Languages for translation in Madrid

Choosing the right target language

We receive enquiries involving English, French, German, Italian and Portuguese, among other languages. Please specify the direction explicitly. “English translation” might mean English into Spanish or Spanish into English, and we should not assume that a translator or reviewer is available for both directions and every subject.

The intended reader also makes a difference. Material for the UK may call for British spelling and familiar terminology. Portuguese for Portugal should not be treated automatically as a version for Brazil. A client may have its own preferred product names or style conventions as well. If you have a style guide or approved wording, send it with the material.

Enquiries involving Arabic, Chinese, Japanese or Korean can raise additional questions about script, locale and names. Chinese content, for instance, may need simplified or traditional characters according to its audience. We do not choose a writing system by guessing from a document's country of origin. Seals or handwritten additions can also introduce another language into an apparently single-language file.

If the language you need is not listed, describe it on the quote form. We can investigate the exact combination and subject before offering a service. Availability for a language direction and deadline is confirmed only after the material and subject have been assessed.

Matching subject expertise to the document

A technical translator has to keep components, procedures and safety instructions coherent across a manual. A legal translator must understand the document's function and avoid treating terms from different legal systems as interchangeable. Medical, pharmaceutical and financial work each bring their own conventions and checks. The chosen language pair does not remove those specialist needs.

For a site or app, localisation considers screen length, navigation and regional conventions as well as the sentences themselves. We will ask where the content is stored and whether a version can be checked in context. If an existing translation needs improvement, bilingual review may be a more useful starting point than commissioning a new version without examining what is already there.

Consistency across several languages

If you are publishing in several markets, provide a stable source version and a list of target audiences. A shared glossary can establish product names, acronyms and terms that should remain unchanged. Earlier translations may be useful reference material, but each reused phrase still needs to fit its current context. Changes to the source after translation begins can affect more than one language and should be identified clearly.

For a recurring series of documents, tell us which parts repeat and which are new. We can assess whether previous approved terminology or translation memories may assist the work. Those resources support human decisions; they do not establish that an old sentence is correct for a new product, customer or regulatory setting. Read more about our quality checks and the wider translation services.

When official certification is required

Sworn translation in Spain is a separate matter from general language coverage. If a Spanish authority has requested it, the authorisation relevant to the language combination and direction needs checking. The receiving body may also specify signing, presentation or a paper copy. Send its instructions with the document rather than relying on a general language page to answer a formal requirement.

For other purposes, tell us whether the text is for publication, internal use or correspondence. That context helps us agree the appropriate translation and review. You can start from the Madrid translation agency or send the files directly through the quote form.