Founder & German to English Translator
Lucy Pembayun MITI is a qualified German to English translator and founder of LEaF Translations. She has over a decade of experience working as a translator – both in-house and as a freelancer – and specialises in business, marketing, website and SEO translations. Passionate about ethical business and sustainability, Lucy has also appeared on podcasts and spoken at business events.


BACKGROUND & EXPERIENCE
Lucy studied German and Philosophy at Edinburgh University before securing a DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) scholarship to complete a Master’s degree in Germany. Upon graduating from the MA in Intercultural Communication and European Studies, Lucy moved to Berlin to work in-house at a translation company specialising in translations for the tourist industry. In 2008, Lucy returned to the UK and began working as a freelance German to English translator, gaining qualified MITI status from the Institute of Translation & Interpreting (ITI). She founded LEaF Translations in 2017 with a determination to prove that any type of business can and should be ethical, whatever the sector.
Since its founding, Lucy has overseen LEaF Translations’ development into a highly respected SEO translation company, supporting some of the UK’s leading digital marketing agencies with their international SEO offerings and working with some of the biggest global brands. Besides the larger brands, LEaF Translations also regularly works with ethical businesses, as well as companies from Lucy’s hometown York.
Lucy is motivated by a determination to increase her own positive impact on society and the world around us and this is what drives her to keep growing LEaF Translations. Her passion for treating people fairly and with respect pervades everything LEaF Translations does and is one of the reasons for the translation company’s success.
LANGUAGE LOVES & LOATHES
Language Love:
“Idioms. We use them without even thinking, but when you look at them through the eyes of Google Translate (i.e. literally), you see how bizarre they can be. Here in Britain, when you can’t sit still we talk about having ants in your pants; in Germany it is bumblebees in the bottom!”
Language Loathe:
“Misplaced apostrophes. In fact, they annoy me so much, I wrote an entire how-to guide for apostrophes!”

CONNECT WITH LUCY
Articles by Lucy
- German idioms and their English equivalents
- Google Translate does Song Lyrics: Eurovision special – Making Your Mind Up by Bucks Fizz
- LEaF Translations re-accredited by the Good Business Charter
- Merry Christmas from LEaF!
- Football Vocabulary 101 – Idioms and Sayings Translated
- LEaF Translations to plant 20 trees for every new client
- Different Translation Types – A Guide
- Business Culture Around the World
- Women in Translation Month
Come and meet the rest of team LEaF
LEaF Translations was founded on bold values.
We are a translation and localisation company specialising in marketing, website and SEO translations. Our team of language professionals are highly experienced and true experts in their field.
