[ PROMPT_NODE_24877 ]
Video Translation
[ SKILL_DOCUMENTATION ]
# Video Translation
HeyGen's Video Translation feature allows you to translate and dub existing videos into multiple languages, preserving lip-sync and natural speech patterns.
## Creating a Translation Job
### Request Fields
| Field | Type | Req | Description |
|-------|------|:---:|-------------|
| `video_url` | string | ✓* | URL of video to translate (*or `video_id`) |
| `video_id` | string | ✓* | HeyGen video ID (*or `video_url`) |
| `output_language` | string | ✓ | Target language code (e.g., "es-ES") |
| `title` | string | | Name for the translated video |
| `translate_audio_only` | boolean | | Audio only, no lip-sync (faster) |
| `speaker_num` | number | | Number of speakers in video |
| `callback_id` | string | | Custom ID for webhook tracking |
| `callback_url` | string | | URL for completion notification |
**Either** `video_url` **OR** `video_id` must be provided.
### curl
```bash
curl -X POST "https://api.heygen.com/v2/video_translate"
-H "X-Api-Key: $HEYGEN_API_KEY"
-H "Content-Type: application/json"
-d '{
"video_url": "https://example.com/original-video.mp4",
"output_language": "es-ES",
"title": "Spanish Version"
}'
```
### TypeScript
```typescript
interface VideoTranslateRequest {
video_url?: string; // Required (or video_id)
video_id?: string; // Required (or video_url)
output_language: string; // Required
title?: string;
translate_audio_only?: boolean;
speaker_num?: number;
callback_id?: string;
callback_url?: string;
}
interface VideoTranslateResponse {
error: null | string;
data: {
video_translate_id: string;
};
}
async function translateVideo(config: VideoTranslateRequest): Promise {
const response = await fetch("https://api.heygen.com/v2/video_translate", {
method: "POST",
headers: {
"X-Api-Key": process.env.HEYGEN_API_KEY!,
"Content-Type": "application/json",
},
body: JSON.stringify(config),
});
const json: VideoTranslateResponse = await response.json();
if (json.error) {
throw new Error(json.error);
}
return json.data.video_translate_id;
}
```
### Python
```python
import requests
import os
def translate_video(config: dict) -> str:
response = requests.post(
"https://api.heygen.com/v2/video_translate",
headers={
"X-Api-Key": os.environ["HEYGEN_API_KEY"],
"Content-Type": "application/json"
},
json=config
)
data = response.json()
if data.get("error"):
raise Exception(data["error"])
return data["data"]["video_translate_id"]
```
## Supported Languages
| Language | Code | Notes |
|----------|------|-------|
| English (US) | en-US | Default source |
| Spanish (Spain) | es-ES | European Spanish |
| Spanish (Mexico) | es-MX | Latin American |
| French | fr-FR | Standard French |
| German | de-DE | Standard German |
| Italian | it-IT | Standard Italian |
| Portuguese (Brazil) | pt-BR | Brazilian Portuguese |
| Japanese | ja-JP | Standard Japanese |
| Korean | ko-KR | Standard Korean |
| Chinese (Mandarin) | zh-CN | Simplified Chinese |
| Hindi | hi-IN | Standard Hindi |
| Arabic | ar-SA | Modern Standard Arabic |
## Translation Options
### Basic Translation
Translate video with lip-sync:
```typescript
const translateConfig = {
video_url: "https://example.com/original.mp4",
output_language: "es-ES",
title: "Spanish Translation",
};
```
### Audio-Only Translation
Keep original video, only translate audio:
```typescript
const audioOnlyConfig = {
video_url: "https://example.com/original.mp4",
output_language: "es-ES",
translate_audio_only: true,
};
```
### Multi-Speaker Videos
Specify number of speakers for better detection:
```typescript
const multiSpeakerConfig = {
video_url: "https://example.com/interview.mp4",
output_language: "fr-FR",
speaker_num: 2, // Two speakers in video
};
```
## Advanced Options (v4 API)
For more control over translation:
```typescript
interface VideoTranslateV4Request {
input_video_id?: string;
google_url?: string;
output_languages: string[];
name: string;
srt_key?: string;
instruction?: string;
vocabulary?: string[];
brand_voice_id?: string;
speaker_num?: number;
project_id?: string;
keep_the_same_format?: boolean;
input_language?: string;
enable_video_stretching?: boolean;
disable_music_track?: boolean;
enable_speech_enhancement?: boolean;
srt_role?: "input" | "output";
translate_audio_only?: boolean;
}
```
### Multiple Output Languages
```typescript
const multiLanguageConfig = {
input_video_id: "original_video_id",
output_languages: ["es-ES", "fr-FR", "de-DE"],
name: "Multi-language translations",
};
```
### Custom Vocabulary
Preserve specific terms:
```typescript
const customVocabConfig = {
video_url: "https://example.com/product-demo.mp4",
output_language: "ja-JP",
vocabulary: ["SuperWidget", "Pro Max", "TechCorp"],
// These terms will be kept as-is or transliterated appropriately
};
```
### Using Custom SRT
Provide your own subtitles:
```typescript
const customSrtConfig = {
video_url: "https://example.com/video.mp4",
output_language: "es-ES",
srt_key: "path/to/custom-subtitles.srt",
srt_role: "input", // Use SRT as source transcript
};
```
## Checking Translation Status
### curl
```bash
curl -X GET "https://api.heygen.com/v1/video_translate/{translate_id}"
-H "X-Api-Key: $HEYGEN_API_KEY"
```
### TypeScript
```typescript
interface TranslateStatusResponse {
error: null | string;
data: {
id: string;
status: "pending" | "processing" | "completed" | "failed";
video_url?: string;
message?: string;
};
}
async function getTranslateStatus(translateId: string): Promise {
const response = await fetch(
`https://api.heygen.com/v1/video_translate/${translateId}`,
{ headers: { "X-Api-Key": process.env.HEYGEN_API_KEY! } }
);
const json: TranslateStatusResponse = await response.json();
if (json.error) {
throw new Error(json.error);
}
return json.data;
}
```
## Polling for Completion
```typescript
async function waitForTranslation(
translateId: string,
maxWaitMs = 1800000, // 30 minutes (translations can take longer)
pollIntervalMs = 30000 // 30 seconds
): Promise {
const startTime = Date.now();
while (Date.now() - startTime setTimeout(r, pollIntervalMs));
}
}
throw new Error("Translation timed out");
}
```
## Complete Translation Workflow
```typescript
async function translateAndDownload(
videoUrl: string,
targetLanguage: string
): Promise {
// 1. Start translation
console.log(`Starting translation to ${targetLanguage}...`);
const translateId = await translateVideo({
video_url: videoUrl,
output_language: targetLanguage,
});
console.log(`Translation ID: ${translateId}`);
// 2. Wait for completion
console.log("Processing translation...");
const translatedVideoUrl = await waitForTranslation(translateId);
console.log(`Translation complete: ${translatedVideoUrl}`);
return translatedVideoUrl;
}
// Usage
const spanishVideo = await translateAndDownload(
"https://example.com/my-video.mp4",
"es-ES"
);
```
## Batch Translation
Translate to multiple languages:
```typescript
async function translateToMultipleLanguages(
sourceVideoUrl: string,
targetLanguages: string[]
): Promise<Record> {
const results: Record = {};
// Start all translations in parallel
const translatePromises = targetLanguages.map(async (lang) => {
const translateId = await translateVideo({
video_url: sourceVideoUrl,
output_language: lang,
});
return { lang, translateId };
});
const translationJobs = await Promise.all(translatePromises);
// Wait for all to complete
for (const job of translationJobs) {
try {
const videoUrl = await waitForTranslation(job.translateId);
results[job.lang] = videoUrl;
console.log(`✓ ${job.lang} complete`);
} catch (error) {
console.error(`✗ ${job.lang} failed: ${error.message}`);
results[job.lang] = `error: ${error.message}`;
}
}
return results;
}
// Usage
const translations = await translateToMultipleLanguages(
"https://example.com/original.mp4",
["es-ES", "fr-FR", "de-DE", "ja-JP"]
);
```
## Video Translation Features
### Lip Sync
HeyGen automatically adjusts the speaker's lip movements to match the translated audio, creating a natural-looking result.
### Voice Cloning
The translated audio attempts to match the original speaker's voice characteristics while speaking the target language.
### Music Track Handling
```typescript
const config = {
video_url: "https://example.com/video-with-music.mp4",
output_language: "fr-FR",
disable_music_track: true, // Remove background music
};
```
### Speech Enhancement
```typescript
const config = {
video_url: "https://example.com/video.mp4",
output_language: "de-DE",
enable_speech_enhancement: true, // Improve audio quality
};
```
## Best Practices
1. **Source quality matters** - Use high-quality source videos for better results
2. **Clear audio** - Videos with clear speech translate better
3. **Single speaker** - Best results with single-speaker content
4. **Moderate pacing** - Very fast speech may affect quality
5. **Test first** - Try with shorter clips before translating long videos
6. **Allow extra time** - Translation takes longer than generation
## Limitations
- Maximum video duration varies by subscription tier
- Some complex audio scenarios may reduce quality
- Background noise can affect translation accuracy
- Processing time is longer than standard video generation
- Multi-speaker detection has limitations
## Error Handling
```typescript
async function safeTranslate(
videoUrl: string,
targetLanguage: string
): Promise {
try {
const url = await translateAndDownload(videoUrl, targetLanguage);
return { success: true, result: url };
} catch (error) {
console.error(`Translation failed: ${error.message}`);
// Common error handling
if (error.message.includes("quota")) {
return { success: false, error: "Insufficient credits" };
}
if (error.message.includes("duration")) {
return { success: false, error: "Video too long" };
}
if (error.message.includes("format")) {
return { success: false, error: "Unsupported video format" };
}
return { success: false, error: error.message };
}
}
```
Source: claude-code-templates (MIT). See About Us for full credits.