Is a translation an adaptation?
No. Under Creative Commons 4.0, translation is explicitly Adapted Material. That one fact decides whether you can share the result, which license applies to your translation, and whether you violate the NoDerivatives condition. Treat any translation as an adaptation, then test the exact license terms before you publish.
Translation Rights And ND Restrictions
The ND Block
The NoDerivatives (ND) condition blocks sharing any adaptation of the licensed work. Under CC BY-ND 4.0, you may make a translation for private use. You cannot distribute it, display it publicly, or upload it to a platform where others access it. Publishing a translation of an ND-licensed work breaches the license. Permission for that use ends.
What Counts As An Adaptation
Synchronising music with a moving image is expressly defined as Adapted Material in the 4.0 legal code. Translation is normally an adaptation. Format-shifting alone, converting a text from PDF to ePub, does not create one. Cropping, excerpting, editing, and combining can become adaptations depending on the copyright law of your jurisdiction. The dossier does not give a universal boundary for these. When the answer is not clear, the result depends on applicable law.
Decide: Adaptation Or Collection First
Before you translate, determine whether your use is an adaptation or a collection. A collection keeps separate works separate, like unchanged essays in an anthology. Each work retains its own license. The collection's overall license does not replace those licenses. If you place a translated work next to other unmodified pieces, the translated piece is still Adapted Material under its own license. The collection framing does not bypass ND.
What The Adapter Controls
Adapted Material is based on and modifies the licensed work in a way requiring copyright permission. Translation fits this definition. Only the contribution you make as the adapter is covered by any license you apply to your translation. The underlying work's license and attribution notices must remain intact.
ShareAlike And Compatibility
If the underlying work carries CC BY-SA 4.0, your translation becomes an adaptation that must use the same license or one Creative Commons has formally named as compatible. The official compatibility list controls this. Do not assume two SA licenses are compatible. Check the list. For CC BY-SA 4.0, one-way compatibility to GPLv3 exists for adapted material. This does not turn a CC license into a software license or create compatibility in the reverse direction.
| License Condition | Can You Translate? | Can You Share The Translation? | Which License Applies To The Translation? |
|---|---|---|---|
| CC BY 4.0 | Yes | Yes | Same license or compatible |
| CC BY-SA 4.0 | Yes | Yes, but ShareAlike applies | CC BY-SA 4.0 or named compatible license |
| CC BY-ND 4.0 | Private use only | No | Not applicable |
| CC BY-NC 4.0 | Yes, for NonCommercial purposes | Yes, NonCommercial only | Same license or compatible, NonCommercial |
| CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 | Yes, for NonCommercial purposes | Yes, NonCommercial only, ShareAlike | CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 or named compatible license |
| CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 | Private use only | No | Not applicable |
Test ND, SA And Adapter-License Consequences
After you decide the use is an adaptation, run three tests.
Test ND first. If the underlying work carries CC BY-ND 4.0 or CC BY-NC-ND 4.0, stop. You may translate for yourself but you may not share that translation. Publishing it breaches the license. Remove it and stop distribution to cure within 30 days of learning of the breach. Cure does not erase liability for the period of violation.
Test SA second. If the underlying work carries CC BY-SA 4.0 or CC BY-NC-SA 4.0, your translation must carry the same license or a license Creative Commons has named as compatible. This is not optional. The adapter applies the license named by the applicable SA clause. Sharing the translation under a different license breaches the ShareAlike condition.
Test the adapter-license consequences third. When you apply a license to your translation, only your contribution, the translated text, is covered by that license. The source work remains under its own terms. Downstream recipients receive an offer from the original licensor, not from you. You do not sublicense the source work. Your translation notice must include: identification of the original creator and attribution parties, a copyright notice, a notice referring to the license, a warranty disclaimer if supplied, and a URI or hyperlink to the source work where reasonably practicable. You must link or refer to the license and indicate modifications, preserving earlier modification notices.
The Safest Next Step
Confirm the exact license and version on the original source page. Not a repost. Not a platform badge. Open the page. Record the creator, source URL, exact license and version, displayed notices, exclusions, and the date checked. Preserve a screenshot when the use matters.
Then test ND, SA, and NC against your planned activity. ND? Do not share the translation. SA? Prepare to license your translation identically. NC? Confirm that your use is not primarily intended for commercial advantage or monetary compensation. The identity of the user, business, nonprofit, school, individual, does not decide the issue by itself. Advertising, sponsorship, fundraising, internal business use, and mixed purposes require context. If the planned use has material commercial risk, get separate permission or local legal advice.
Common Questions
Is a translation always an adaptation under Creative Commons?
Yes. The 4.0 license terms state that translation is normally an adaptation. Treat any translation as Adapted Material and test the license conditions before sharing.
Can I translate a CC BY-ND work if I keep the translation private?
Yes. The ND restriction blocks sharing Adapted Material but does not forbid making a private copy. You may translate for personal reference. Distributing that translation breaches the license.
If I translate a CC BY-SA work, what license must my translation use?
Your translation must use CC BY-SA 4.0 or a license Creative Commons has officially named as compatible. Check the official compatibility list. Two SA licenses are not automatically compatible.
Does my translation replace the original license?
No. Only the adapter's contribution is covered by your license. The source work keeps its own license. You must retain the original attribution and license notice.