Spanish translation is a straightforward process, because Spanish is Spanish, right?
Well, yes, it is. But no, it isn’t! Confused? You won’t be. Let us explain…
The Encyclopedia Britannica describes how the Spanish language is spoken officially by 360 million people across the planet. But they’re not all in Spain –
“Outside the Iberian Peninsula, Spanish is spoken in virtually all of Central and South America except Brazil (where Portuguese is spoken), as well as in the Canary Islands, parts of Morocco, and the Philippines.”
And herein lies the crux of the potential problems with Spanish translation. Why? Because different forms of Spanish have evolved in different places. So, if your Spanish translation isn’t tailored to the right market, you might sound like you’re a random Brit abroad.
The last thing you need is to waste your precious time and money on inappropriate translation. And you don’t have to with a little insight in to the two most common versions of the language you need to be aware of.
Castilian Spanish Translation
Castilian Spanish is your best bet if you’re trading with countries in mainland Europe. In short, it’s ‘Spanish Spanish’.
South American Spanish Translation
This is the way to go if you trade with Spanish speaking South American countries, such as Mexico, Columbia and Argentina, (to name but a few of the largest Spanish speaking populations).
What are the Differences?
The differences aren’t humongous. They’re similar to the grammatical and linguistic variations between the UK, America and Australia. But there’s a bit more to it than just language.
You see, localisation is also a major part of Spanish translation for business. And it’s in this segment that customs and ways of conducting business can really start to diverge.
At Accutranslate, we can help with accurate and localised Castilian and South American Spanish translation across multiple business sectors. So, get in touch if you’re trading in Spain or South America. We’ll ensure you’re speaking the same dialect as your target audiences.