the best tips to craft a good-quality prompt, and that’s what he suggested:
“Be clear and detailed, clearly explaining any context.
Don't assume the LLM already knows what you are referring to.
Use the LLM itself to craft the instructions for better prompts.
And, remember, prompting is a trial-and-error process.
You’ll probably need to refine your prompt based on the LLM’s output to finally obtain the results you want.”

Language models interpret instructions based on patterns in data, not intent. So, even when your prompt seems clear to you, the model might interpret it differently.
That’s why reviewing the output critically is so important.

2. Reviewing the Output Critically

Talking about reviewing the output critically, that’s exactly what Dorota Pawlak, AI Trainer and Localization Consultant, highlighted as one of her top tips for crafting better prompts and boosting productivity.

Drawing from her hands-on experience, she shared a practical set of suggestions that go beyond just writing good prompts.

From being specific and including context to leveraging advanced techniques and customizing tools for repetitive tasks, her advice offers a comprehensive approach to working smarter with AI.
Here’s what she recommends:
1. Be super specific
Mention key elements such as role, task, and length.

2. Context and format output matter
Provide these elements in your prompt, too.

3. Learn advanced prompting techniques
It will let you go beyond the basic and use the full potential of LLMs. Some good resources include: "Prompt Engineering" by Google, "Prompting for Beginners" by Mark J. Baars, and "Prompt Engineering for LLMs" by J. Berryman and A. Ziegler.

4. Every LLM may act differently
Sometimes you will need to optimize your prompt for a different model. Also, try configuring your LLM settings before you start experimenting. For example, you may want to adjust values such as the token number or temperature.

5. Review the output critically
Never turn your critical mind off, challenge the responses, ask for clarifications, and check the facts outside of the LLM.

6. Create task-specific custom GPTs for repetitive tasks
In this way, you won't have to rewrite prompts every time you need help with similar projects. You can also easily share your custom GPT with your team members.
This last point highlights how AI can support linguists in far more than just linguistic or translation tasks: it can also streamline project workflows, automate repetitive administrative steps, and even facilitate collaboration across teams. By building custom GPTs tailored to specific needs, linguists can create efficient, reusable tools that handle everything from terminology checks to content structuring, freeing up time for more strategic or creative work.

3. Don’t Limit Yourself to Linguistic Tasks

When crafting a prompt, we should not limit ourselves to linguistic tasks.

Ekaterina Chasnikova, trainer and evaluator of generative AI tools, has emphasized this point repeatedly.

Not by chance, she hosts both our AI courses called “Certificate in AI for Translators & Interpreters: Prompt Engineering, Tools and Applications”, with both live activities and practice with AI tools, or the free course called “Basics of AI & AI Prompting for Language Professionals”, which covers foundational concepts in AI and prompting.

Ekaterina consistently encourages going beyond language-specific uses. When asked about her best tips for creating effective prompts, she shared what follows:
1. Start simple and fine-tune your prompt step by step based on the outcome. This way, you can understand which element of the prompt has which effect.

2. If you don't want AI to add any comments or explanations, just ask it to produce this and that "without any comments or explanations".

3. If you ask ChatGPT to display output in a code window, you will be able to copy it with a single click.

4. Don't limit yourself to linguistic tasks. Use AI for briefing or to analyze the documents for translation.

5. Tailoring your prompt for specific tasks can take time, but it is definitely worth it if this is a regular task for you. Do not be afraid to try multiple different approaches.

6. If you're stuck with a specific prompt and still not getting the desired outcome, consider asking generative AI for help. Gen AI excels at brainstorming, including prompting.

7. Don't aim for a perfect result. You will have to review the output anyway, but LLMs can save you a lot of time and effort even with a not-ideal output.

8. Give examples to the AI.

9. Try defying the audience or the general context: it might also help you understand your task better.

10. Ask for specific actions: avoid vague phrases like "help me translate" and use just "translate".
Mastering prompt creation is a dynamic, iterative process that extends well beyond translation and linguistic tasks, unlocking the full potential of AI to support every step of language professionals’ workflows. Moreover, prompts can also be used to consider and try the end-user comprehension, a step that comes at the end of our translation or localization process.

4. Simulate End-User Comprehension

End-user comprehension, quality control, and translation workflows can all be significantly streamlined through well-crafted AI prompting. Today, translators and linguists alike are increasingly called upon to harness the full potential of large language models (LLMs) by developing precise, task-specific prompts.

By doing so, they can establish clear criteria that not only improve accuracy and consistency but also elevate the overall quality of their work, making their processes more efficient and virtually flawless.

To help develop our skills in AI prompting, Almira Zainutdinova, Linguistic Services Lead at Técnicas Reunidas, LLM Trainer, and writer at Meer, shared with us her personal tips for AI prompting with real-life examples.
1. Specify target locale conventions explicitly
Tip: Don't just ask for a translation; instruct the LLM to follow specific locale-specific conventions (e.g., date, time, currency formats) and content presentation requirements from the start.

Example Prompt Element: ...translate this into Spanish for Spain (ES-ES), ensuring dates are DD/MM/YYYY and currency is formatted as X,XXX.XX €.

2. Integrate your terminology glossary directly (applying RAG)
Tip: Always include your project-specific or client-approved glossary directly within the prompt, or provide clear instructions to adhere to an uploaded document. When you upload a glossary, you're essentially providing the LLM with external knowledge, which is a key aspect of Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG). This helps ground the LLM's output in your specific terminology.

Example: Prompt Element: Translate the text, strictly adhering to this glossary: [Term 1]: [Translation 1], [Term 2]: [Translation 2]... For terms not in the glossary, select the most contextually appropriate translation for [specific domain/industry].

Example Prompt Element: Translate this into [Target Language] for Germany. Ensure it adheres to local cultural nuances, relevant country standards (e.g., date/number formats), and our company's established brand voice as detailed in the provided style guide.

3. Define grammatical register, tone, and language variants
Tip: Clearly define the desired level of formality, overall tone, and any required regional language variants or slang for the target audience.

Example Prompt Element: ...maintain a formal, professional tone suitable for a legal document in English for a U.S. audience.

4. Demand a side-by-side accuracy check (omissions/additions)
Tip: After an initial translation (or when reviewing an existing one), prompt the LLM to compare it with the source, specifically looking for completeness.

Example Prompt Element: Review my [Target Language] translation against the original [Source Language] text. List any exact phrases or information that have been omitted or added inadvertently.

5. Using LLMs for language polishing
Tip: Ask the LLM to perform a dedicated proofreading pass for grammar, semantics, punctuation, and spelling specific to the target language.

Example Prompt Element: Proofread this [Target Language] text specifically for grammatical errors, incorrect punctuation, and spelling according to standard conventions for [Target Language]. Ensure natural flow.

6. Request a holistic consistency review
Tip: Prompt the LLM to assess overall consistency in terminology, stylistic choices, and tone across the entire translated text.

Example Prompt Element: Review the entire [Target Language] translation for overall consistency in terminology, style, and tone. Identify any sections where there might be a lack of coherence.

7. Probe for ambiguous or awkward phrasing
Tip: Ask the LLM to identify any phrases or sentences that might be misinterpreted or sound unnatural to a native speaker of the target language.

Example Prompt Element: Rephrase this [Target Language] paragraph: '[Paragraph]' to sound more natural and fluent for a native speaker, removing any 'translated' feel.

8. Verify cross-references and structural elements (headers/footers)
Tip: If translating documents with specific structural elements, explicitly ask the LLM to check its translation and logical coherence within the target language document.

Example Prompt Element: Confirm that all cross-references (e.g., 'see page X') are correctly updated for the [Target Language] document. Also, ensure headers and footers are accurately translated and consistent.

9. Use 'act as' prompts for targeted QA
Tip: Instruct the LLM to adopt the persona of a quality assurance specialist, reviewing the translation against your provided quality criteria.

Example Prompt Element: Act as an experienced Localization Quality Assurance specialist for [Target Country]. Review this [Target Language] translation, focusing on: accuracy (omissions/additions, mistranslation), terminology adherence, grammatical correctness, appropriate style/tone, and suitability for the local market. Provide a detailed critique.

10. Simulate end-user comprehension
Tip: Ask the LLM to evaluate whether the translation would be easily understood by the intended audience, especially for public-facing or instructional content.

Example Prompt Element: Act as a native [Target Language] speaker with no technical background. Read this translation and identify any parts that may be confusing or unclear.
As you can see, by explicitly specifying target locale conventions, integrating terminology glossaries, and defining tone, style, and register, you provide the LLM with clear, actionable instructions that align its output with your project’s unique requirements.

Combining these precise prompt elements with thorough quality checks, such as side-by-side accuracy reviews, consistency assessments, and end-user comprehension simulations, ensures translations that are not only linguistically accurate but also culturally appropriate and contextually relevant.

5. Use a Precise and Detailed Template for Better Results

When working with AI prompts, one of the most frequent questions professionals ask is: “Is there a go-to template I can use to get consistently great results?”

The truth is, many users search for a precise and detailed prompt template that can be adapted across projects, saving time and boosting accuracy.

Fortunately, there is one. A clear and effective prompt template was shared by Ben Hylak on Latent Space, in collaboration with swyx and Alessio.

In their article, “o1 isn’t a chat model (and that’s the point)”, we can see how Ben Hylak turned “from o1 pro skeptic to fan by overcoming his skill issue”.

The full article offers valuable context behind the template’s development and practical application.

You can find the full discussion on YouTube, where the three experts explore the capabilities of o1 and share their thoughts on what effective prompting really looks like.

Conclusion

Crafting effective prompts isn’t just a technical skill, but a creative, iterative process that blends clarity, strategy, and critical thinking.

As we've seen through expert insights and practical examples, strong prompting goes far beyond basic instructions. It requires understanding the task deeply, providing the right context, and continuously refining based on the AI’s responses.

Despite the useful courses you’ve already seen above, consider enrolling in our Master in AI and Innovation for Localization, where you’ll find a complete understanding of AI and its possible applications in translation, content creation, audiovisual projects, project and localization management tasks and much more.


And, if localization management is what you need to learn more, join our loc experts in the V edition of our Localization Management Program, coming next October. Discover how the localization industry is structured and how to establish a localization strategy.


Yet, even with advanced tools and smart prompting, the role of human experts remains irreplaceable. It’s the human professional who ensures nuance, cultural appropriateness, and domain-specific accuracy, elements no model can fully replicate.

As AI becomes a powerful assistant in the language industry, it’s those who combine their expertise with prompt engineering skills who will lead the way, working not just faster, but smarter and more strategically.

And, if you missed it, go check one of our latest carousels based on AI experts’ tips here:
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Last, but not least, if studying and learning new skills is never enough for you, especially when it comes to AI and new technologies, you should definitely not miss our Master in AI, Translation and Project Management for Life Sciences starting in February 2026.
This master will offer you practical strategies, insights from the industry stakeholders, relevant approaches to translation and localization in life sciences.

Enroll now!
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