Why use an agency for Spanish translations?

Global business is booming. More and more companies are considering lucrative foreign markets to help spread their interests further, find new customers, meet new investors, and generally increase their opportunities. The internet, and the furthering of the digital age, has been perfect for this – we can now easily contact people on the other side of the world, or talk with people in multiple different countries all at once. However, there are still problems and hurdles to overcome, such as the language barriers that are involved in working on a global scale. Thankfully there are various options for translations that help to overcome these language barriers. It is quick and simple to get a translation for any document or recording, and there are many ways to go about it. However, not all Spanish translation services are created equal – there are definite advantages and disadvantages to different methods. In this blog, we are going to look at the ways you might go about getting a translation, and why we think using a professional translation agency is the best route to get a great Spanish translation, whatever your needs.

So, what are the other options for getting translations?

Computer translation programs

Computer translation programs are programs made by using complex AI computer algorithms. It is highly likely that you have already used a computer translation program – most people have used Google Translate and are familiar with how it works, at least from a user’s point of view. Behind the scenes, these computer programs use complex algorithms to translate words or short phrases, and they are constantly learning new words and phrases from the text that people input. They can be much more sophisticated and accurate than Google Translate as well and can handle much larger translations. However, they are not always very accurate. A computer translates single words or short phrases, and may completely miss the context of the text. This means that they can translate things without understanding the actual meaning, and thus the meaning might be lost. They can also translate things in a very stilted, formulated way – they are computers after all. This means that the translation may be off putting to some readers – I am sure we have all seen badly translated product descriptions which just sound very ‘off’. On the plus side, computer translation software is a very cheap way to get a translation, but the output can be so questionable that sometimes it is not actually worth it.

Friends and family

Language learning is very popular, as it should be – it can really open up your world to speak multiple languages. Almost everyone knows someone who can speak multiple languages, and it may seem like an obvious option to ask for help with translation, especially if you just need one or two things translated. However, there is a big risk to using a friend or family member for translations. In almost any case where you need accuracy, using a friend or relative could cause problems, as most people are not as fluent in a language as they would like to be. Even if they are, it is unfair to request help on something so complex from someone else. And if it is only one or two items, there is still a likelihood that you need them accurately translated – for example, you may think that translating an immigration form is a small task, but it is also vitally important that it is translated accurately and that the form is filled in properly, which is a lot of pressure to put on someone. 

Freelance translators

There are many freelance translators out there who offer their skills in translating documents. This is probably the closest option to an agency, but it has some key differences. A freelancer will typically work alone. This means that, unlike agencies, they will be proofreading and checking their own work, which is not always the best way to catch any mistakes. Freelancers will also generally have expertise in one or two fields. Translation fields can vary greatly, from Medical translation to Marketing translation, and generally, there is little overlap – you need someone with the right expertise and the right language experience to accurately translate either of these. However, using a freelancer means that you can build up a rapport with one translator, which may suit small projects well.

So why use an agency?

An agency has a lot of strengths that these other options miss. In an agency, you will have a choice of multiple skilled, trained translators, who all specialize in different fields. Whatever your translation needs, from legal translations to SEO translations, a Spanish Translation Agency can help make sure that your translation is accurate and fit for purpose. You also typically benefit from having a second translator proofread the content, and a project manager helping oversee. This means that often you will get the best translation results by going to an agency.

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