Spanish is increasingly becoming more important in the United States. It is not rare to see commercials in Spanish on English-speaking TV networks. It is the second most spoken language in the US, with over 41 million people aged 5 or older who speak Spanish at home, according to the US Census. Furthermore, a whopping 66.74% of people aged 5 or older speak Spanish in Miami-Dade county alone, so companies in Miami often market in at least two languages. With such statistics, it’s only natural that Spanish language is highly requested for translation services.
Types of Spanish Translations in the US
The number of Spanish speakers in the US is significant and continues to grow, and with it, the need for translation services, both for Spanish to English translations and English to Spanish translations. Below are some of the most common types of Spanish translations.
Marketing Translations: Many US companies are eager to market to the Spanish-speaking segment of the population, and as a result, they have ramped up their efforts to translate marketing materials. Marketing translations are not a word-for-word translation, but rather require transcreation, which is a more creative form of translation. It requires adapting the original text to the target language so that it is culturally appropriate and understandable to the target audience. It can be difficult to translate jokes, metaphors, and expressions if they do not have an equivalent, so this is where a skilled translator is necessary to analyze the text and provide a culturally relevant translation that gets the same message across. There are some cringe-worthy translations, and if you search “bad translations” on the internet, you will find a plethora of translation fails. These can be extremely costly and tarnish a company’s reputation, which is why it is important to hire a skilled translator. Some of the most popular categories of marketing translations include sport translations, fashion translations, and hospitality translations.
Legal Translations: Many companies in the US also do business with Spanish speaking countries in Latin America or have offices located in Spanish-speaking countries (and vice versa), so it is important to translate business documents, legal documents, contracts and materials like training manuals and employee handbooks so they can be standardized across the company’s operations in Latin America or Spain. Conversely, many law firms require Spanish to English translation of documents so they can be used as evidence to build a case. Legalese is a language of its own, which is why it is important to hire a translation company that is experienced in translating these types of documents.
Financial Translations: This category includes a broad range of documents, including: translation of bank statements, translation of financial statements, translation financial reports, BSA/AML translations, compliance translations, regulatory translations, and more. Financial documents, like legal documents, require precise translation, which is why it is important to hire a translation firm that is specialized in this type of language.
Certified Translations: Certified translations are highly requested for many different purposes, including translation for immigration processes with the USCIS or a foreign consulate/embassy, translations for applying for a mortgage, translations of divorce decrees from a foreign country, birth certificate translations and others. These types of translations are accompanied by a certificate that verifies the accuracy of the translation, and can be used for legal purposes. It is important to note that each country has its own translation translation requirements, so it is important to check the requirements before getting a document translated.
No matter what kind of translation you have, it is important to hire a translation company that is experienced in the subject matter you need. For any questions about Spanish translations in the US, you can always contact us at info@cshtranslation.com.