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What exactly do we mean by tone of voice?

29.05.2025
What exactly do we mean by tone of voice?
A translator who doesn’t know what tone of voice (TofV) to use may produce a grammatically correct translation, but one which doesn’t align with the brand. Ensure that context is clear right from the very start – this really will pay off in the end.

Simply put: the way in which a specific brand communicates – its style, tone, and personality.

This can be:

  • friendly and informal (“Hi there, we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.”)
  • professional and serious (“We have received your message, thank you.”)
  • entertaining, a little bit cheeky, empathetic, or matter-of-fact…

Brand tone

Example

Friendly

“Drop us a message anytime, we’re here to help.”

Formal

“Please do not hesitate to contact us.”

Professional

“For further information, please refer to the manual.”

Entertaining/cheeky

“Go ahead and click on it – it won’t bite!”

Empathetic

“We understand this might be unpleasant.”

And this tone must be maintained in the translation, otherwise the result just won’t work. The words might be right, but the brand doesn’t sound like itself.

  • Where does tone of voice matter most when push comes to shove?

Most often:

  • in marketing texts (website, social media and brochures)
  • in communication with the customer (emails, FAQs and chatbots)
  • in the case of brands with a distinct personality (lifestyle brands, startups, and fintech…)

  • How to deal with this?

  • The translator needs more than just the text.
    It would be helpful here to give them a brand manual, a TofV guide, or examples of previous texts.

  • The client should have a clear idea of what it is they want.
    Sometimes they don’t even know what TofV they use. If it is important to them, they should try to define it.

  • The agency (or PM) has to keep an eye on this.
    They have to make sure that the desired TofV is clear, and that the translator knows how to use it accurately.

  • To sum up?

  • Grammar and terminology are the foundation.
  • TofV is the difference that makes the translation really work.
  • And this is precisely where the added value of a professional approach lies.