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Writing Custom Prompts

Anatomy of a prompt

A good prompt has three parts:

  1. Role – tells the AI who it is
  2. Task – tells the AI what to do
  3. Constraints – tells the AI what to avoid or preserve

Here is an annotated example for a Batch Translate prompt:

You are an expert {{SOURCE_LANGUAGE}} to {{TARGET_LANGUAGE}} patent translator.  ← Role + language variables


Translate the source segment provided. Return only the translated text –         ← Task
no commentary, no explanations, no repetition of the source.


Preserve all tag placeholders exactly as they appear (e.g. <t1>, <t2/>).        ← Constraints
Preserve numbers, units, and chemical formulas without conversion.
Use formal, technical register throughout.

Example QuickLauncher prompt – explain a selected term

This prompt uses {{SELECTION}} to ask the AI to explain a selected term in context:

The user is translating a patent from {{SOURCE_LANGUAGE}} to {{TARGET_LANGUAGE}}.


The selected term is: {{SELECTION}}


Please explain what this term means in the context of patent translation,
suggest the standard {{TARGET_LANGUAGE}} equivalent, and note any regional
or register variations the translator should be aware of.

When the translator selects “werkwijze” in the source segment and triggers this prompt via QuickLauncher, the AI receives:

The user is translating a patent from Dutch (Belgium) to English (United States).


The selected term is: werkwijze


Please explain what this term means...

Example QuickLauncher prompt – assess the current translation

This prompt uses {{SOURCE_SEGMENT}} and {{TARGET_SEGMENT}} to ask the AI to review the translation of the active segment:

Source ({{SOURCE_LANGUAGE}}):
{{SOURCE_SEGMENT}}


My translation ({{TARGET_LANGUAGE}}):
{{TARGET_SEGMENT}}


Assess how I translated the current segment. Point out any inaccuracies,
awkward phrasing, or terminology issues, and suggest improvements.

Example QuickLauncher prompt – translate a selected term in context

Source segment ({{SOURCE_LANGUAGE}}):
{{SOURCE_SEGMENT}}


Current translation ({{TARGET_LANGUAGE}}):
{{TARGET_SEGMENT}}


The translator has selected this word or phrase: {{SELECTION}}


Suggest the best {{TARGET_LANGUAGE}} translation for "{{SELECTION}}"
given the full segment context above. Give a short explanation of your reasoning.

Example QuickLauncher prompt – translate a term using surrounding passage

Uses {{SURROUNDING_SEGMENTS}} for a wider context window than just the active segment:

I am translating a {{SOURCE_LANGUAGE}} patent into {{TARGET_LANGUAGE}}.


The selected term is: {{SELECTION}}


Here is the passage surrounding the active segment:


{{SURROUNDING_SEGMENTS}}


Suggest the best {{TARGET_LANGUAGE}} translation for "{{SELECTION}}" given the
surrounding context. Briefly explain your reasoning.

Example QuickLauncher prompt – full-document term consistency check

Uses {{PROJECT}} to give the AI the entire source document. Useful for checking whether a key term is used consistently, or for understanding a term’s meaning across all its occurrences. Reserve this for important queries – see the token cost note in Prompt Variables.

I am translating a {{SOURCE_LANGUAGE}} patent ({{DOCUMENT_NAME}}) into {{TARGET_LANGUAGE}}.
Project: {{PROJECT_NAME}}


Here is the complete source text:


{{PROJECT}}


The selected term is: {{SELECTION}}


What is the most accurate and consistent {{TARGET_LANGUAGE}} translation for
"{{SELECTION}}" throughout this document? Note any variation in meaning between
occurrences and recommend which translation to use where.

Example QuickLauncher prompt – check a segment against the full document

After sending {{PROJECT}}, the AI knows the segment numbers shown in Trados, so you can ask about specific segments by number in follow-up messages – or ask in the prompt itself:

I am translating a {{SOURCE_LANGUAGE}} patent into {{TARGET_LANGUAGE}}.


Here is the source document:


{{PROJECT}}


I am currently working on segment {{SOURCE_SEGMENT}} (shown as [{{SOURCE_SEGMENT}}]
above). My translation is:


{{TARGET_SEGMENT}}


Does this translation accurately reflect the source and maintain consistency with the
terminology used elsewhere in the document? Point out any issues.

Tips for effective prompts

  • Be explicit about output format. If you only want the translation, say “Return only the translated text.” If you want an explanation, describe the expected structure.
  • Use language variables. Hardcoding “Dutch to English” breaks the prompt when you switch projects. Always use {{SOURCE_LANGUAGE}} and {{TARGET_LANGUAGE}}.
  • Keep QuickLauncher prompts focused. A narrow, specific task works better than a broad one – except when you deliberately need the full document context via {{PROJECT}}.
  • Use {{SURROUNDING_SEGMENTS}} instead of {{SOURCE_SEGMENT}} when context matters. The surrounding passage often gives the AI enough context for a better answer at a fraction of the cost of {{PROJECT}}.
  • Use {{PROJECT}} sparingly. It is best suited for high-stakes queries on short-to-medium documents – terminology consistency checks, key term decisions, or reviewing a handful of specific segments. Avoid it in prompts you run on every segment.
  • Segment numbers in {{PROJECT}} match the Trados editor. After sending {{PROJECT}}, you can ask the AI about “segment 4” or “segment 12” and it will know exactly which segment you mean – the same number shown in the Trados grid.
  • Use {{TM_MATCHES}} to leverage existing translations. When a segment has a high fuzzy match, the AI can use it as a starting point – especially useful for repetitive or formulaic content like patents and legal texts.
  • Batch Translate prompts receive one segment at a time. You do not need to handle lists of segments or loop logic.
  • Proofread prompts receive multiple segment pairs. The built-in proofreading prompt shows the expected input/output format – follow that structure if you write a custom one.