In today’s digital world, it might seem tempting to rely entirely on machine translation for quick results. However, as any professional translator can tell you, some things just can't be trusted with algorithms—especially when it comes to cultural nuance and context.
Let’s dive into 5 French machine translation disasters that will make you realize why a human eye is absolutely essential for localized content. Get ready for some quirky (and sometimes outright nonsensical) translation errors that you wouldn’t want to share with your French-speaking audience!
1. Grand-pères aux kimchi
The packaging on these dumplings took an unexpected turn, translating "Kimchi Dumpling" as "Grand-Pères aux Kimchi," which means "Grandfathers with Kimchi" in French.
Somewhere along the line, the machine got confused, mistaking "dumplings" (a delicious food item) for "grandfathers," likely due to a misinterpretation based on unrelated contexts.
A native French speaker would have instantly flagged this because, well, no one wants to eat “Grandfathers”!
The Fix: A human translator would have retained the culinary context by opting for "Raviolis au Kimchi" or just "Dumplings au Kimchi," terms that make perfect sense for French consumers. The note on the packaging, saying, "It is best to avoid refreezing dumplings," could also be properly translated as "Il est préférable d’éviter de recongeler les raviolis."
2. Bébé style Hoboken !
Imagine trying to market a trendy new product, only to end up advertising it in a way that implies it's for infants. That's exactly what happened here. The English phrase "Hoboken style, baby!" was translated into French as "Bébé style Hoboken!" The machine took "baby" literally, turning it into "bébé," which means "infant" in French.
Instead of sounding cool and casual, it ended up sounding like a strange nursery rhyme.
The Fix: Instead of a literal translation, a native speaker would have translated this phrase with some nuance: "Style Hoboken, ma poule !" or even "Style Hoboken, bébé !" would have conveyed the same enthusiasm without making it sound like a product for babies.
3. Je suis cabriolet !
This hilarious bra tag misfire translated "I'm Convertible!" to "Je suis cabriolet !" which, in French, means "I am a convertible car."
The machine translator completely missed the context that "convertible" here referred to the bra’s adaptability, not a car with a retractable roof.
The Fix: A human translator would understand that "convertible" refers to the functionality of the bra straps. A proper translation would be "Je suis convertible !" or "Soutien-gorge modulable." Even "à bretelles amovibles" would work at this point...
4. Hydrates, ascenseurs et entreprises
This skincare product label boasts "Hydrates, ascenseurs et entreprises," which translates to "Hydrates, elevators, and companies." What was supposed to communicate the benefits of a skincare serum ended up sounding like a very strange business service.
The machine misunderstood "lifts" and "firms" and translated them completely out of context.
The Fix: A native French speaker would understand the specialized language used in the beauty industry. The correct translation would be "Hydrate, lifte et raffermit" or "Hydrate, tonifie et raffermit la peau."
5. Seules les touches
This multilingual sign intended to say "Keys Only," but the French translation "Seules les touches" ended up meaning "Only the buttons."
The same error actually appeared in other languages like German (“Nur Tasten”) and Italian (“Solo Tasti”), where it should have referred to physical door keys but ended up talking about buttons or keyboard keys.
The Fix: A professional translator would instantly recognize the difference between physical keys and electronic buttons. A correct French translation here would be "Uniquement des clés" or "Clés seulement." In German, "Nur Schlüssel" would do the trick, while Italian would be "Solo chiavi."
Trust Humans First, Not Machines
These examples are funny, but they also illustrate a crucial point—machine translation is far from foolproof.
Literal translations often fail to capture cultural nuance, tone, or even basic context, resulting in content that could embarrass you and your brand, and alienate your audience. To avoid these pitfalls and ensure your content resonates with your French-speaking audience, trust a professional.
Need translation and localization that truly speak to your French audience? Contact me, Le French Content, and let's make sure your brand avoids these hilarious—but potentially costly—translation fails!
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