Placing the English translation next to a foreign language text

Question

I want to use two columns to place the English translation of a text in a foreign language next to the original text in that foreign language. How can I do that?

Answer 1

I use the package parallel CTAN -- parallel. I don't know if there are better solution, but this one fit my requerements.

There are some options to split between left/right pages or columns, and also adding lines between columns.

A simple column division is presented in the following MWE.

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{parallel}
\usepackage[german, brazil]{babel}
\usepackage[utf8]{inputenc}
\usepackage{lipsum}

\begin{document}

CAPE -- MWE package parallel with bilingual -- single page

\clearpage

Before 1st Parallel with \verb|\textwidth|.

\begin{Parallel}{0.48\textwidth}{0.48\textwidth} %[options]{\linewidth}{\linewidth}
    \ParallelLText{ %
        \selectlanguage{brazil}

        Este texto está em alemão.

        left-text 1.1

        \lipsum[1-5]

        left-text 1.2

        \vfill

    }
    \ParallelRText{ %
        \selectlanguage{german}

        Dieser Text ist auf Deutsch.

        right-text 1.1

        \lipsum[1-5]

        right-text 1.2

        \vfill
    }
    \ParallelPar
    \ParallelLText{left-text 2}
    \ParallelRText{right-text 2}
    \ParallelPar

    \renewcommand{\ParallelAtEnd}{text at end of 1st parallel.}
\end{Parallel}

After 1st parallel.

Before 2nd parallel with \verb|\linewidth|.

\begin{Parallel}{0.48\linewidth}{0.48\linewidth} %[options]{\linewidth}{\linewidth}
    \ParallelLText{ %
        \selectlanguage{brazil}

        Este texto está em português.

        left-text 3.1 

        \lipsum[1-5]

        left-text 3.2

        \vfill

    }
    \ParallelRText{ %
        \selectlanguage{german}

        Dieser Text ist auf Portugiesisch.

        right-text 3.1

        \lipsum[1-5]

        right-text 3.2

        \vfill
    }
    \ParallelPar
    \ParallelLText{left-text 4}
    \ParallelRText{right-text 4}
    \ParallelPar
\end{Parallel}

After 2nd parallel.

\end{document}

Some pieces of the results. Considere adjusting margins to split the text bettter.

---

Edit: following Ad van der Ven's comments.

A shorter version with \usepackage[autostyle=true]{csquotes} and the suggested English and German texts. There are two repetitions of the texts. Check the behaviors (un)commenting lines with \selectlanguage.

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{parallel}
\usepackage[ngerman, english]{babel}
\usepackage[utf8]{inputenc}
\usepackage[autostyle=true]{csquotes}

\begin{document}

Titlepage -- MWE package parallel with bilingual -- single page.

\clearpage

Before 1st Parallel with \verb|\textwidth|.

\begin{Parallel}{0.48\textwidth}{0.48\textwidth} %[options]{\linewidth}{\linewidth}
    \selectlanguage{english}
    \ParallelLText{ %
        \enquote{This text is in German}.

        Besonders auffällig ist der frühere Eintritt der Reifungszeit und damit auch der Geschtechtsreife bei den Mädchen, die den Knaben um 1-2 Jahre vorauseilen. 
    }

    \selectlanguage{ngerman}
    \ParallelRText{ %
        \enquote{Dieser Text ist auf Deutsch}.

        Particularly noticeable is the earlier onset of the maturation period and thus also the maturity level of the girls, who are 1-2 years.
    }
    \ParallelPar
\end{Parallel}

After 1st parallel.

Before 2nd parallel with \verb|\linewidth|.

\begin{Parallel}{0.48\linewidth}{0.48\linewidth} %[options]{\linewidth}{\linewidth}
    % \selectlanguage{english} % No space
    \ParallelLText{ %
        \selectlanguage{english} % With space
        \enquote{This text is in English}.

        Besonders auffällig ist der frühere Eintritt der Reifungszeit und damit auch der Geschtechtsreife bei den Mädchen, die den Knaben um 1-2 Jahre vorauseilen. 
    }

    %\selectlanguage{ngerman} % No space
    \ParallelRText{ %
        \selectlanguage{ngerman} % With space
        \enquote{Dieser Text ist auf Englisch}.

        Particularly noticeable is the earlier onset of the maturation period and thus also the maturity level of the girls, who are 1-2 years.
    }
    \ParallelPar
\end{Parallel}

After 2nd parallel.

\end{document}

The result follows.