subany.site frequently asked questions
subany.site opens a book or a document from your device and shows it translated, with the original alongside. These are the most common questions.
Open your book on subany.site
Drag the file in or pick it from your device. It is read in your browser and never uploaded.
Formats
Which formats can I open?
Books in .epub, Kindle .mobi, .azw3, .azw and .prc without DRM, .fb2 (also .fb2.zip), documents in .pdf, .docx, .odt and .rtf, and text in .txt, .md and .html. Comics in .cbz can be viewed, but not translated yet.
What cannot be opened?
Old Word .doc files (save them as .docx or .odt first), .djvu, .lit, RAR-compressed .cbr, Kindle Topaz books and scanned PDFs, which are images with no text.
Can I turn a document into an .epub?
Yes, even without translating it: see Convert docx, odt or pdf to epub.
DRM
Why won’t my book with DRM open?
DRM is copy protection. subany.site does not try to remove it: if a book has it, you get a notice and the book does not open.
What about Kindle books?
DRM-free .mobi and .azw3 files open, such as public-domain books or ones the author sells without protection. Books bought in the Kindle store usually have DRM. More in Translate a Kindle book.
What about a password-protected PDF?
It does not open. Remove the password with the program you made it with and try again.
How long it takes
How long does it take to translate a book?
It depends on the translator. With the built-in translator in recent desktop Chrome, about 9,900 words a minute: a 100,000-word book takes about 10 minutes. With the own translator, about 1,000 a minute: about 97 minutes. We measured it on a PC with 16 GB, from English to Spanish; on more modest devices it will be slower. Before starting, the site tells you its estimate.
Do I have to keep the tab open?
Yes: translation continues while the tab is open and, ideally, visible, because the browser slows down hidden tabs. What has been translated is saved, so you can close it and carry on another day.
Can I translate just one chapter?
Yes. For long books you can choose “Just this chapter” instead of “Translate everything”.
What device do I need?
Book translation uses the processor, not the graphics card. The details are in Requirements and performance on subany.video.
Translation quality
How good is the translation?
It is machine translation: good for understanding, not for publishing. In a hand-checked sample, from English to Spanish, there were 4 to 7 errors per 100 words. It struggles most with gender, formal and informal address, and proper names.
Can I see the original?
Yes. The original sits next to the translation and you can hide or show it whenever you like.
Which translator is used?
In recent desktop Chrome, the browser’s built-in translator. If it is not there, an own translator (Opus-MT, 120 to 230 MB per language pair) is downloaded once and runs on your device. If a pair has neither, the site tells you: try Chrome.
Which languages can it translate into?
English, Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Russian and Chinese, depending on the translator available for each pair.
Download
In which format do I download it?
As .epub or .txt. Wherever there is no translation yet, the original text is kept, and the title is marked “machine translation”.
Can I download it untranslated?
Yes, as .epub or .txt. That is handy for turning a .docx, an .odt or a PDF into an .epub.
Can I read it later on my e-reader?
Yes. The .epub opens in most e-readers and reading apps that support that format.
Privacy
Is my book uploaded?
No. The file is read and translated in your browser and never leaves your device.
What is stored?
What has been translated, in your browser, per file and language pair, so you can carry on another day. “Delete saved translation” removes it.
Does it cost anything?
No. It is free and needs no account. It is in alpha, so it may change and break.