You need to understand a document in another language, but do not want to upload it to a translation service. OGAD (Off Grid AI Desktop) can translate selected text with a model running on your computer. Start with one passage, check the meaning and details, then work through the document in manageable sections.
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This is text translation inside chat. It does not produce a certified translation or automatically preserve a PDF’s layout, tables, and page design.
What do you need before translating offline?
Use a supported Mac or Windows computer, OGAD, and a downloaded local text model that supports both the source and target languages. Local chat is free. Start with readable text you can copy from the original document.
Model language support varies. A multilingual speech model is not needed for written text, and its language list does not describe the translation ability of your chat model. Complete downloads before going offline.
If a PDF consists only of scanned images, obtain a checked text version first. Do not assume the ordinary project PDF importer performs OCR.
How do you translate the first passage?
Copy a short, complete passage into a new local chat. Name the source and target language, state what must remain unchanged, and ask the model to mark ambiguity instead of silently guessing.
- Select a downloaded on-device model in Models > Text.
- Open a new chat.
- Paste the passage with a clear translation request.
- Send it and compare the result with the source.
For example:
Translate the French text below into English. Preserve names, dates, quantities, and units. Use plain English. After the translation, list any ambiguous phrase separately. Do not add explanations inside the translated passage.
Then paste the actual passage. The expected result is translated text in the conversation, not a rewritten PDF file.
Give repeated terms a rule before the first translation
A short glossary helps when the document uses product names, department names, or words with several meanings. Put the glossary beside the passage in your request instead of assuming the model remembers a convention from an earlier conversation.
For example, you can supply these rules:
Terminology rules:
- Keep the product name Atlas unchanged.
- Keep the organization name in its original form.
- Translate the same recurring technical term consistently.
- Flag a term when the surrounding text does not establish its meaning.
For a technical term, add the actual source word and your approved target wording if you already know them. Do not ask the model to invent an official translation for a company-specific label. If you are uncertain, request alternatives with a brief explanation and have a knowledgeable reader choose.
Next, try a passage that contains a condition, a negative, and a number. Check those features before judging whether the result sounds natural. Fluent wording can hide a reversed instruction or an altered amount.
Once the meaning is correct, ask for a second pass on style alone: “Make the English easier to read. Preserve the facts, conditions, numbers, and glossary terms.” Compare that revision with the checked version. Separating meaning from style makes it easier to see when a smoother sentence changes the instruction.
How do you work through a longer document?
Translate complete sections rather than cutting in the middle of a sentence or table. Keep section labels in your working notes so you can track what you have finished.
For repeated terms, supply a short glossary at the start of each section request. For example, specify the accepted translation of a product name and whether an organization name must remain unchanged.
The model’s context is limited. Earlier instructions or terminology can fall out of context in a long conversation. Repeat the short glossary and important rules rather than assuming every later section still uses them.
You can also keep the source in an OGAD project for questions about particular passages. Use Projects > New project, then Knowledge & settings > Knowledge base > Add files. Project retrieval selects relevant passages; it is not a complete whole-document translation pipeline. Paste the exact section when every sentence in that section must be translated.
What should you check in the result?
| Detail | Check |
|---|---|
| Names and product terms | Correct spelling and consistent treatment |
| Numbers and units | No altered amount, date, sign, or unit |
| Negative statements | “Must not” has not become “must” |
| Conditions | Exceptions and “if” clauses remain attached to the right statement |
| Ambiguous wording | Resolve it with context or a knowledgeable reader |
Ask a focused follow-up when needed:
Explain the two possible meanings of the marked phrase using the surrounding sentences. Keep that explanation separate from the translation.
A model translating its own output back into the source language is not independent verification. Use a competent reader when accuracy matters.
Does local translation have the same privacy limits as local chat?
With an on-device text model selected, the passage is processed on your computer. The desktop chat implementation provides the local model path. Remote model selections, external tools, and configured chat sync can change where content goes.
For an offline check, finish setup, disconnect internet, and translate a short passage. Keep confidential text out of paired sync if it must remain on one computer.
Install OGAD, choose a suitable local model, and translate one short passage. Check its names, numbers, and meaning before continuing with the rest.