Being multilingual isn't the only skill a translator needs, but it's certainly the most important Translators learn their languages in many different ways; many grew up in bilingual households or countries, some learned their second or third language in school and then pursued experience abroad, some took intensive language courses or worked in a foreign country for several years, and it is also quite common for translators to become freelancers after working as military or government linguists

In addition to near-native source language proficiency, translators need other skills too; probably the most important are excellent writing skills in their target language, in-depth knowledge in one or more areas of specialization, and business management skills Some would-be translators are in practice not very successful because they have weak writing skills in their target language, making their translations difficult or unpleasant to read