diff --git a/apps/web/src/api/translation.ts b/apps/web/src/api/translation.ts
index a46ac0f590..2181bbf6ef 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/api/translation.ts
+++ b/apps/web/src/api/translation.ts
@@ -263,16 +263,32 @@ const isSkippableBlock = (block: string): boolean => {
   ) {
     return true;
   }
-  // Tables: a pipe row plus a |---| separator row. Cell-safe translation is
-  // out of scope, so the whole block is passed through.
-  return (
-    lines.some((line) => line.includes("|")) &&
-    lines.some(
-      (line) => line.includes("|") && line.includes("-") && TABLE_SEPARATOR_LINE.test(line)
-    )
+  // Tables: a |---| separator row directly below a pipe row with the SAME cell
+  // count (the GFM shape). Cell-safe translation is out of scope, so the whole
+  // block is passed through; requiring adjacency plus matching column counts
+  // keeps prose that merely contains pipe characters translatable.
+  return lines.some(
+    (line, i) =>
+      i > 0 &&
+      line.includes("|") &&
+      line.includes("-") &&
+      TABLE_SEPARATOR_LINE.test(line) &&
+      lines[i - 1].includes("|") &&
+      countTableCells(lines[i - 1]) === countTableCells(line)
   );
 };
 
+const countTableCells = (line: string): number => {
+  let trimmed = line.trim();
+  if (trimmed.startsWith("|")) {
+    trimmed = trimmed.slice(1);
+  }
+  if (trimmed.endsWith("|")) {
+    trimmed = trimmed.slice(0, -1);
+  }
+  return trimmed.split("|").length;
+};
+
 interface TranslateRequest {
   text: string;
   apply: (translated: string) => void;
diff --git a/apps/web/src/specs/api/translate-markdown.spec.ts b/apps/web/src/specs/api/translate-markdown.spec.ts
index f377f602b6..400cd10252 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/specs/api/translate-markdown.spec.ts
+++ b/apps/web/src/specs/api/translate-markdown.spec.ts
@@ -277,4 +277,34 @@ it("preserves leading indentation on marker-less continuation lines", async () =
     ).rejects.toThrow("translate-cancelled");
     expect(calls).toBe(1);
   });
+it("still skips a real GFM table (separator directly under the header row)", async () => {
+    const table = "| a | b |\n|---|---|\n| 1 | 2 |";
+    const result = await translateMarkdown(`Intro.\n\n${table}`, "es", "en");
+
+    expect(result).toBe(`\u00abIntro.\u00bb\n\n${table}`);
+  });
+
+  it("translates prose containing pipes and a stray separator-like line", async () => {
+    const block = "El valor |x| es absoluto\nnota al margen\n|---|";
+    const result = await translateMarkdown(block, "es", "en");
+
+    expect(result).toContain("\u00ab");
+    expect(post).toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  it("translates pipe prose directly above a separator when cell counts differ", async () => {
+    const block = "El valor |x| es absoluto\n|---|";
+    const result = await translateMarkdown(block, "es", "en");
+
+    expect(result).toContain("\u00ab");
+    expect(post).toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  it("still skips a borderless GFM table (header without outer pipes)", async () => {
+    const table = "a | b\n--- | ---\n1 | 2";
+    const result = await translateMarkdown(table, "es", "en");
+
+    expect(result).toBe(table);
+    expect(post).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
 });