English and Chinese subtitles, one at the top and one at the bottom
Upload an English subtitle file and get every line translated into Simplified Chinese, with the English at the top of the screen and the Chinese at the bottom, on the original timing. Traditional Chinese is a separate choice. The first part is free to check with no account, a whole film of up to 10,000 lines is $5, and joining two files you already have is free up to 3,000 lines.
- This page starts with Chinese (Simplified) and the split layout
- Chinese (Traditional) is a separate target in the same list
- English placed at the top: {\an8} in SRT, line:0 in VTT, a yellow Top style in ASS
- Timings copied from your file, each line translated once and kept in order
- $5 for a whole film; 150 lines or fewer free in full
Which language goes on top
The language of the file you upload is always the first language: at the top of the screen in split layout, and on the upper line in stacked layout. Starting from an English file, as this page does, puts English at the top and Chinese at the bottom.
Many Chinese viewers prefer Chinese first and English second. To get that, upload a Chinese subtitle file and choose English as the second language, or join a Chinese file and an English file you already have, with the Chinese one first. Joining uses no AI model and is free up to 3,000 lines.
How the split layout is written
In SRT, the top line is written as a second subtitle with the same timing, starting with {\an8}, which most desktop players read as "top of the screen". A few players ignore that code and show both at the bottom. In VTT the top subtitle carries the line:0 setting that web players use. In ASS it gets its own Top style: yellow, slightly smaller and aligned to the top, while the Chinese uses the white Default style at the bottom.
The ASS file names Arial for both styles. Arial has no Chinese characters, so players usually substitute a font that has them; if yours shows boxes, change the Fontname of the Default style to a font with Chinese characters.
Who watches with both
- Chinese learners following an English film with the Chinese as support
- English learners in China, Singapore or Malaysia
- Families where grandparents read Chinese and grandchildren read English
- Teachers showing a film to a class with mixed Chinese and English reading levels
How the tool works, what it costs and how your files are handled is on the Dual Language Subtitles page; prices for every tool are on the pricing page.
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Questions and answers
Can ChatGPT make English and Chinese subtitles for a film?
A short clip, yes. On a full film the reply tends to stop partway, and when it rewrites the time codes lines can merge or shift. It also has no way to place one language at the top of the screen unless it writes the right code for every line.
Simplified or Traditional?
Both are available as separate targets. This page starts with Simplified; choose Chinese (Traditional) in the list for Taiwan or Hong Kong readers.
Can I have both languages at the bottom?
Yes. Choose the stacked layout and each subtitle shows English on the upper line and Chinese below it.
What does it cost?
The first part is free on screen. A whole film, up to 10,000 lines, is $5 paid once, and files of 150 lines or fewer are free in full. Joining two existing files is free up to 3,000 lines.
Which files can I upload?
SRT, VTT, ASS or SSA. An ASS file is read as text: italics and a position code are kept, its styling is not.
Is my file private?
Only you can open the job, the text is not used to train AI models, and jobs created without an account are deleted after 7 days.