Merge subtitles in two languages or two parts.
To merge two subtitle files, add both and pick how. In bilingual mode, each cue shows language 1 on the top line and language 2 below, paired by time even when the files break sentences in different places. In the other mode, part 2 is placed right after part 1.
Free, no sign-upSubtitles 1 (top line)
Subtitles 2 (bottom line)
Helps tell the languages apart. If your player shows <i> as text on screen, turn it off.
The length of the part 1 video, such as 00:45:10.000. Left empty, part 2 starts right after the last subtitle of part 1.
Want bilingual captions burned into the video? We translate and caption the clip.
How to merge two subtitle files
- 01
Pick the mode
Bilingual for two languages on one video. One after the other for a film or event recorded in two parts.
- 02
Add both files
Paste or drop one file on each side. SRT, VTT, SBV, ASS and TTML all work, and accents from older files come through right.
- 03
Download one file
Choose SRT or VTT. The summary shows how many cues paired, how many kept one language and where part 2 begins.
How to make bilingual subtitles from two SRT files
Bilingual subtitles are a single subtitle track with both languages on screen at once: the original on top and the translation below. They play in any player that reads SRT, TVs included, because to the player it is an ordinary two-line subtitle. No dual-subtitle feature needed, and few players have one.
They help language learners read both versions together, churches with a preacher and an interpreter, events with an audience from two countries and families where not everyone speaks the same language. Translators use them too, to review their work with the original on the same screen.
- Line 1: subtitles 1, on a single line. Line 2: subtitles 2.
- Each cue takes its timing from file 1, the one synced to the video.
- Italics on the second line are optional and work in SRT and VTT.
What if the two files do not match cue for cue?
That is the usual case. Every translator breaks sentences where it reads best, so the English file may have 812 cues and the Spanish one 790. That is why we never pair by order or cue number: we pair by time. Each cue in file 2 goes to the cue in file 1 it overlaps the most.
If one cue in file 2 covers two short cues in file 1, those two become one, as long as the result fits in 7 seconds and 90 characters. If file 2 splits in two what file 1 says in one cue, both halves appear together on line 2. A cue with no partner, like [music] only in file 2, gets its own slot in the free gap without covering another. Touching by 100 milliseconds is not a pair: the two must really share the same stretch of speech.
| File 1 (English) | File 2 (Spanish) | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1 cue from 1.2 s to 4 s | 2 cues: 1.1 s to 2.5 s and 2.5 s to 4 s | 1 cue, both phrases on line 2 |
| Amen? and Amen! in 2 cues | ¿Amén? ¡Amén! in one cue | 1 cue with both |
| No cue | [música] from 12 s to 15 s | A cue with line 2 only |
How to merge CD1 and CD2 subtitles or a video in two parts
Older films shipped as two files, and long services, lectures and events are often recorded in two parts. Each part has subtitles starting from zero. Once the videos are joined, part 2's subtitles must start exactly where part 1 ends.
The right value is the length of the part 1 video, shown in the file's properties or in your editor. Type that time and every cue in part 2 moves with it. Leave it empty and part 2 starts right after the last cue of part 1, which works when the video has no silent stretch at the end. If part 2's subtitles already continue part 1's clock, we keep them as they are.
Tips to keep bilingual subtitles easy to read
Put on top the language most of the audience reads best; a quick glance catches the first line. Italics on the second line separate the languages without needing color. If one file runs ahead of or behind the other, sync it first and merge after, because pairing is done by time.
Two languages on two lines mean more text on screen per cue. After merging, run the file through the characters-per-second checker to see if any cue is now too fast to read in both versions.
More than merging two files. Bilingual captions from the video itself.
Frequently asked questions
How do I merge two subtitle files into one?
Pick bilingual for two languages or one after the other for two parts. Add a file on each side, click merge and download SRT or VTT.
How do I show subtitles in two languages at the same time?
Use bilingual mode with the subtitle file for each language. The result is a regular SRT with two lines per cue, language 1 on top and language 2 below, which any player or TV can show.
My files have different cue numbers and timings. Will it work?
Yes. Cues are paired by when they appear on screen, not by order. Cues split on one side and whole on the other are brought together, and the summary shows how many kept only one language.
Which language goes on top?
The one in subtitles 1, which also sets the timing of each cue. To flip them, swap the files.
How do I join CD1 and CD2 subtitles?
Choose one after the other, put CD1 in part 1 and type the length of the CD1 video in where part 2 starts. CD2's cues then land at the right time in the full film.
Can I merge ASS or VTT files?
Yes. SRT, VTT, SBV, ASS and TTML work in any mix. The result is SRT or VTT; ASS styles such as font and color do not carry over to those formats.
Want bilingual captions ready on the video? We transcribe and translate.
Upload the video or paste a YouTube link. We transcribe, translate and burn the original and translated captions together into your clips, on Studio and Agency.
See the result on your own recording before adding a card.