How to Translate Letters and Personal Correspondence from English into Spanish

This might sound a bit dusty. We are not talking about Victorian letters with quill and all. Sometimes in business, letters sent by email are a necessary evil. You will not get jail time for writing a letter. Promise. There is a sense of relevance and personal intimacy in correspondence. Even if it is business related. You take the time to consider someone else. You need to be engaging and honest.  

No Fear

In business relations, sometimes best practices involve writing old school letters. And no letters should be a copy of another. You have to get the context right. First define the letter’s goal. Get exactly the vibe it needs to promote. If you know about the origins of the letter, translation will follow seamlessly.

There is no need for you to work alone. No need to hide in the high tower to write. If you are not bilingual and doubts cloud your mind, stop and think. Do I need only an ego-oriented letter, even if it is incomprehensible? No. Still better: bring in the pros. Allow them to assist you with the relevant bilingual aspects of writing.

Life, Breathing Text

The translated letter should feel just like the original one. Respect style, level of formality, tone, vocabulary, and tone. Avoid literal translation. This tends to sound robot-like and soulless. Read the translation aloud. Then check how natural it sounds in Spanish. Polish word that sound forced or copied from the English.

The way in which you address the letter recipient depends on the letter style. It could be formal, friendly, businesslike, etc.

If the body of the letter includes specific data, numbers and/or information, you need to check that they are correct. A written document always speaks about you. You need to make sure this makes a good impression.

Localization of numbers and dates is important. Use the correct format for each type of word in Spanish. Do not take anything for granted. The text and figures need to be comprehensible to the reader.

Easy to read is always better. Not basic, not rustic, just easy reading will flow. If you need to share complex information, do so. But still try to simplify your transmission of such information.

Proper and Tidy

If you are dealing with an official letter that includes sensitive information, rules and regulations must be followed. Privacy is a must.

Be aware of culturally specific distinctions in language. Apply a culture check that includes personalized greetings, set phrases, and endings.

Beta test your letter. Ask a Spanish native to read it and let you know whether it sounds natural.

Technology is allowed as a practical aid. But do not trust it blindly. Not ever. You can find yourself in a bit of a pickle, if your tech assistant does not get the actual meaning of a jargon word. It could even get embarrassing. You have to be the decision maker in all of your content. This includes correspondence.

When facing English idioms, you have to adapt their meaning so that they make sense in Spanish. Do not mirror the source language. Otherwise, the result will be empty and, what is even worse, confusing.

Maintain a nice flow in terms of wording and style. Respect and mimic the source format in the Spanish translation.

The goal here is to craft an easy to read and relatable letter that does not sound like a translation at all. Your power to issue the original message should be intact in the target. The challenge is set. Let the blank page be filled.