# Translation Memory Basics

Translation Memory (TM) helps you reuse previous translations.

### What is Translation Memory?

A Translation Memory stores pairs of source and target text:

| Source              | Target                | Match % |
| ------------------- | --------------------- | ------- |
| "Save the file"     | "Sla het bestand op"  | 100%    |
| "Save the document" | "Sla het document op" | 85%     |

When you translate new text, the TM finds similar segments.

### How TM Works

1. **You translate** a segment
2. **TM stores** the source + target pair
3. **Later**, when similar text appears:
   * TM finds matches
   * Shows them in the Translation Results panel
   * You can insert or adapt them

### Match Types

| Type             | Match % | Description                                 |
| ---------------- | ------- | ------------------------------------------- |
| **Exact**        | 100%    | Identical source text                       |
| **High Fuzzy**   | 90-99%  | Minor differences (numbers, capitalization) |
| **Medium Fuzzy** | 75-89%  | Some words different                        |
| **Low Fuzzy**    | 50-74%  | Significant differences                     |

### Benefits

#### Save Time

Don't translate the same sentence twice. TM automatically suggests previous translations.

#### Consistency

Same source = same translation. Important for technical documentation, UI strings, and legal text.

#### Cost Savings

Clients often pay less for TM matches:

* 100% match: Lowest rate
* Fuzzy match: Reduced rate
* New text: Full rate

### TM in Supervertaler

#### Translation Results Panel

When you select a segment:

1. TM searches for matches
2. Results appear in the panel on the right
3. Shows match percentage, source, and target
4. Double-click to insert

#### Using Matches

| Action          | How                                               |
| --------------- | ------------------------------------------------- |
| Insert match    | Double-click, or select it and press `Ctrl+Space` |
| Copy match      | Right-click → Copy                                |
| View in context | Right-click → View in TM                          |

#### Building TM

Your TM grows as you translate:

1. Translate a segment
2. Confirm with `Ctrl+Enter`
3. The pair is saved to active TM

### Multiple TMs

You can have multiple TMs:

* **Project TM**: For the current project
* **Client TMs**: One per client
* **Master TM**: All your translations

#### TM Priority

When multiple TMs match:

* Higher priority TMs shown first
* Can reorder in the **TMs** tab

***

### See Also

* [Creating & Managing TMs](/help/translation-memory/managing-tms.md)
* [Importing TMX Files](/help/translation-memory/importing-tmx.md)
* [Fuzzy Matching](/help/translation-memory/fuzzy-matching.md)


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