How to Translate German Excel Formulas to English

To translate a German Excel formula to English, convert the localized function names and change semicolon argument separators to commas when the destination Excel expects commas. Keep cell references, operators, numbers, sheet names, and quoted text unchanged.

For example, this German formula:

=WENNFEHLER(SUMME(B2:D2);0)

becomes:

=IFERROR(SUM(B2:D2),0)

That complete conversion changes WENNFEHLER to IFERROR, SUMME to SUM, and the semicolon between arguments to a comma. The range B2:D2 and fallback value 0 retain their original meaning.

Use a complete formula conversion

A function-name list is helpful, but it is not enough for a formula with nested calls. Translation must recognize each function token without changing text that merely resembles a function. It must also know which punctuation is an argument separator.

Paste the source formula into the Excel Formula Translator, choose German as the source and English as the target, and select the Excel version used by the destination workbook. Automatic separator mode suggests the normal locale conversion. If the destination computer has a customized list separator, use the explicit separator option that matches that installation.

Keep the German source beside the result until Excel has evaluated the English formula. The website converts formula text in the browser; it does not upload a workbook or calculate the result.

Common German and English function names

These mappings are verified against the site’s bundled German formula data:

German	English	Typical purpose
SUMME	SUM	Add values or ranges
WENN	IF	Return values based on a condition
WENNFEHLER	IFERROR	Supply a fallback after an error
SVERWEIS	VLOOKUP	Look up a value in the first table column

A direct lookup conversion looks like this:

=SVERWEIS(A2;Produkte!A:C;3;0)

=VLOOKUP(A2,Produkte!A:C,3,0)

The worksheet name Produkte is not translated. It is an identifier inside the workbook, so changing it would break the reference unless the sheet itself were renamed. The final 0, which requests an exact match, also remains unchanged.

Translate nested functions from the outside in

Consider a report that returns the total only when the status cell says it is ready:

=WENN(A2="Ready";SUMME(B2:D2);0)

The English formula is:

=IF(A2="Ready",SUM(B2:D2),0)

WENN and SUMME change, and the two function-argument semicolons become commas. The word "Ready" remains exactly as written because it is worksheet data, not a function name. Whether that label should be translated for users is a separate content decision.

Work from token meaning rather than visual replacement. Replacing every semicolon in a large formula can damage an array constant, and replacing words globally can alter quoted labels or sheet names.

Do not confuse separators with decimal symbols

German regional settings commonly use a decimal comma and therefore use a semicolon to keep function arguments distinct. English examples often use a decimal point and a comma argument separator. These are related locale choices, but they play different roles.

In this German example, 1,5 is one decimal value while semicolons divide the WENN arguments:

=WENN(A2>1,5;A2;0)

An English destination would normally use:

=IF(A2>1.5,A2,0)

The translator’s separator conversion is designed for formula argument positions. Always inspect decimal literals separately, especially when formulas arrive as plain text. The guide to Excel formula separators explains why global comma-to-semicolon replacement is unsafe.

Preserve references, names, and quoted text

Most workbook-specific elements should remain untouched:

• A2, $B$4, and C2:C20 are cell or range references.
• 'Q4 Sales'!D8 is a reference to a worksheet whose name contains a space.
• TaxRate may be a workbook-defined name.
• "Nicht gefunden" is literal text returned by the formula.

You may choose to translate user-facing text such as "Nicht gefunden" to "Not found", but formula localization alone should preserve it. Changing a named range or sheet name requires a coordinated workbook edit, not a syntax translation.

Check the Excel version before trusting the result

Language support and function availability are separate. A perfectly translated English function can still fail if the receiving Excel version does not include it. Select Office 365, Excel 2013, Excel 2010 SP1, or Excel 2010 in the workspace to match the destination as closely as possible.

If the source contains a newer function and the destination shows _xlfn or #NAME?, use the Excel _xlfn troubleshooting guide before searching for another German translation. A missing function cannot be repaired by changing its language.

Microsoft’s FormulaLocal documentation illustrates the same localization boundary: a workbook formula entered as SUM in American English is displayed as SUMME when read through FormulaLocal on German Excel.

Verify the English formula

Use this final workflow:

1. Copy the complete formula from the German formula bar.
2. Select German, English, and the destination Excel version.
3. Translate and review all warnings.
4. Compare references, quoted strings, and nesting with the source.
5. Use Verify as a round-trip text check when available.
6. Paste the result into a copy of the destination workbook and let Excel calculate it.

For more complex migrations, the general formula translation workflow explains partial translations and verification limits. A successful German-to-English conversion preserves the workbook logic while changing only the locale-dependent syntax.