Which languages can the Excel Function Translator convert between?

English (US), German, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese (Brazil), Dutch, Swedish and Russian. Any of the nine can be the source or the target, so you can go straight from German to French without passing through English.

Does the Excel Function Translator touch text in quotes or cell references?

No. It tokenises the formula first, so quoted strings (including escaped quotes), sheet names, A1 and R1C1-style references, defined names and structured table references are copied through unchanged. Only function names, TRUE/FALSE, separators and numeric decimal marks are rewritten.

Why does the translated formula use semicolons instead of commas?

Editions of Excel whose decimal mark is a comma cannot also use a comma between arguments, so they use a semicolon. English uses a comma for arguments and a point for decimals. The translator swaps both marks together so the formula stays valid.

Can the Excel Function Translator work out the language of a formula by itself?

Yes. With Auto-detect it scores each language by the function names it recognises and by whether semicolon separators appear. When a formula only uses names that are identical in several languages, it tells you which candidates fit and lets you choose.

What happens when the formula contains a function the translator does not know?

Custom functions and add-in names are left exactly as typed and shown in a list of names that were not translated. The rest of the formula is still converted, so you only fix the leftovers by hand.

How reliable are the function names in the translation table?

The table follows Microsoft's published function-name translation lists and only includes a name when it is certain. Where a language has no confirmed name for a function the cell is left empty, and a formula using it is reported rather than guessed.

Excel Function Translator

Name: Excel Function Translator
Author: ArrayKit

Paste a formula and get it back in another language of Excel — function names, argument separators, decimal commas and TRUE/FALSE all converted, right in your browser.

Formulas are translated entirely in your browser. What you paste stays on your device and is never sent to ArrayKit or anywhere else.

Built and maintained by Udit Agarwal

Open the Excel Formula Explainer

About Excel Function Translator

A formula that works on a colleague's English Excel fails with #NAME? the moment it is pasted into a German, French or Russian copy, because the application stores function names, the argument separator and the decimal mark in the local language. The Excel Function Translator rewrites the formula for the edition you pick. It reads the formula token by token, so text in quotes, sheet names, cell references and table columns are never touched. Each function name is swapped using a table of more than 150 core functions in nine languages, commas become semicolons where that edition expects them, and 1.5 becomes 1,5. If you do not know the source language it is detected from the function names. Anything it cannot translate with certainty is listed instead of guessed, and a second tab holds the full name table. Nothing is uploaded.

Features

Translates between English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese (Brazil), Dutch, Swedish and Russian in any direction
Converts argument separators and decimal points together, so 1.5 and a comma list become 1,5 and a semicolon list
Translates TRUE and FALSE (WAHR, VRAI, VERDADERO, ИСТИНА and the rest)
Leaves text in quotes, sheet names, cell references, named ranges and table columns exactly as typed
Detects the source language from the function names when you pick Auto-detect
Lists unknown functions and names with no certain translation instead of inventing one
Searchable table of 150+ function names across all nine languages — click any name to copy it
Download the full name table as a CSV file for your own reference

How to use the Excel Function Translator

Paste the formula, or pick one of the example chips
Leave the source on Auto-detect or choose the language it was written in
Choose the language of the Excel you will paste it into
Copy the translated formula, and check the notes for names that were left untouched

Example

Input

English:  =IFERROR(VLOOKUP(A2,'Price List'!$A$2:$D$100,3,FALSE)*1.19,0)

Output

German:   =WENNFEHLER(SVERWEIS(A2;'Price List'!$A$2:$D$100;3;FALSCH)*1,19;0)
French:   =SIERREUR(RECHERCHEV(A2;'Price List'!$A$2:$D$100;3;FAUX)*1,19;0)
Russian:  =ЕСЛИОШИБКА(ВПР(A2;'Price List'!$A$2:$D$100;3;ЛОЖЬ)*1,19;0)

Names, separators, decimals and TRUE/FALSE change; the sheet name, the range and the 0 do not.

Common errors & troubleshooting

Excel shows #NAME? after pasting a translated formula. — Check that the target language matches the edition you pasted into, and that the function exists in that version — a function such as XLOOKUP is missing from older releases whatever its name.
Excel says there is a problem with the formula, even though the names look right. — The argument separator follows your regional settings as well as the language. A German-language Excel running under a US region still expects commas, so switch your region or edit the separators to match.
Numbers such as 1.5 turn into text or the wrong value. — Decimal points are converted to commas only when the target edition uses commas. If the result looks wrong, confirm the target language and that your decimal mark setting agrees with it.
A function is reported as having no certain translation. — It is newer than the verified name lists or has no confirmed local name. The tool leaves it as typed; look it up in the Insert Function dialog of the target Excel and type it by hand.

Frequently asked questions

Which languages can the Excel Function Translator convert between?: English (US), German, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese (Brazil), Dutch, Swedish and Russian. Any of the nine can be the source or the target, so you can go straight from German to French without passing through English.
Does the Excel Function Translator touch text in quotes or cell references?: No. It tokenises the formula first, so quoted strings (including escaped quotes), sheet names, A1 and R1C1-style references, defined names and structured table references are copied through unchanged. Only function names, TRUE/FALSE, separators and numeric decimal marks are rewritten.
Why does the translated formula use semicolons instead of commas?: Editions of Excel whose decimal mark is a comma cannot also use a comma between arguments, so they use a semicolon. English uses a comma for arguments and a point for decimals. The translator swaps both marks together so the formula stays valid.
Can the Excel Function Translator work out the language of a formula by itself?: Yes. With Auto-detect it scores each language by the function names it recognises and by whether semicolon separators appear. When a formula only uses names that are identical in several languages, it tells you which candidates fit and lets you choose.
What happens when the formula contains a function the translator does not know?: Custom functions and add-in names are left exactly as typed and shown in a list of names that were not translated. The rest of the formula is still converted, so you only fix the leftovers by hand.
How reliable are the function names in the translation table?: The table follows Microsoft's published function-name translation lists and only includes a name when it is certain. Where a language has no confirmed name for a function the cell is left empty, and a formula using it is reported rather than guessed.

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Guides

VLOOKUP, INDEX MATCH and XLOOKUP, Explained

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