Spanish Translation and Localization Services

The Ultimate Guide to Spanish Translation and Localization Services

Se Habla Espanol sign Spanish Translation and Localization Services

Spanish is one of the most widely utilized languages in the world with an estimated 537.9 million native speakers around the globe. While 79 countries have Spanish-speaking populations, it is the official language of 21 countries. Because of the sheer number of Spanish-speaking individuals, Spanish translation and localization services are necessary for domestic and international corporations.

What are Spanish translation and localization services?

Professional Spanish translation and localization services exist in multifaceted formats, from relaying the contents of a document to or from Spanish, adding subtitles to videos, or working with Spanish interpreters to provide live translations. This may also involve a secondary process, known as localizing content. This goes beyond providing word-for-word equivalents from Spanish to another language or vice versa to include considerations of specific dialects or other cultural variances. When hiring a language services provider, be sure to ask if localization services are included to ensure the highest quality and level of accuracy.

The Importance of the Spanish Language in Business

Considering its widespread global use, professional Spanish translation and localization services are vitally important for U.S. businesses, and those abroad, to translate into and from the multiple dialects of Spanish, which include Pan-American, Peninsular, and Standard, not to mention the inter-languages such as Creole, Portuñol, and Spanglish. These regionally diverse forms demand that when translating, the grammar and vocabulary must be letter-perfect, the exacting level of accuracy that ASTA-USA has provided since 1987.

Spanish speakers in the United States outnumber all other foreign languages combined. For perspective, that includes Chinese (all languages and dialects), French, German, Hawaiian, Italian, and all dialects of Native American. In fact, the U.S. Census reports that Spanish is the primary language spoken at home by 38.3 million people. That figure has doubled since the 1990 census.

A Pew Research article notes that this number is forecast to increase to 43 million by 2020. Pew also finds that 95% of Hispanic adults feel future generations need to speak Spanish. Most importantly, young Hispanics today are more likely than their parents to use Spanish in everyday and business settings.

Many American marketers only bother to translate their advertisements and marketing materials into Spanish, but is that sufficient? There are several dialects of the Spanish language from Castilian Spanish to European Spanish, and they are not all equally understood by native speakers. That’s why it’s vital to understand your entire market and then use a thorough Spanish translation services provider like ASTA-USA Translation Services, Inc. that has an expansive network of native linguists who know the importance of using the correct dialects in the performance of Spanish language translation and localization services.

Spanish Translation and Localization Services & Their Role in Successful Marketing Campaigns

As technology has made our world smaller, it’s also helped make our jobs easier. As noted in the article, marketing technology makes it easier to:

  • Target your audience
  • Accomplish large tasks in less time
  • Grade success
  • Optimize efficiency
  • Stay ahead of the competition
  • See results faster

But all of these benefits are useless if your company isn’t partnering with ASTA-USA for its Spanish translation and localization service needs. Here’s how our top-of-the-line services enhance the above marketing technology benefits.

  • Our in-house, certified translators understand different regional dialects, meaning our services are thorough and accurate.
  • We work with you to understand your project volume and deadline needs. Our goal is to meet if not exceed your deadline, making the most of your investment in professional Spanish translators.
  • For decades, we have received positive feedback and ongoing partnerships with some of the country’s biggest companies due to our 100% accurate, on-time services.
  • Our professional linguists are in-house and a large part of the translation company, so we are familiar with their work and know that they will produce quality results. We also have a thorough proofreading process that eliminates the typical back and forth associated with document translation.
  • We employ accredited translators that have industry experience. That means they understand the content of the document and can ensure that the flow and message of the translated version is an exact match to the original. Whether this is legal documents or intricate technical documents, each of our professional Spanish translators are native Spanish speakers as well as industry experts.
  • We understand the importance of time in business. That’s why we work as quickly as possible on your project to return error-free, high-quality Spanish translation and localization services on or before your deadline.

Understanding Dialect Differences in Spanish Translation and Localization Services

While a majority of Hispanics speak Mexican Spanish, there are many non-Mexican Hispanics who speak other dialects, not to mention another language, Portuguese. New York is home to a large Puerto Rican population, many Cubans live in Miami and there is a high Salvadorian population in Washington, DC. While most of these residents also speak English, their native Spanish dialect is important to them. If a major company were to translate its marketing materials into Spanish and Portuguese, it would instantly build rapport with both demographics because it would be showing care and are making an investment in that community.

If a product is only marketed using Spanish translation and localization services for one dialect, it’s likely that speakers of other Spanish dialects will skip over the product or choose another brand or leading provider who understands the differences between Spanish speakers.

Studies show that marketing in one Spanish dialect or with Mexican spokespeople is often not enough to reach the entire Spanish-speaking population. Further marketing research shows that speakers of other Spanish dialects feel alienated and detached from the product or company. Vocabulary can differ between dialects and should be given careful consideration. As noted by Latinum Netowrk, the word “torta” in Venezuelan and Colombian Spanish means “cake,” while in Mexican Spanish, “torta” means “sandwich.” This could get sticky when translating advertisements and menus for a local bakery.

Of course, this happens on a much larger scale as well, with different companies marketing their products with broad Spanish translation and localization services. This mishap is easily avoided when partnering with ASTA-USA. Our native language translators know the differences in dialects and consider this throughout all of their translation work. They have a lifetime of experience with the language, an extensive education and at least a decade of professional translation experience. Therefore, they understand what is being advertised or discussed in the document and know what words and accents to use in order to keep the message of the document intact. Our professional translators are not only the best in the business, but our error-proof process saves your company time and money by getting the job done right the first time. Once your document has been translated, it is then checked by three of our other in-house experts, ensuring confidentiality and accuracy. We do all of this as quickly as possible, meeting, if not exceeding your deadline.

Which countries have Spanish speaking populations?

While countries including Mexico, Spain, Colombia, Chile, Peru, Cuba, and Venezuela (among others) embrace Spanish as their official language, many others have significant populations of Spanish-speaking individuals. In the United States, more than 41 million people speak Spanish at home while only 2% of Russia’s population speaks the language. Spanish speaking markets exist around the globe making the need for Spanish translation and localization services universal.

The complete list of countries with Spanish-speaking populations who ma :

  1.  Mexico
  2.  United States
  3.  Colombia
  4.  Spain
  5.  Argentina
  6.  Venezuela
  7.  Peru
  8.  Chile
  9.  Ecuador
  10.  Guatemala
  11.  Cuba
  12.  Dominican Republic
  13.  Bolivia
  14.  Honduras
  15.  Paraguay
  16.  France
  17.  El Salvador
  18.  Nicaragua
  19.  Brazil
  20.  Italy
  21.  Costa Rica
  22.  Panama
  23.  Uruguay
  24.  Puerto Rico
  25.  Morocco
  26.  United Kingdom
  27.  Philippines
  28.  Germany
  29.  Equatorial Guinea
  30.  Romania
  31.  Portugal
  32.  Canada
  33.  Netherlands
  34.  Sweden
  35.  Australia
  36.  Belgium
  37.  Benin
  38.  Ivory Coast
  39.  Poland
  40.  Austria
  41.  Algeria
  42.  Belize
  43.  Senegal
  44.  Denmark
  45.  Israel
  46.  Japan
  47.  Gabon
  48.   Switzerland
  49.  Ireland
  50.  Finland
  51.  Bulgaria
  52.  Bonaire and Curaçao
  53.  Norway
  54.  Czech Republic
  55.  Hungary
  56.  Aruba
  57.  Trinidad and Tobago
  58.  Cameroon
  59.  Andorra
  60.  Slovenia
  61.  New Zealand
  62.  Slovakia
  63.  China
  64.  Gibraltar
  65.  Lithuania
  66.  Luxembourg
  67.  Russia
  68.  Western Sahara
  69.  Guam
  70.  U.S. Virgin Islands
  71.  Latvia
  72.  Turkey
  73.  Cyprus
  74.  India
  75.  Estonia
  76.  Jamaica
  77.  Namibia
  78.  Egypt
  79.  Malta

Spanish is one of the United Nations’ six official languages. Additionally, the African Union, the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, the European Union, the Organization of American States, and the Union of South American Nations regard it as an official language. ASTA-USA’s Spanish translation and localization services are accredited by the world’s leading organiations, including the United Nations and the American Translations Association (ATA) among others.

¿Como es su Español?

Can you translate these Spanish business phrases?

  1. La reunión es a las…
  2. Estoy en ello.
  3. Necesito ayuda, por favor.
  4. Enviar un correo electrónico.
  5. La sala de juntas.
  6. Tiene experiencia en estas cosas.
  7. ¿Puede decirle al jefe que estoy enfermo y que no podré venir hoy?
  8. Me pongo en ello ahora.
  9. La comercialización es de alta prioridad.
  10. Contrato indefinido.

While these are basic examples of the widespread use of the Spanish language in business, only some have the desire to learn to speak foreign languages. In these instances, providers of Spanish translation and localization services can act as an extension of your team. They can translate internal communications, such as HR documents, newsletters, and operational manuals to external marketing materials or vendor contracts.

Get to Know Expert ASTA-USA Spanish Translation and Localization Services Provider, Luis Amado

When you partner with ASTA-USA Translation Services, Inc., you’ll quickly learn about our high-level, professional translators and how their credentials set us apart from other translation companies. You’ll know about their extensive education, years of career experience, accreditation and much more. We are proud of the strong team we’ve assembled and want you to be confident in them as well.

Luis Amado has been an ASTA-USA Spanish translation expert for nearly ten years. He has worked on a multitude of important projects, from business documents to technical documents and everything in-between, he produces outstanding results that exceed our clients’ expectations. He represents the excellence, attention to detail, care and expertise that all of our in-house translators share. Amado was born in Santiago del Estero, a province of northwest Argentina, and currently calls Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada home. Learn more about Mr. Amado’s Spanish translation and localization services expertise and experiences:

How did you get into Spanish translation?

I have a university degree in TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language). Shortly after graduation, I was hired as a Latin American Spanish junior translator for the local subsidiary of a major software company.

What’s your professional translation experience?

I worked as a Latin American Spanish Translator, Language Specialist and Senior Language Specialist for the Oracle Corporation for ten years. Then I was hired as a Spanish Linguistic Coordinator by a company in Montreal, Quebec for two years before joining the ASTA-USA team.

What’s your favorite part about being a translator?

I love languages. I find them fascinating. I currently speak Spanish, English and French. I am among those who believe that our native language – or languages, as is the case for many people in Quebec – will largely determine the way we see, interpret and relate with reality. I speak Spanish at home, English at work and French for all the rest. Life is great!

What’s your favorite part about working for ASTA-USA?

I am very fortunate to work with a group of extremely nice, friendly, and most importantly, professional people. Although I’ve been at ASTA-USA for nearly ten years, it hasn’t felt that long at all. Time surely flies when you’re having fun!

What’s the most challenging part about your job?

One of the key questions when working with Spanish translation is, “What Spanish variety should we use?” My wife is from Peru and, despite the fact that we have been married for many years, we still have communication issues derived from the use of different terminology. With such a geographic distribution, there are many Spanish varieties, each with their own distinct terminology. Finding the appropriate lexicon for a particular locale can be very challenging.

What’s the most rewarding part of your job?

One of my favorite aspects of the job is researching to try to find the best target language equivalent of the latest English lingo or fad. Whenever I come across a “new” term in English, my mind immediately goes into overdrive trying to find an equivalent in Spanish.

Get a Free Quote for Spanish Translation and Localization Services Today

Spanish is becoming an American standard, but not all translations are. ASTA-USA is THE standard when it comes to speed, precision and customer service. Inquire now or give us a call at 1.866.446.1860 to discuss your organization’s language needs. Whether you are aiming to enter Spanish speaking markets, need to translate technical documents or require Spanish legal translations; you’ll be amazed at how easy it is to work with us!