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Translate a PDF to German via API

Translate PDFs into German programmatically, returning translated text or a regenerated PDF.

Translation reads the PDF's text layer, translates it with a language model, and returns either JSON or a regenerated PDF. There is no glossary to configure and no per-language setup.

cURL

curl -X POST https://api.inkspan.dev/v1/translate \
  -H "X-API-Key: ink_live_..." \
  -F "file=@document.pdf" \
  -F "target_language=German" \
  | jq .

Python

import requests

r = requests.post(
    'https://api.inkspan.dev/v1/translate',
    headers={'X-API-Key': 'ink_live_...'},
    files={'file': open('document.pdf', 'rb')},
    data={'target_language': 'German'},
)
r.raise_for_status()
print(r.json())

Request parameters

Name	Type	Required	Description
`target_language`	string	yes	Language to translate into, e.g. `Spanish`.
`file`	file	no	A PDF to translate. Provide either `file` or `text`.
`text`	string	no	Raw text to translate instead of uploading a file.
`output`	string	no	`json` (default) returns translated text; `pdf` returns a regenerated PDF.

Response

With the default output=json:

{
  "target_language": "German",
  "characters": 1840,
  "translated_text": "\u2026"
}

Things that catch people out

Provide exactly one of file or text. Sending neither returns 400.
A scanned PDF has no text layer to read, so there is nothing to translate — rasterise and OCR it first.
Output defaults to JSON. Pass output=pdf if you want a document back rather than a string.
The regenerated PDF carries the translated text, not the original layout. For layout-faithful output, translate to JSON and render it through your own template.

Errors

Status	Meaning	Fix
`401`	Invalid or missing API key	Send your key in the `X-API-Key` header.
`402`	Monthly quota exceeded	The response reports used/quota. Upgrade at inkspan.dev/#pricing.
`422`	Missing or invalid parameter	Check required fields in the table above — the body names the offending field.

Failed requests do not count against your quota; only successful ones are metered.

Frequently asked questions

Which languages are supported?

Any language the underlying model handles — pass the language name, such as Spanish, French, German, or Japanese.

Does it preserve the original formatting?

No. Text is extracted, translated, and re-rendered, so the original layout is not reproduced. Translate to JSON and use your own template if layout matters.

Can I translate plain text instead of a PDF?

Yes — send the text parameter instead of a file.

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