Translate to or into?

[okok]

Which is the correct form: "I translate from French into English" or "I translate from French to English"? I find many occurrences of both forms and am not sure which one is correct, or what the difference between them is. Thanks in advance for any enlightening explanation.

 

[corum]

from into

 

[Lica]

from XXX to YYY works, too.

Here's an example:

The English Hungarian Online Translator is a tiny and absolutely FREE language software solution. It can be used to translate from English to Hungarian and from Hungarian to English using the internet connection on your device.

 

[okok]

Thank you both. I have seen such examples myself. What I am trying to understand is whether the two forms mean exactly the same thing or whether there is some difference of meaning between them.

 

[corum]

I am going from Paris to Wien.
I translate the text from French to German.

Parallel.

 

[Tdol]

Thank you both. I have seen such examples myself. What I am trying to understand is whether the two forms mean exactly the same thing or whether there is some difference of meaning between them.

No difference to me.

 

[bertietheblue]

I am going from Paris to Wien.
I translate the text from French to German.

Parallel.

I think 'into' is preferred - there is no parallel with 'going' because in translating your are changing something into something else, and for verbs denoting a change in state we generally use 'into' eg turn/convert/change/transform.

Have you translated the text into French yet? ('to French' sounds wrong to me)

Few of Shakespeare's plays have been translated into ballets.

We do, however, say (with optional hyphens):

French to English dictionary
French to English translation

just as we would:

hydrogen to helium conversion

 

[corum]

there is no parallel with 'going' because in translating your are changing something into something else,

change in location (state), change in wording (state)

I do not like philosophy very much.

I think 'into' is preferred

MY sentiments.