OBJECTIVES: The Chronic Respiratory questionnaire – Self Administered Standardized form (CRQ-SAS), a validated health related quality of life instrument for patients with COPD, was developed in U.S. and Canadian English to assess this impact. Prior to use in an international study our team translated the CRQ-SAS into 11 languages according to a rigorous protocol ensuring conceptual equivalence and cultural relevance across languages. METHODS: A specialist conducted the translation process in each target country following an internationally recognized methodology: 1) two forward translations and their reconciliation by native speakers of the target language and fluent in English; 2) backward translation by a native English speaker; 3) review by a clinician; and 4) comprehension test on five individuals with COPD. RESULTS: The process revealed two challenges: the translation of terms with a large semantic field (e.g. “upset”) and the translation of idiomatic expressions such as “down in the dumps”. Together with the developers of the instrument we found appropriate language versions to convey the original concepts. CONCLUSION: We established 11 translations of the CRQ-SAS according to rigorous methodology. The availability of the CRQ-SAS in many languages facilitates efforts to collect patient data across countries and enables researchers to compare the impact of COPD on people's lives internationally.