Translate File

curl -X POST "https://api.wordsmith.ai/api/v1/files/9a1d7e44-2b6c-4f08-8d3a-71c5e0b9f2a6/translate" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer sk-ws-api1-your_api_key_here" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "Idempotency-Key: 3f8b1d6e-2c9a-4e57-a0d4-6b1e9c3f7a85" \
  -d '{
    "target_language": "de",
    "callback_url": "https://example.com/webhooks/wordsmith"
  }'

{
  "id": "2fd01fde-cae0-40c1-bb31-1b37fd1f31c8",
  "type": "document_action",
  "status": "running",
  "progress": {
    "stage": "translate",
    "completed": 0,
    "total": 1
  },
  "resource": {
    "type": "file",
    "id": "9a1d7e44-2b6c-4f08-8d3a-71c5e0b9f2a6"
  },
  "result": null,
  "error": null,
  "poll_after_seconds": 5,
  "created_at": "2026-10-13T11:00:00Z",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-13T11:00:01Z",
  "completed_at": null
}

{
  "id": "2fd01fde-cae0-40c1-bb31-1b37fd1f31c8",
  "type": "document_action",
  "status": "succeeded",
  "progress": {
    "stage": "translate",
    "completed": 1,
    "total": 1
  },
  "resource": {
    "type": "file",
    "id": "9a1d7e44-2b6c-4f08-8d3a-71c5e0b9f2a6"
  },
  "result": {
    "action": "translate",
    "file_ids": [
      "0f74052d-52b9-4ea5-be7a-ff659ec76753"
    ],
    "summary": {
      "target_language": "de"
    }
  },
  "error": null,
  "poll_after_seconds": null,
  "created_at": "2026-10-13T11:00:00Z",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-13T11:00:08Z",
  "completed_at": "2026-10-13T11:00:08Z"
}

POST

api

files

{file_id}

translate

curl -X POST "https://api.wordsmith.ai/api/v1/files/9a1d7e44-2b6c-4f08-8d3a-71c5e0b9f2a6/translate" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer sk-ws-api1-your_api_key_here" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "Idempotency-Key: 3f8b1d6e-2c9a-4e57-a0d4-6b1e9c3f7a85" \
  -d '{
    "target_language": "de",
    "callback_url": "https://example.com/webhooks/wordsmith"
  }'

{
  "id": "2fd01fde-cae0-40c1-bb31-1b37fd1f31c8",
  "type": "document_action",
  "status": "running",
  "progress": {
    "stage": "translate",
    "completed": 0,
    "total": 1
  },
  "resource": {
    "type": "file",
    "id": "9a1d7e44-2b6c-4f08-8d3a-71c5e0b9f2a6"
  },
  "result": null,
  "error": null,
  "poll_after_seconds": 5,
  "created_at": "2026-10-13T11:00:00Z",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-13T11:00:01Z",
  "completed_at": null
}

{
  "id": "2fd01fde-cae0-40c1-bb31-1b37fd1f31c8",
  "type": "document_action",
  "status": "succeeded",
  "progress": {
    "stage": "translate",
    "completed": 1,
    "total": 1
  },
  "resource": {
    "type": "file",
    "id": "9a1d7e44-2b6c-4f08-8d3a-71c5e0b9f2a6"
  },
  "result": {
    "action": "translate",
    "file_ids": [
      "0f74052d-52b9-4ea5-be7a-ff659ec76753"
    ],
    "summary": {
      "target_language": "de"
    }
  },
  "error": null,
  "poll_after_seconds": null,
  "created_at": "2026-10-13T11:00:00Z",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-13T11:00:08Z",
  "completed_at": "2026-10-13T11:00:08Z"
}

Preview. This endpoint is available to organisations in the Wordsmith MCP pilot. Other organisations receive 403 mcp_not_enabled. See the preview overview.

Translates a document into target_language and returns a new file in the same format. The layout is kept for PDF, DOCX, PPTX and XLSX: headings, tables, images and numbering stay where they were, and a spreadsheet keeps its formulas. A DOC is converted to DOCX first, and the output is a DOCX. Long documents can take a few minutes. Use callback_url or Get Operation rather than holding a request open. The action runs as an operation of type document_action: the response comes back straight away, and the work runs in the background. Wait for it with wait, a callback_url, or Get Operation. The new files land in your private space. The input files are not changed. Document actions use no credits.

Authentication

Send an API key, or an OAuth access token with both the files:write and files:read scopes. files:write lets the action create its output; files:read lets it read the inputs. A token without either gets 403 with "error": "insufficient_scope".

Path parameters

string (uuid)

required

The file to translate: a PDF, DOCX, PPTX, XLSX or DOC.

Headers

string

A unique key for this request, such as a UUID, up to 255 characters. A repeat with the same key within 30 days returns 200 with the same operation and does the work once. A repeat with a different body returns 409 idempotency_key_reused.

Body parameters

string

required

The language to translate into, as a code such as de, fr, ja, en-gb, pt-br or zh-hans. Case does not matter. The source language is detected.

integer

default:"0"

Seconds to wait for the action to finish before responding, from 0 to 20. Only short documents finish inside 20.

string

A public HTTPS URL that receives a signed operation.succeeded, operation.failed or operation.cancelled event when the action finishes. API keys only: an OAuth caller waits or polls instead.

Response

Returns 202 with an operation of type document_action. Its resource is the input file. A repeat with the same Idempotency-Key returns 200 with the same operation. When status is succeeded, result is { "action": "translate", "file_ids", "summary" }. file_ids holds one id: the translated file. summary is { "target_language" }. When status is failed, error.code says why:

`error.code`	When
`resource_not_found`	An input was deleted, or your access to it removed, before the work ran.
`invalid_document`	An input could not be read: it is damaged, password-protected or not a valid DOCX or PDF. Retrying does not help.
`action_failed`	The action failed for another reason. `error.retryable` is `true`: try again.

string (uuid)

The operation’s id.

string

document_action.

string

queued until a worker starts the action, then running, succeeded, failed or cancelled.

object | null

{ "stage", "completed", "total" }. null until the work starts.

object

{ "type": "file", "id" }: the input file.

object | null

Set when status is succeeded.

object | null

{ "code", "message", "retryable" }, set when status is failed.

integer | null

When to ask again. null once the operation has finished.

string

ISO 8601 UTC.

string

ISO 8601 UTC.

string | null

ISO 8601 UTC, once the operation has finished.

curl -X POST "https://api.wordsmith.ai/api/v1/files/9a1d7e44-2b6c-4f08-8d3a-71c5e0b9f2a6/translate" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer sk-ws-api1-your_api_key_here" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "Idempotency-Key: 3f8b1d6e-2c9a-4e57-a0d4-6b1e9c3f7a85" \
  -d '{
    "target_language": "de",
    "callback_url": "https://example.com/webhooks/wordsmith"
  }'

{
  "id": "2fd01fde-cae0-40c1-bb31-1b37fd1f31c8",
  "type": "document_action",
  "status": "running",
  "progress": {
    "stage": "translate",
    "completed": 0,
    "total": 1
  },
  "resource": {
    "type": "file",
    "id": "9a1d7e44-2b6c-4f08-8d3a-71c5e0b9f2a6"
  },
  "result": null,
  "error": null,
  "poll_after_seconds": 5,
  "created_at": "2026-10-13T11:00:00Z",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-13T11:00:01Z",
  "completed_at": null
}

{
  "id": "2fd01fde-cae0-40c1-bb31-1b37fd1f31c8",
  "type": "document_action",
  "status": "succeeded",
  "progress": {
    "stage": "translate",
    "completed": 1,
    "total": 1
  },
  "resource": {
    "type": "file",
    "id": "9a1d7e44-2b6c-4f08-8d3a-71c5e0b9f2a6"
  },
  "result": {
    "action": "translate",
    "file_ids": [
      "0f74052d-52b9-4ea5-be7a-ff659ec76753"
    ],
    "summary": {
      "target_language": "de"
    }
  },
  "error": null,
  "poll_after_seconds": null,
  "created_at": "2026-10-13T11:00:00Z",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-13T11:00:08Z",
  "completed_at": "2026-10-13T11:00:08Z"
}

Errors

Status	`error_code`	When
400	`invalid_request_body`	The body is not valid JSON, has an unknown field, or `target_language` is missing or not a supported language code.
400	`unsupported_file_type`	The file is not a PDF, DOCX, PPTX, XLSX or DOC.
400	`invalid_wait`	`wait` is not from `0` to `20`.
400	`invalid_callback_url`	`callback_url` is not a public HTTPS URL.
400	`callback_signing_unavailable`	The API key has no webhook secret to sign the callback with. Create a new API key, or long-poll the operation instead.
400	`bad_request`	`callback_url` was sent with an OAuth token.
403	`insufficient_scope`	The OAuth token lacks `files:write` or `files:read`.
403	`forbidden`	Your user may not upload files, so the output has nowhere to go.
404	`resource_not_found`	The file does not exist, or you cannot read it.
409	`scan_in_progress`	The file’s malware scan has not finished. Retry in a few seconds.
409	`idempotency_key_reused`	The `Idempotency-Key` was used within 30 days with a different request.

Preview

Agents, playbooks and blueprints

Sessions

Playbook authoring

Drafts

Files

Document actions

Operations

Research

Reports

Reviews

Organisation

Sharing

Usage and value

Repositories and search

Authentication

Path parameters

Headers

Body parameters

Response

Errors

​Authentication

​Path parameters

​Headers

​Body parameters

​Response

​Errors

Authentication

Path parameters

Headers

Body parameters

Response

Errors