Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some examples of frequently asked questions.
We hope the answers are helpful.
Do you provide certified, sworn translations?
Yes, we provide signed, stamped, certified translations of all types of document from Spanish to English and these are accepted by all British authorities.
More on our Certified Translations
Do you translate Spanish DBS police checks?
Yes, we do. Please see the details on our Spanish Police Check post.
Do you translate police background checks from Mexico?
Yes, we do translate the Mexican DBS check.
We translate police background checks from every Spanish speaking country.
Do you translate the Hague Apostille?
Yes, if this is required, we do. We explain the Hague Apostille and how we can help.
Do you provide an online translation service?
Yes we can do everything online. However we can also post your documents to you.
Do you translate legal documents including birth, marriage, divorce and death?
Are your translations accepted by British authorities?
Yes, this is one of our areas of special interest.
We have a great deal of experience in translating exactly these kinds of documents and can offer our clients very reasonable fees for our translations that for more than 30 years have been acceptable to all British authorities.
More on our Legal Translations
Do you provide translations of Spanish academic documents to English?
For example, university degree certificates, university academic records with grades, secondary school academic records and school certificates of all types.
Yes, very much so.
We very much enjoy translating Spanish academic documents to English and we aim to provide our clients with the very best service possible so as make the journey to academic recognition as smooth as possible.
More on our academic translations
Do you translate the Spanish ‘Formación Profesional’?
Yes, absolutely. We have taught in ‘Formación Profesional’ in Spain and can help with translation.
Do you translate the Spanish Baccalaureate Certificate and the subjects and grades?
Yes, we translate both certificates and the academic record of subjects and grades for the Spanish Baccalaureate.
Do you teach Spanish?
Yes, we teach Spanish to adults throughout Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Hertfordshire, Berkshire, Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire.
I obtained very good grades in my Spanish academic studies.
Can you translate my Spanish grades to show high grade equivalence in Britain?
We must be very careful and very precise here.
Naturally, we will produce the very best translation from Spanish to English of your grades.
Be assured that we will take great care to make sure that our translation correctly shows the grades that you have obtained and the level that you have achieved.
To achieve this, we will use the very best English word and/or number to translate your Spanish grade expressed as a number and/ or a word.
However, and this is very important to understand: the decision as to how your Spanish qualifications are accepted by British authorities it taken by ENIC, previously called NARIC.
To understand more about this please read our blog post on ENIC
Do you carry out translations in Educational research?
This is a fascinating area and we are always interested to hear from clients who work in education.
It is a field of ever- changing ideas and innovations and we are keen to talk with education professionals so that we can fully understand their work and then set about providing the best translation support.
More about Education Translation
Do you translate advertising and marketing material?
Yes, we can really help you to get your advertising and marketing message across.
Can you help with translations for Spanish food and wine?
Yes, we can help with texts that focus on Spanish food and wine.
Do you translate Catalan Spanish?
Most of our work is from Castilian Spanish to English.
However, in the case of academic documents such as school grades certificates the Catalan and Castilian terms are almost identical.
Thus, we are very happy to translate Catalan school certificates and grades.
Do you translate for the tourism sector?
Yes, this is one of our areas of special interest.
In fact, some of our earliest translations in 1989 were for the Spanish Tourism Sector.
We were already providing English Language Classes and English Language Support to Spanish Tourist providers.
Our clients approached us asking us to translate their tourist publications from Spanish to English.
We would sit down with our clients and talk through their projects to get a proper and complete understanding of the message that they wanted to put across.
There are situations where we simply translate the Spanish text that they have written into English.
Sometimes it was better to re write the whole text so as to say what the client wanted to say.
And at the same time create a piece of writing that was meaningful and engaging to the English- speaking readers.
More about our Tourism Translation
Do you translate for journalists?
Yes, we do but this does need some clarification.
Journalism is used as quite a broad term and can include articles on just about anything.
Because of this we are careful in two key ways.
Firstly, we make sure that we do really understand the text and the author’s intentions.
Secondly, we ask ourselves if we can indeed so justice to the purpose of original piece when producing the translation into the target language.
If the answer to both is yes, we then move forward with the project.
More on our Journalistic Translation
Do you translate scientific research papers Spanish to English?
Yes, we do.
We often provide translations for scientists and are very happy to be able to help.
Science of course covers a massive variety of study and research.
So, we need to look very carefully at each individual text that needs translation.
Please do always contact us to discuss your own particular project and perhaps you might like to read our page on Scientific Translation.
Do you provide medical translations?
Yes, we do.
Typically, our clients are British and have lived for several years in Spain.
They may have been in hospital or received other medical attention.
On returning to the U.K. they may need to have their Spanish medical reports translated to English.
In all cases we can help.
Please read more about our Medical Translations
Do you translate documents from all Spanish speaking countries?
We translate documents from every Spanish speaking country into English for Britain and all British authorities and entities.
Of course, we are careful to make sure that we really do know what each and every term in the original Spanish text really means.
The result is that in over 30 years every one of our translations has been accepted by all requesting authorities.
Do you translate Spanish to English for countries other than Britain?
No, we do not do this.
Every country has their own legislation on official translation requirements and we feel it is best for clients to approach a translator in the target country.
Do you translate personal and sensitive documents?
Yes, we do.
Sometimes our clients have documents that are very important to them.
These documents can contain very private information.
For example, very personal and emotional letters that may have been written recently or a very long time ago.
We are very careful, sensitive to our clients’ needs and respectful in our manner of working.
Once our client is completely happy with our translation, we provide a number of copies and delete everything concerning the translation from our files.
More about our Personal Translation
Are all your Spanish and English translators qualified?
Yes, as an absolute minimum requirement all our Spanish and English translators have at the very least a first degree in Spanish and English
A post graduate M.A. degree in Translation and Interpreting
Typically, our translators have degrees from both Spain and Britain
More than 10 years working full time as a Translator
A proven track record of producing 100% perfect translations with 100% client satisfaction
Because we have a great deal of experience of lecturing at Universities the degree certificates, including translation degrees, alone are not taken as evidence to provide translations.
More about our Spanish and English Language Translators
Are all your translators native bilingual Spanish English speakers?
Yes, but linguistic skills alone are not indicative of an ability to translate.
It is also most important to ask what the translator knows, what the translator’s field of expertise is.
Subject specific expertise is absolutely essential.
What is the difference between translation and interpreting?
When you write, you translate.
Conversely, when you speak, you interpret.
OK so now let’s explain in more detail.
Translation
Most of our work is translation. This means that our clients have written documents and they want us to translate the document and write it in the other language.
So, for example they have a Spanish academic document and they want us to provide a translation into English.
We provide the client with a new document that is written in English.
Interpreting
Sometimes we receive a communication by e mail or telephone call from a client and they need us to interpret between Spanish and English for them.
An example: A Spanish university professor has come to Britain and is going to give a conference in the Spanish language at a British university.
Many of the people attending the conference will speak Spanish, but not all of them.
Some will only speak English.
So, one of our interpreters will be present at the event. Typically, the interpreter will be on stage standing a little way behind the Spanish professor.
The professor speaks, the interpreter listens, the interpreter then speaks saying exactly what the professor said but in English.
Do you translate any other languages?
We have no plans to do so in the foreseeable future.
Our joy is working with what we really understand.
Our translators are Spanish and British and have lived and worked in Spain and Britain for long periods of time.
Do you provide proof reading and post editing services?
Yes, and we explain the difference in our post on that subject:
How long will the translation of my document take?
We will discuss that with you before we embark on the translation and arrive at a time scale that suits your requirements.
Can you provide urgent translations?
Some situations such as medical really are genuinely urgent and we will go the extra mile for you.
Do I have to pay VAT?
No. We agree a price with you and stick to it with no other extras.
Do you offer discounts?
Yes, we do.
Sometimes clients ask us to translate many documents at the same time.
Other times it is only one document but very long.
In both cases we do offer a discount.
Please contact us with any questions that you may have.
