Becoming a translator isn’t hard to start, but becoming a good and successful translator takes serious effort, skill, and consistency.

Here’s a breakdown to help you understand how difficult (or not) it is, depending on what you’re aiming for:

⚖️ How Hard Is It, Really?

🔹 Easy to Start

• You can begin translating informally if you’re bilingual.

• No license or degree is legally required in most countries.

• Entry-level freelance gigs (like small translations or personal projects) are accessible.

BUT:

🔹 Hard to Master

Professional-level translation requires:

• Near-native fluency in both languages

• Deep cultural understanding

• Strong writing skills in the target language

• Specialization (legal, medical, business, travel, etc.)

• Mastery of tone, nuance, and context

📉 What Makes It Challenging?

📈 What Makes It Easier?

• You’re already fluent in both languages (English and Vietnamese).

• You’re focusing on a niche (travel translation), which makes it easier to stand out.

• You want to freelance, so you can start small and grow your reputation.

💡 Pro Tips to Make It Less Difficult

• Practice by translating blog posts, menus, or travel brochures.

• Join translator forums (like ProZ.com) to learn from others.

• Use translation memory tools early on—they save time and ensure consistency.

• Get feedback from native speakers of both languages.

• Improve your writing in the target language (translation is 90% writing skill).

🎯 Bottom Line

If you’re serious about it and willing to practice and learn, you can absolutely succeed—especially in a niche like English ⇄ Vietnamese travel translation.

Would you like a practice exercise or a sample travel text to try translating? I can give feedback if you’d like.