Complex content presented in a clear, understandable, and audience-appropriate manner – for businesses, public institutions, and organizations.
Complex content presented in a clear, understandable, and audience-appropriate manner – for businesses, public institutions, and organizations.
Professional translations into Easy Language
Information is truly accessible only when people can understand it.
Easy Language reduces language barriers and makes complex content understandable to more people. It follows specific rules regarding word choice, sentence structure, organization, and formatting.
KERN Global Language Services helps companies and public institutions adapt existing content into Easy Language. We consider the specific application, the target audience, and the medium used.
We can make a wide variety of content easy to understand – from informational signs and digital displays to technical instructions.
Upon request, we base the drafting process on the recommendations of DIN SPEC 33429:2025-03 for German Easy Language.
Our experts will advise you on the text, medium, target audience, and an appropriate production process.
Why use Easy Language?
A lot of information contains technical terms, long sentences, or complex concepts. This can make it much harder to understand.
Easy Language presents information in a way that helps people grasp key points more quickly and understand them more easily.
This benefits, for example:
• People with learning difficulties
• People with limited reading skills
• People with limited knowledge of German
• Older adults
• People with neurological conditions (e.g., dementia or aphasia)
• People with cognitive impairments
• People who need to grasp information quickly and clearly
Easy Language can thus make an important contribution to accessibility, inclusion, and social participation.
Easy Language for different media and situations
Easy Language has long been used for more than just websites.
What matters most is that information is available in an understandable form wherever people need it.
Especially in public spaces, information must be understood quickly and unambiguously.
KERN helps present information clearly and understandably for settings such as:
• Medical offices
• Hospitals
• Government agencies
• Airports
• Train stations
• Educational institutions
• Event venues
• Public buildings
• Companies and manufacturing sites
These can include directional signs, safety instructions, conduct guidelines, or information about procedures.
In addition to language, structure, readability, and the integration of text and visual elements also play an important role.
At train stations and other transit stops, a lot of information has to be understood within a few seconds.
Easy Language can help transportation companies make information accessible to more people.
Examples of content include:
• Information on train platforms
• Text on information screens
• Notices about delays and train cancellations
• Information about track changes
• Directions within train stations
• Information about tickets
• Information about accessibility and mobility services
• Travel information
• Safety and conduct guidelines
• Content on websites and in apps
Such solutions are suitable, for example, for use by Deutsche Bahn and other rail and transportation companies.
Short texts, unambiguous wording, and clear information hierarchies help travelers in time-sensitive situations.
Airports combine complex processes with intense time pressure and a particularly diverse audience.
Easy Language can make important information more accessible.
Examples include:
• Check-in information
• Security screening information
• Gate and boarding information
• Directional signs
• Baggage information
• Information on flight changes
• Safety instructions
• Information for passengers requiring assistance
• Digital information systems
• Websites and apps
KERN also considers space constraints and the technical requirements of digital display systems.
Medical and organizational information for patients is often complex.
Easy Language can help make processes and important information easier to understand.
Examples of appropriate content include:
• Signs in medical offices
• Patient information
• Office procedures
• Information on preparing for medical exams
• Forms and explanations
• Information from hospitals
• Health information
• Medication-related information
• Websites and patient portals
When it comes to medical content, medical accuracy and clear statements are particularly important.
Technical information can be particularly complex.
Technical terms, lengthy procedures, and numerous safety instructions often make it difficult to use products and devices.
KERN combines expertise in technical documentation and specialist translation with clear, accessible language.
Examples of appropriate documents include:
• User manuals
• User instructions
• Quick start guides
• Assembly instructions
• Installation instructions
• Maintenance information
• Safety instructions
• Work instructions
• Digital help texts
• Product information
• Training materials
KERN provides logically structured, easy-to-understand explanations of complex processes.
However, the simplification of the language must not alter any important technical or safety-related information.
Recording texts in Easy Language
Reading is not the only way to access information.
Audio versions can make it even easier to access information.
That is why KERN also helps produce audio versions of content in Easy Language.
Possible applications include:
- Webpages
- Information portals
- Explanatory content
- Apps
- Audio guides
- E-learning
- Information systems
- Patient information
- Travel information
- User manuals
- Public information resources
Depending on the project, KERN can use professional voice talent or suitable digital voice solutions.
We tailor the speaking rate, intonation, and pauses to convey the content clearly.
Public sector clients trust us
Government agencies, public bodies, and institutions rely on the language services provided by KERN Global Language Services. This selection showcases public sector clients with whom we collaborate in various areas of multilingual and accessible communication.
From specialist texts to websites: Easy Language for your content
In principle, KERN can also adapt much of the content it normally translates and localizes to make communication clearer.
These include:
Technical content
User manuals, technical documentation, safety instructions, and product descriptions.
Medicine and health care
Patient information, health information, informational materials, and organizational guidelines.
Law and administration
Official information, explanations, forms, notices, and general legal information.
Financial communications
General financial information, customer information, explanatory texts, and clear explanations of complex processes.
Human resources and internal communications
Employee information, onboarding materials, training content, company information, and internal policies.
Marketing and corporate communications
Websites, brochures, informational materials, product information, and company information.
Software and digital content
Apps, user interfaces, online help, portals, and digital information systems.
E-learning and training
Educational texts, explanatory content, instructions, and digital training materials.
Easy Language based on clear rules
Easy Language is very different from simply shortening a text.
When creating the text, we consider aspects such as:
- Short and clear sentences
- Words that are as familiar and concrete as possible
- Explanations of difficult terms
- Clear wording
- Consistent terms
- Clear information hierarchies
- Logical paragraphs and headings
- Clear lists
- Appropriate images and symbols
- Easy-to-read design
- The medium used
DIN SPEC 33429:2025-03 provides standardized recommendations for German Easy Language.
Upon request, we can prepare the content specifically in line with these recommendations.
Quality through testing and target audience focus
Ultimately, it is the target audience that determines whether a text is understandable.
That is why, where appropriate, we can include an additional
comprehensibility check in the process.
This may also involve suitable members of the target audience acting as test readers.
We then incorporate the findings from the check into the final version.
The result is not simply a text with simplified language, but information optimized for its intended context of use.
Your Easy Language project at KERN
We review the source text, target audience, medium, and context of use.
Together, we determine the scope, the desired language level, and the quality requirements.
We structure the information and adapt it into Easy Language for the intended audience.
If necessary, we incorporate layout, images, symbols, and media requirements into the process.
We review the content for linguistic quality and subject-matter accuracy.
Depending on the project, we can include an additional comprehensibility check.
You will receive the final version in the format you need for print, web, audio, or digital systems.
Why KERN for Easy Language?
KERN has many years of experience in the professional presentation of complex specialist content.
Technology, medicine, law, finance, and public communication each place different demands on the clarity of written texts.
We can adapt content for a wide range of communication channels, from documents and websites to displays and audio.
Even simplified content requires consistent terminology and clearly defined terms.
KERN handles both individual documents and extensive, regularly updated information repositories.
We can integrate Easy Language into existing translation, localization, and content processes.
Easy Language for businesses and public institutions
Easy Language is particularly relevant to:
• Government agencies and public administrations
• Public transportation agencies and mobility providers
• Rail companies
• Airports
• Hospitals and medical practices
• Insurance companies
• Banks and financial service providers
• Energy providers
• Industrial companies
• Educational institutions
• Associations and organizations
• Software providers
• Digital platform operators
Whenever information needs to be accessible to as many people as possible, clear communication can provide significant added value.
Easy Language FAQs
What is Easy Language?
Easy Language is a form of German designed to be especially easy to understand. It uses clear structures, short sentences, and words that are as easy to understand as possible. It is intended, in particular, for people who have limited understanding of complex standard language.
What is the difference between Easy Language and plain language?
Easy Language follows much stricter rules than plain language. Plain language also reduces linguistic complexity, but allows for more freedom in word choice, sentence structure, and design.
What kinds of texts can KERN adapt into Easy Language?
Among other things, KERN can adapt websites, informational materials, technical instructions, patient information, forms, training materials, and digital content. Many of the types of content KERN normally translates can also be adapted into Easy Language.
Can KERN adapt technical instructions into Easy Language?
Yes. KERN can make user manuals, user instructions, work instructions, and safety instructions easier to understand through clearer structure and wording – without compromising technical accuracy or safety-related information.
Is Easy Language suitable for signs, train stations, and airports?
Yes. Easy Language can be used, for example, for informational signs, directional signs, platform information, displays, travel information, and safety instructions. We carefully consider the text, design, and context of use together.
Can Easy Language be provided in audio format?
Yes. We can also provide content in Easy Language in audio format. This is suitable, for example, for websites, apps, informational resources, audio guides, and digital learning content.
Can KERN translate content in Easy Language into multiple languages?
Yes. KERN can combine clear, understandable content with professional translation and localization. When translating into other languages, we adapt texts to the relevant linguistic and cultural conventions and the needs of the target audience.
How does an Easy Language project work at KERN?
First, we analyze the source text, target audience, medium, and intended use. We then adapt the content so that it is easy to understand, review it, and deliver it in the desired format. Depending on the project, we can also include a comprehensibility check.