Do you like foreign languages, especially Spanish?
Do you think that you can convert thoughts, opinions, and events from Spanish to English or your native language in a way that the main message remains in the target language?
If your answer is ‘yes,’ then you should think about becoming a Spanish translator.
‘And how to become a Spanish translator?’ you probably wonder.
First of all, you can’t just start learning Spanish and expect that, after learning a certain amount of words and phrases, you can be a professional Spanish translator.
Besides knowing the language(s) fluently, there are other things you should have in mind if you want to become a Spanish translator.
That’s why today, we will provide you with some useful tips on how to become and stay a Spanish translator.
Let’s get started.
What Does Spanish Translator Do?
Before we get on tips on how to become a Spanish translator, first, we should get to know the main definition of this exciting job and its main purposes.
Spanish translators convert written texts from Spanish to another language or vice versa.
Some people don’t make a difference between translators and interpreters, which is a mistake, so that’s the first thing you have to divide in your mind before even starting to practice the language with Spanish tutors.
For a person to become an interpreter as well as a translator, knowing Spanish fluently is mandatory. That’s what these two jobs have in common.
However, the difference between them is that translators convert written forms from one to another language and interpreters translate the spoken language.
Another difference is that translators can work from home since they mainly depend on workbooks, dictionaries, and specially made software for this kind of job, while interpreters have to communicate with real people and be in a particular place at a particular time.
Where Can Spanish Translators Work?
This is good news.
In recent years, the need for translators and interpreters has risen. More and more people and companies need professional Spanish translators.
Here are some of the places where translators are more than welcomed:
- Business companies. Many of them hire translators who can help them communicate with their business partners, convert important business documents from one language to another, making sure to convey the proper message.
- Government. Translators who work for government agencies help interaction between citizens and government. Translating a lot of documents, in this case, is like brushing your teeth every day.
- Law companies. Translators are wanted very much for translating law papers and documents. In this case, you have to speak Spanish like natives and high-level knowledge of law terminology is a must.
- Hospitals. In hospitals, you can find so many different people where many of them don’t know a word of Spanish, English, or the language that is spoken there. That’s why translators are welcomed in hospitals, but they must know medical terminology perfectly and have an impressive medical vocabulary.
4 Useful Tips on How to Become a Spanish Translator
After all this information, do you still think that you can be a successful Spanish translator?
If you think you can, let’s take a look at the following 4 tips on how to become a translator from Spanish to English or your native language. Vice versa combination is also acceptable.
Reach Fluency Level in Spanish
Spanish isn’t a hard language to study and understand. In fact, it is one of the easiest languages to learn.
Similarities with other languages, such as Romance languages and English, as well as Arabic can only help you if you already speak these languages to boost your Spanish vocabulary, learn to pronounce Spanish sounds properly or understand the concept of forming a sentence.
So, if you want to become a Spanish translator, you have to work very hard to reach a fluency level.
That can’t happen in a day. Be prepared to dedicate a lot of your time, nerves, and daily schedule if you really want to get to that desired point called ‘native fluency.’
To get there, you can use many learning materials and resources, including communication with Spanish tutors, as well as to make sure you stay motivated to learn the language and not to forget why you’ve started learning it in the first place.
Get The Certificate
Even if you speak Spanish fluently, that can’t guarantee you a translating job.
To make sure you are doing everything you can to get to that desired level of working as s Spanish translator, you have to become specialized in translating.
Today, many employers require at least a bachelor’s degree in Spanish or particular certification that proves your knowledge and experience in translating.
To get the certificate, you have to attend courses or special programs.
Depending on the place you live, there are surely some certified programs in Spanish that you can find.
In the following lines, we suggest considering some options:
This is a professional association for translation and interpretation professions. They also recommend some certain schools where you can get the certificate, too.
- Institute of Translation And Interpretation based in the UK, this institute can help you find a suitable course.
- ALTA Language Services provides the list of the best US translation schools.
Become a Professional Translator in a Particular Field
When you become fluent in Spanish, it doesn’t mean that you have all the terminology on your sleeve.
On the contrary, here’s where your journey has just begun.
To become a real professional, you have to work on specific terminology.
For example, if your field of interest is working in law firms and translating legal documentation, you should have impressive law terminology as your best friend. On the EU Law website, you can find useful law-related phrases.
In case you want to specialize in medical terminology, don’t miss to check out Spanish for Medical Professionals.
Write a Professional Resume
When you’ve learned Spanish, put in additional effort to get the certificate, and specialize in a particular translating field, you can sit down and write a resume.
Before you start writing, you can search for the jobs to see which particular things in translating from Spanish are wanted, do companies prefer translators with experience, or do someone offers to practice as well.
Check with organizations or institutions in your country about the offers, schools in the place where you live. Contact translating agencies, see if they have some additional tips or perhaps an offer to help you with.
You can also try volunteering as well as try translating articles on Wikipedia.
All of these steps may seem small but they are here to help you start from somewhere and gain experience.
Start Applying to Jobs
At first sight, this may seem the fastest and easiest thing, but it isn’t.
Finding a proper job as a Spanish translator can be pretty hard, especially if you don’t have translating experience.
Don’t set your prices too high at the beginning or start with some demands that even translators with years of experience don’t do. It is likely that at the beginning, you will start with entry-level jobs and translating jobs that aren’t paid that much but don’t think that it’s going to be forever.
Over time, when you gain more experience, searching for the right job will slowly become more and more stressful and easier.
You can also search for some professional websites where people offer translating jobs, such as Translators Cafe or ProZ forum.
Final Thoughts
When you start working as a Spanish translator, don’t forget that your learning doesn’t end here.
You have to constantly improve your language skills, make sure your vocabulary basket is always full.
Languages change all the time, and no one knows everything, not even in their native language.
So, along with doing the dream job, don’t forget to learn and practice the language whenever you have a little time for it, even if it is 15 minutes a day.
Your brain and your Spanish will, undoubtedly, be grateful for that.
If you're interested in becoming a Spanish translator, but you want to improve your vocabulary before, you should try some of these cool options: Check out Babbel for fun, interactive lessons that fit into your day easily. If you want something more in-depth, there's a great Spanish course on Coursera that covers everything from the basics to more advanced topics. And if you prefer learning with a personal touch, Lingoda offers classes with native speakers that can really help you practice speaking.
What Do Spanish Translators Do?
Before we get on tips on how to become a Spanish translator, first, we should get to know the main definition of this exciting job and its main purposes. Spanish translators convert written texts from Spanish to another language or vice versa. Some people don’t make a difference between translators and interpreters, which is a mistake, so that’s the first thing you have to divide in your mind before even starting to practice the language with Spanish tutors. For a person to become an interpreter as well as a translator, knowing Spanish fluently is mandatory. That’s what these two jobs have in common. However, the difference between them is that translators convert written forms from one to another language and interpreters translate the spoken language. Another difference is that translators can work from home since they mainly depend on workbooks, dictionaries, and specially made software for this kind of job, while interpreters have to communicate with real people and be in a particular place at a particular time.
Where Can Spanish Translators Work?
In recent years, the need for translators and interpreters has risen. More and more people and companies need professional Spanish translators. Here are some of the places where translators are more than welcomed: Business companies. Many of them hire translators who can help them communicate with their business partners, convert important business documents from one language to another, making sure to convey the proper message. Government. Translators who work for government agencies help interaction between citizens and government. Translating a lot of documents, in this case, is like brushing your teeth every day. Law companies. Translators are wanted very much for translating law papers and documents. In this case, you have to speak Spanish like natives and high-level knowledge of law terminology is a must. Hospitals. In hospitals, you can find so many different people where many of them don’t know a word of Spanish, English, or the language that is spoken there. That’s why translators are welcomed in hospitals, but they must know medical terminology perfectly and have an impressive medical vocabulary.
How to become a Spanish translator?
Reach Fluency Level in Spanish, Get The Certificate, Become a Professional Translator in a Particular Field, Write a Professional Resume, Start Applying to Jobs
