The Most Popular Languages for Fiction Translation in 2025 (So Far)

Since GlobeScribe launched just two weeks ago, we’ve already seen a fascinating pattern emerge in the languages authors and publishers are prioritising for translation. While it’s still early days, certain markets are clearly drawing more attention than others and this aligns closely with wider trends in global book sales. Based on our internal data from the first fortnight, here are the five most requested languages for fiction translation so far, and a few thoughts on why they’re proving so popular.

1. Spanish

Spanish leads the pack, with strong interest from authors aiming to reach both Latin American readers and the vast U.S. Hispanic audience. Romance, thrillers, and YA are especially in demand.

2. German

Germany remains one of the most lucrative ebook markets in the world. It’s no surprise that many of our early users are targeting German readers with genre fiction, particularly crime, historical, and speculative titles.

3. French

French is showing consistent demand across multiple territories, from France itself to Canada and parts of Africa. Authors are translating literary fiction, psychological thrillers, and series fiction into French early on.

4. Brazilian Portuguese

Brazil’s digital reading community is rapidly expanding, and authors are taking note. We’ve seen strong interest in romance and fantasy translations for this market, especially from self-published authors.

5. Italian

Italy rounds out the top five, with requests spanning romance, thrillers, and historical fiction. Although a smaller market, Italian readers are known for their loyalty when a book is well translated and well packaged.