About — Cansu Uçar

Cansu Uçar, specialist translator, smiling outdoors wearing a yellow raincoat

I was born in Istanbul. I grew up bilingual in Turkish and English, and that early footing in two languages is probably what led me toward translation. I went on to study both Translation and Interpreting and Psychology at Izmir University of Economics. I was drawn to both fields. I loved languages and I was fascinated by Psychology. This path opened the doors to a whole new world. It has allowed me to work daily with multiple languages across a range of specialist fields and learn more about myself and others through Psychology and Psycho-education. It has also given me a way to understand what texts are really doing, who they are written for, what they are trying to achieve, and what happens when the message is not conveyed as intended.

I love working with languages. I notice the power of words in shaping our thoughts, our life and how we treat ourselves and others. I am passionate about inclusivity in language, removing stigmas and slurs, stereotypical messages. Language should make us feel more connected and can be used to actually understand one another, learn and build empathy.

Language can build empathy, not just meaning.

I have been living in the Netherlands since 2015. I am based in Deventer, where I now have a multicultural, multilingual family of my own. Working across four languages from here puts me at an interesting intersection, close to European institutions, international organisations, and a wide range of direct clients across different markets and sectors. That position shapes the kind of work I do and the clients I work with.

Psychology has always been part of my work, not separate from it. I translate psycho-education material, clinical trials, psychometric tools, patient information leaflets, and mental health content regularly. Having a genuine background in the field changes the quality of the work in ways that are hard to explain but easy to feel in the result.

I am currently pursuing an MSc in Clinical Psychology in the Netherlands. Going deeper into this field and having an understanding of the material at a clinical level has changed my work in many ways. Beyond my coursework, my deep personal interest in Psychology is what keeps me connected to the latest developments in the field. I like to read, learn about new approaches and follow up on the latest research.

What keeps me in this work is the moment when a text stops sounding like a translation. When a patient reads a leaflet and understands it clearly. When a researcher's argument lands in another language with the same weight it had in the original. When a platform feels native to its users even though it was built in another language entirely. Those moments are quiet but they matter. I am in this for those quiet moments.

Outside of work, I like to read in different languages, paint with watercolours, practice yoga, take long walks in nature, and cook.

Hi! I am Cansu. I am a specialist translator working across Turkish, English, Spanish, and Dutch. For sixteen years, I have been finding the right word for international clients and organisations where every detail matters.

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Have a project that needs a specialist?