This guide will cover every language and their various terms in the card layout, this way you can copy-and-paste them into the relevant blank file (once I release the high quality version).

What to translate, and in what language:

  • PERENNIAL WORDS
    • HP
    • Stat line (Width, Height)
    • Weakness – Resistance – Retreat (Cost)
    • Level, #
    • Illus.
  • CARD SPECIFIC
    • Baby: “Baby is a Basic” rule, “Baby Pokemon” type, “Baby Rule” text, “Evolves to XXX / Put on” text
    • Basic: “Basic Pokemon” type
    • State 1: “Stage 1 Pokemon” type, “Evolves from XXX” text, “Put on the Basic Pokemon” text
    • State 2: “Stage 2 Pokemon” type, “Evolves from XXX” text, “Put on the Stage 1 Card” text
    • (any other cards?)
  • TRAINER CARDS
    • Trainer card types (Item, Tool, Supporter, Stadium)
    • Trainer type rule text
    • The word “Trainer” itself (like “Trainer’s” in Japanese and Korean, etc)
  • LANGUAGES (only ones which had official releases)
    • English (for Japanese blanks)
    • Japanese (for English blanks)
    • Korean (since DPP)
    • French
    • German
    • Italian
    • Spanish
    • Thai (new release)
    • Chinese [Simplified] (new release)
    • Chinese [Traditional] (new release)
    • Indonesian (new release)
    • Dutch (Base-Fossil only)
    • Russian (Black & White only)
    • Polish (Diamond & Pearl only)
    • Portuguese (Base-Fossil, then HGSS onwards)

This’ll be a challenge but worth it!

Generally one entry per cell, but if there are different versions, forms, spellings, etc, the earliest is on top with later versions in subsequent lines. These different versions generally cover major milestone releases, such as Base Set, Neo Genesis, Ruby & Sapphire, Diamond/Pearl, HGSS, and Black/White.

 

HP Weakness Resistance Retreat Cost Stat Line Level # Illus. Notes
English HP weakness resistance retreat cost
retreat

XXXX Pokémon. Length: Y’ Y”, Weight: ZZZ lbs.
NO. ###   XXX Pokémon   HT: X’ YY”   WT: ZZZ.Z lbs.

 LV. # Illus. English-language cards are only one that uses a non-metric system of measurement, while the rest of the world uses metric. Which honestly is the best way to do it: everyone who uses superior FREEDOM UNITS gets to use them, while all the other nations that never landed a person on the moon gets their metric measurements. It’s Win-Win!!

And hopefully soon the rest of the world will ALSO agree that writing dates with the day is placed AFTER the month (eg. 12/31) is the SUPERIOR system! Afterall, a majority of the world recognizes the superior placement of Month/Day! In fact pictures like this are disingenuous as FUDGE because it uses an inconsistent format; this is the more correct version! If we assume the YMD format is superior, then the European DMY format is the WORST while the American MDY format is… well, less worse. I mean, at least the American MDY format stays in order within the same year like the superior YMD format. This kind of stuff drives me up the wall so much that I’m willing to hijack a part of my website just to rant about it. Is anyone even reading this far down?
Japanese HP 弱点 抵抗力 にげる

XXXポケモン : 身長YYm、体重ZZKg
全国図鑑NO.###   XXXポケモン   高さ : Y.Ym   重さ : ZZ.Zkg

 LV. No.
NO.		 Illus. 全国図鑑 means “National Dex”:

  • 全国 = zenkoku (“National”)
  • 図鑑 = zukan (“Dex”); technically it just means “illustrated book“, but consider that the “Pokédex” is called the “Pokémon Zukan” (ポケモン図鑑/ポケモンずかん)… so, “Dex”.
Korean HP 약점 저항력 후퇴 비용
후퇴

XXX 포켓몬. 키: Y.Ym, 뭄무게: ZZZkg.
전국도감 NO. ###   XXX포켓몬   키: Y.Ym   뭄무게: ZZZ.Zkg

 LV. #
NO.		 Illus. Like with Japanese, 전국도감 jeonguk dokam simply means “National Dex”.
Spanish PI
PV
PS		 Debilidad
debilidad		 Resistencia
resistencia

Coste de retirada
coste de retirada
Coste de Retirada
Retirada

Pokémon XXX. Longitud: Y.Ym, peso: Z.Zkg
N.° ###   Pokémon XXX   Altura: Y,Y m   Peso: ZZ,Z kg

 Ni. N° Ilus. The difference in how Spanish translated “hit points/HP” is covered below, because it’s just waaaay too much text to put here.
French PV Faiblesse Résistence Coût de retraite Pokémon XXX. Taille : Y,Y m, Poids : Z kg. NIV. No. Illus.
German KP Schwäche Resistenz Rückzugskosten XXX-Pokémon. Größe: Y,Y m, Gewicht: ZZZ kg. LV. Nr. Illus.
Italian PV debolezza resistenza costo di ritirata Pokémon XXX. Lunghezza: Y,Y m; Peso: ZZZ kg. LV. # Illus.
Dutch IP zwakte weerstand terugtrekkingskosten XXX-Pokémon. Lengte: Y,Y m; Gewicht: ZZZ kg. NV. # Illus
Portuguese PS Fraqueza Resistência Custo para Recuar Pokémon XXX.   Altura: Y,Y m   Peso: ZZZ kg NV. N° Illus.
Polish PŻ słabość opór koszt wycofania się

NR ###   XXX Pokémon   WYS.: Y,Ym   WAGA: ZZZ,Z kg

 PZ. NR Ilust. Yes, HP and Level are both “PZ”; to be specific, HP = PŻ (punkty życia, “life points”) and LV = PZ (poziom, “level”)
Russian ОЖ Слабость Устойчивость Отступление № ###   XXX   Рост: Y,Yм   Вес: ZZZ,Zкг
№ ###   XXX Покемон   Рост: Y,Yм   Вес: ZZZ,Zкг		 Translations/Transliterations (for later incorporation into text)

  • ОЖ OZh (Очки жизни Ochki Zhizni) = life points
  • Слабость Slabost’ = Weakness
  • Устойчивость Ustoychivost’ = Resistance
    • as in, “resistance to bacteria”, “resiliance”, etc
    • not Сопротивление “armed resistance”, “electrical resistance”, etc
  • Отступление Otstupleniye = Retreat

For the infobox, the Russian word for Pokémon is not included, so Ariados above, for example, is simply listed as “Длинноногий” and not “Длинноногий Покемон”. But I guess, if you want, you could just add it in.
Thai HP
Chinese [S] 弱点 身高 / 体重
Chinese [T] HP 弱點 抵抗力 撤退

X神奇寶貝 ; 身長 Y.Y 公尺 , 體重 Z 公斤
全國圖鑑No.###   X寶可夢   身長 : Y.Ym   體重 ZZ.Zkg

 LV. # Illus. So far I only have the Wizards-era card text, not the modern-era versions.
Indonesian

 

Pokémon Baby Basic Stage 1 Stage 2 Evolves From Put XXX on the Basic Pokémon Put XXX on the Stage 1 Card Notes
English Pokémon Baby Basic Pokémon Stage 1 Stage 2 Evolves from XXX Put XXX on the Basic Pokémon Put XXX on the Stage 1 Card
Japanese ポケモン たね 1進化 2進化 XXXから進化
Korean 포켓몬 기본 포켓몬
기본		 1진화 2진화 XXX에서 진화
Spanish Pokémon Bebé Pokémon Básico
Básico		 Etapa 1
Fase 1		 Etapa 2
Fase 2		 Evoluciona de XXX Poner a XXX sobre el Pokémon Básico Poner a XXX sobre la carta de Etapa 1
Poner a XXX sobre la carta de ETAPA 1		 Stage 1 and Stage 2 cards themselves are called:

  • Carta de Etapa # (Base Set)
  • Pokémon de Etapa # (Neo Genesis)
  • Fase # (since Ruby & Sapphire)
French Pokémon Pokémon de base
Base
German Pokémon Basis-Pokémon
Basis
Italian Pokémon Pokémon Base
Base
Dutch Pokémon Basis-Pokémon
Basis
Portuguese Pokémon Pokémon Básico
Básico
Polish Pokémon PODST. ETAP 1 ETAP 2 Ewoluuje od XXX
Russian Покемон
Thai
Chinese [S] 宝可梦 基础宝可梦 1阶进化 2阶进化 My Chinese is super rusty, so please forgive me if I accidentally put the wrong words in the wrong boxes. And it doesn’t help that official terms kept being mixed around over the years.
Chinese [T] 神奇寶貝
寶可夢		 原始神奇寶貝
基礎寶可夢		 1進化
1階進化		 2進化
2階進化		 If you’re gonna make Chinese-language fake cards, have fun choosing the different ways to spell “Pokémon” due to how Mainland China, Taiwan, and the post-2016 renaming all spell it differently.
Indonesian

 

 

Deck Hand Bench Benched (Pokémon) Active (Pokémon) Prize Card Discard Pile In Play Lost Zone Notes
English
Japanese
Korean
Spanish
French
German
Italian
Dutch
Portuguese
Polish
Russian
Thai
Chinese [S]
Chinese [T]
Indonesian

 

Attack Pokemon Power Poke-Body Ability Special Condition Attach Evolve (verb) Devolve Knock(ed) Out Notes
English
Japanese
Korean
Spanish
French
German
Italian
Dutch
Portuguese
Polish
Russian
Thai
Chinese [S]
Chinese [T]
Indonesian

 

 

Asleep Burned Confused Paralyzed Poisoned (Damage) Counter (Poison) Marker Notes
English
Japanese
Korean
Spanish
French
German
Italian
Dutch
Portuguese
Polish
Russian
Thai
Chinese [S]
Chinese [T]
Indonesian

 

 

Pokémon Baby Basic Evolution Card Stage 1 Stage 2 Evolves From Put XXX on the Basic Pokémon Put XXX on the Stage 1 Card Notes
English Pokémon Baby Basic Pokémon Stage 1 Stage 2 Evolves from XXX Put XXX on the Basic Pokémon Put XXX on the Stage 1 Card
Japanese ポケモン たね 1進化 2進化 XXXから進化
Korean 포켓몬 기본 포켓몬
기본		 1진화 2진화 XXX에서 진화
Spanish Pokémon Bebé Pokémon Básico
Básico		 Etapa 1
Fase 1		 Etapa 2
Fase 2		 Evoluciona de XXX Poner a XXX sobre el Pokémon Básico Poner a XXX sobre la carta de Etapa 1
Poner a XXX sobre la carta de ETAPA 1		 Stage 1 and Stage 2 cards themselves are called:

  • Carta de Etapa # (Base Set)
  • Pokémon de Etapa # (Neo Genesis)
  • Fase # (since Ruby & Sapphire)
French Pokémon Pokémon de base
Base
German Pokémon Basis-Pokémon
Basis
Italian Pokémon Pokémon Base
Base
Dutch Pokémon Basis-Pokémon
Basis
Portuguese Pokémon Pokémon Básico
Básico
Polish Pokémon PODST. ETAP 1 ETAP 2 Ewoluuje od XXX
Russian Покемон
Thai
Chinese [S] 宝可梦 基础宝可梦 1阶进化 2阶进化 My Chinese is super rusty, so please forgive me if I accidentally put the wrong words in the wrong boxes. And it doesn’t help that official terms kept being mixed around over the years.
Chinese [T] 神奇寶貝
寶可夢		 原始神奇寶貝
基礎寶可夢		 1進化
1階進化		 2進化
2階進化		 If you’re gonna make Chinese-language fake cards, have fun choosing the different ways to spell “Pokémon” due to how Mainland China, Taiwan, and the post-2016 renaming all spell it differently.
Indonesian

 

 

Trainer Item Stadium Supporter PokéTool Energy Basic Energy Special Energy Notes
English Trainer Item Stadium Supporter Tool Energy Basic Energy Special Energy
Japanese Trainer
Trainer’s
トレーナーズ		 グッズ スタジアム サポート ポケモンのどうぐ
Korean Trainer
Trainer’s
트레이너스		 아이템 스타디움 서포트 포켓몬의 도구 에너지 특수 에너지
Spanish Entrenador Objeto Estadio Partidario Herramienta Pokémon Energía Energía Básico Energía Especial
French
German
Italian
Dutch
Portuguese
Polish Trener Stadion Kibic Energia Specjalna karta energii It’s my understanding that Polish cards only appeared in DPP-era, so some words were never officially translated. Also apparently the English-language layout was used on Polish Trainer cards as well.
Russian
Thai
Chinese [S] 训练家卡 物品卡 竞技场卡 支援者卡 宝可梦道具 能量卡 基本能量卡 特殊能量卡 All this said, the cards themselves don’t seem to actually have the word “卡” attached to it. For example, all Chinese Item cards just say “物品” on it.
Chinese [T] 教練卡
訓練員卡
訓練家卡		 物品卡 訓練場卡
競技場卡		 支援卡
支援者卡		 神奇寶貝道具
寶可夢道具		 能量卡 基本能量卡 特殊能量卡
Indonesian

 

Spanish’s Different HP

Clearly Spanish-language cards went through the most renaming of HP… for the record:

  • PI: Puntos de Impacto (“Impact Points”; loose translation of “hit”)
  • PV: Puntos de Vida (“Life Points”; a reasonable translation of its intended meaning)
  • PS: Puntos de Salud (“Health Points”; a better term given that Pokémon are Knocked Out due to insufficient health, versus killed due to insufficient life)

So why the change? Dr. Omanyte from the PA! Discord has a little theory:

  • PI: Wizards of the Coast-era; apparently Latin American and proper-Spain translators were used in Base Set, while exclusively Spain translators were used from Jungle onward. Naturally when Wizards’ lost the license, that team moved on to other projects.
  • PV: This was used between Ruby & Sapphire until the last BW set. Apparently with the Ruby & Sapphire set the new Spanish-language team (also mostly from Spain) were very inexperienced, but they later grew and developed over the next couple generations.
  • PS: This is the current method for translating “HP”, which started in XY-onwards. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that this new method came when Nintendo/TPCI started to release the Pokémon games all as the same time worldwide, so Nintendo likely got a new Spanish staff to reflect a more “broad, international” way of thinking versus focused on just a Spanish-centric point of view. Consider that there were other significant changes in the games between with the start of Gen 6, such as attack names.

Of course the details can’t be known for sure, but this seems to be the most likely.

 

Mega thanks to the following helpful folk from the PA! Discord for helping me fill in the various gaps:

  • Dr. Omanyte – Spanish
  • AtoMan – Polish