We are invisible doers

The work of a professional translator is so important that it enables texts originally written in a language to circulate around the world, crossing all existing linguistic and cultural borders.

However, the more imperceptible our passage through a text, the better the final result will be. We are invisible doers because we make it possible to understand information, ideas and emotions without interfering with the content. Thus, our work will be more valued and better considered the more faithful to the meaning, style and imprint of the author of the original text.

Therefore, every professional translator must put their ego aside and understand that although our work is extremely important for the dissemination of content, it is usually kept “in the shadows”.

2. Concentration and detail, the keys to success

The choice of any professional career requires certain personal predispositions that will make us more or less apt to dedicate ourselves to it. In the case of the translation career, there are two particular characteristics that every professional translator must have: concentration and detail.

Thus, a very restless person, with difficulties to stay for a long time in front of the computer and to concentrate on the understanding of a text, can hardly dedicate to this profession.

In addition, for every professional translator, it is the details that make the difference. Why? Simply because an error in the translation will lead to an incorrect interpretation by the readers or listeners of the translated text. An error whose final impact will have more or less relevance according to the content that is being disclosed.

3. Continuous training is a lifestyle

For us, being a professional translator is a way of life. Our learning is continuous and never stops, since every good translator is first and foremost a curious person, a genuine researcher.

The different translation services that we carry out (personal, literary, legal, academic and marketing documents, among others) have their own glossary of words, meanings and expressions that we must draw on to carry out our work as “invisible doers”.

The more tools we collect throughout our professional career, the more efficient we will be and the more job opportunities we will have. It is, then, a continuous and endless training that leads us to continue learning day by day and enjoy the process.

4. To be a professional translator, being bilingual is not enough

This is one of the most common mistakes made by those who are not aware of the crucial relevance of our work. It is definitely not enough to know how to speak and communicate in a language to be able to faithfully translate content.

In the first place, as we have seen from this blog, languages ​​have infinite particularities and many words have different meanings that challenge conventional knowledge of a language. But in addition, a professional translator not only knows the vocabulary, but is also an expert in grammar, spelling and style. Therefore, it is certainly not enough to speak two languages ​​to be able to translate a text accurately.

5. Learn to deal with deadlines

Both professional translators who work freelance and those who are part of an agency must learn to work under pressure and meet deadlines.

Once committed to sending a translation in a timely manner, it must be achieved in any way. Therefore, we must be very organized and think carefully before accepting a new job if we can meet the expectations and urgencies of our clients.

• Have a reason

Motivation is key to any learning process. Therefore, when embarking on the study of a language, it is necessary to be very clear about the reason for learning the chosen language.

Having a clear motivation will allow us to set a defined goal and not stop until we achieve it.

• Immerse yourself

Once you have made the decision to learn a language, it is essential to fully immerse yourself in the language you are going to study, to soak up it. No matter how we do it, what really matters is that every day we dedicate at least half an hour to putting into practice what we are learning. Whether it is talking to yourself, writing an email, listening to music or watching a series without subtitles; which tool we choose is indistinct, what counts is putting our knowledge to the test.

• Start with the simplest

Each language has an average of between 50 and 100 basic words to master the language. These more “common” terms usually constitute up to 50% of the everyday communications of their speakers.

Therefore, to make significant progress at the beginning of the learning process and establish a solid foundation on which to build knowledge, it is enough to start by incorporating these basic words, their meanings and their different uses.

• Chat with natives

Talking is the best way to practice what you have learned. Experts say that one hour of conversation with speakers of the language we are learning is equivalent to 5 hours taking classes.

Why is a casual activity so important? Talking is a more complex process than it seems, since it involves exercising your listening and understanding skills, assembling a mental response and finally expressing it orally. Language learning ​​is a process, not rote learning; therefore, conversation is the best way to practice it.

• Lean on technology

Currently, there are many applications language learning. These apps work as portable dictionaries and translators that allow you to answer doubts instantly, in addition to practicing through exercises, games and audio-visual courses. Some of the most famous are Duolingo, Wibbu, Babbel, and HiNative.

• Talk to yourself

In our daily life – even more so in these “home office” times- we constantly talk to ourselves; so why not do it in another language?

Talking to oneself in another language allows us to take advantage of any moment to practice the language and also to set those new concepts that we are gradually learning. If there is a will, there are no excuses; any time is a good time to continue learning languages.

• Have fun while we learn

As we saw in the previous points, language learning ​​is not an activity linked only to the classroom or to study manuals, but it can also be a lot of fun. Some good ideas to practice are: doing karaoke with songs that we like in the language in question, watching series or movies with subtitles in the original language, discovering some curious facts of the language we are studying or reading a novel written in that language.

• Get a partner

Of course, everything is easier and more fun if we do it together with a friend. Therefore, learning languages ​​in pairs will facilitate the task of staying motivated, pushing each other to achieve our goals and –mainly- practicing everything we have learned together.

• Learn like children

Children have a lot to teach us adults. Imitating certain attitudes of the little ones allows us to have a better predisposition to incorporate a new language.

Children allow themselves to learn by playing, they are not so afraid of making mistakes or looking ridiculous and they are not ashamed to admit that they do not yet know or have not learned something. Therefore, putting aside the filters imposed by adulthood will allow us to learn in a more fun way and without suffering the ghost of fear of failure.

• Listen and observe

Before being protagonists, learning a language ​​invites us to be attentive spectators. Listening to and observing others speaking a language allows us to become familiar with the sounds and words, incorporate the way in which the different combinations of letters are pronounced, and finally, imitate the speakers to communicate better.

1.       Hit the books

Definitely, in other languages, like Spanish the phrase “hitting the books” does not make any sense; however, it is widely used among American students and means – simply – “study.”

Example: “I can’t go to the party on Saturday because I have to hit the books” (“I can’t go to the party on Saturday because I have to study”).

2.       Twist someone’s arm

This expression means “to convince someone”, which it is closely related to the Spanish idiom “dar el brazo a torcer” (give in to an opinion or decision accepting that of another person).

Example: “She twisted my arm and now I’m going to the concert” (“She convinced me and now I’ll go to the concert”).

3.       Lose your touch

Although the literal translation of this idiom in English would be something like “losing the ability to play”, the meaning of this expression is much broader, since it is about losing a talent or a skill in general.

Example: “You only beat me once in the last five games – you’re not losing your touch, are you?” (“You only beat me once in the last five games – you’re not losing your skill, are you?”).

4.       Ring a bell

Although its translation might make sense in some languages, this idiom is used to refer to something that is familiar.

Example: “This song rings a bell. Have we heard it before? ” (“This song sounds familiar to me, have we heard it before?”).

5.       Under the weather

This idiom in English is used to express that someone is “somewhat ill”, but not in the serious sense, but rather a cold, flu or deep tiredness.

Example: “I’m not going to class because I’m feeling a bit under the weather today” (“I will not go to class because I feel a bit sick today”).

6.       Stab someone in the back

In this case the idiom originated from a metaphor, therefore, it also works in other languages. For example, it is used in Spanish as “ clavar un puñal por la espalda“. Far from being literal, its meaning is related to betraying someone who does not expect it.

Example: “I really trusted him but he stabbed me in the back” (“I really trusted him, but he betrayed me).

7.       Face the music

It is another of the English idioms widely used in colloquial language. This expression means “face reality” or “face the consequences.”

Example: “It’s ok if you leave university, but you’ll have to face the music” (“It’s okay if you leave the university, but you will have to face the consequences”).

8.       A piece of cake

This is one of the expressions that generate the most sympathy among English students. Although its literal translation is “a piece of a cake”, it is an idiom used to refer to something that is very easy to do or understand.

Example: “This lesson is a piece of cake” (“This lesson is very easy”).

9.       Let the cat out of the bag

The translation of the phrase “let the cat out of the bag” actually means “to reveal a secret or a surprise”.

Example: “I was trying to keep the party a secret, but Mel went and let the cat out of the bag.” (“I was trying to keep the party a secret, but Mel went and told people”).

10.   Pull someone’s leg

This expression is used in English to refer to “making a joke on someone”.

Example: “I thought he was talking seriously, but he was pulling my leg!” (“I thought he was serious, but he was joking!”)

We hope you have enjoyed knowing these idioms in English to communicate better and more fluently with the speakers of this language. Until next time!

1.       Alianza

The word “alianza” (alliance) has two very different meanings. This word can either refer to an alliance with another entity, or the noun assigned to a wedding ring.

2.       Banco

In Spanish, the word “banco” (bank) which are cognates, can refer, just as in English to the institutions or companies dedicates to financial operations. However, it can also mean a seat with or without backrest, a bench.

3.       Capital

Just like in English, the word “capital” has two very common meanings in Spanish. The capital of a country or province is where governmental agencies are located, while its second meaning refers to a company’s or person’s wealth.

4.       Derecho

This word has countless meanings in Spanish. However, the most commonly used ones as two: first of all, the word “derecho” as an adjective means straight, second “derechos” are those principles that are recognized or concede to a subject within a specific society, “rights”. Related to this last meaning, the word “derecho” can also refer to the discipline that studies the legal system for its just enforcement, “law”.

5.       Estación

One of this word’s meanings is a cognate of the English word “station”: the place where buses or trains stop. However, in Spanish, the word “estación” or “estaciones” also refers to the four seasons of the year.

6.       General

This is another word with greatly different meanings. On one hand, the adjective “general” means common, frequent or common to all individuals. On the other hand, the word “General” also refers to a rank of Army officials.

7.       Lengua

Even though it has two very different meanings, both nouns are bound by belonging to the same idea. The tongue (“lengua”) is the organ located inside of the mouth that is used to taste, swallow and modulate sounds; but it can also be a synonym of language with its own vocabulary and grammar, like “mother tongue”.

8.       Muñeca

Is this a toy or a body part? In Spanish the word “muñeca” means both things. It can refer to a plastic, rag or rubber human figure (doll); or the joint connecting the forearm and arm (wrist).

9.       Planta

In Spanish, just as the word “plant” in English, the word “planta” refers to a vegetal living being. However, a “planta” can also refer to the inferior area of the foot, the “sole”.

10.   Sierra

This is another word that usually confuse those who are learning the Spanish language. The “sierra” is a tool used to cut through tough materials like wood and rock: “saw”. However, it can also refer to a geographical accident characterized by a group of mountains inside another, bigger one, like a mountain range.

     We hope you have enjoyed learning these words that have more than one meaning that are commonly used in the Spanish language. Until next time!

·         Exit / Éxito

Even though Spanish speakers are used to seeing the word “exit” marking the exit at shows and public spaces, its similarity with the word “éxito” (success) can create some confusion during a conversation between Spanish and English speakers.

·         Library / Librería

This is one of the most common mistakes created by fake cognates. While “library” is the equivalent of “biblioteca”, the word “librería” actually translates to “book store”.

·         Cartoon / Cartón

In spite of their similar appearance, these two words don’t have anything in common. “Cartoon” is the equivalent of “dibujo animado”, while the material known as “cartón” in English is called “cardboard”.

·         Assist / Asistir

This is a complex case of fake cognates, since it represents its own objections. In English, the word “assist” means “to help someone” or “to contribute”, while in Spanish the verb “asistir” is related to “participate” or “attend”. However, in some Spanish speaking countries, the word “asistir” is also given the same meaning as its English counterpart.

·         Embarrassed / Embarazada

These fake cognates are emblematic, since they tend to confuse learners of both languages. The English word “embarrassed” in Spanish is “avergonzado”, a word that has no relation at all with the Spanish word “embarazada” (pregnant).

·         Idiom / Idioma

By their resemblance, with just one letter difference, this is another one of the most common cases of fake cognates in the world. The English word “idiom” means “modismo” in Spanish. However, the Spanish word “idioma” is -just as the word “lenguaje”- is equivalent to the English word “language”.

·         Notice / Noticia

While in English the word “notice” means to “realize” or to “become aware”, the Spanish word “noticias” is the exact equivalent of the word “news”.

·         Contest / Contestar

In this case, we have a noun and a verb that have nothing in common besides their appearance. While “contest” means “concurso”, “contestar” -just like “responder”- means “to answer”.

·         Rope / Ropa

We find ourselves facing another case where the only difference between the two words is one letter, these are some of the trickiest cases of fake cognates. While “rope” means “soga”, “ropa” in English means “clothes”.

·         Parents / Parientes

The English word “parents” is translated into Spanish as “padres”. However, the Spanish word “parientes” refers to all the members of a family, the word “relatives” in English would be its exact translation.

We hope you have enjoyed learning these fake English-Spanish cognates that are characteristic of each language. Until next time!

• Actor / Actor: “He works as an actor at a Broadway play” / “Él trabaja como actor en una obra de Broadway”

• Analyze / Analizar: “We have to analyze the situation correctly” / “Tenemos que analizar correctamente la situación”

• Bus / Autobús: “You should take the bus to get to school” / “Deberías tomar el autobus para llegar a la escuela”

• Collection / Colección: “The museum collection was amazing!” / “La colección del museo era increíble”

• Curious / Curioso: “Your cat is really curious!” / “Tu gato es muy curioso” 

• Excellent / Excelente: “Your French exam was excellent!” / “¡Tu examen de francés fue excelente!”

• Extreme / Extremo: “That trekking at the mountain was an extreme experience” / “Ese trekking en la montaña fue una experiencia extrema”

• Family / Familia: “I love spending Sundays with my family” / “Amo pasar los domingos con mi familia”

• Hospital / Hospital: “She was at hospital yesterday” / “Ella estaba en el hospital ayer”

• Interactive / Interactivo: “My son spent all of the weekend playing intercative games” / “Mi hijo pasó todo el fin de semana jugando a juegos interactivos”

• Melody / Melodía: “I really love The Beatles songs’ melodies” / “Realmente amo las melodías de las canciones de los Beatles”

• Miserable / Miserable: “He was feeling miserable after they split up” / “Él se sentía miserable luego de su separación”

• Music / Música: “I really love listening to music with you!” / “¡Realmente me encanta escuchar música contigo!”

• Nation / Nación: “This is a very important day for the whole nation” / “Este es un día muy importante para toda la nación” 

• Ocean / Océano: “We flew over the ocean and the view was stunning” / “Volamos sobre el océano y la vista era impresionante”

• Opinion / Opinión: “Sometimes your opinion can hurt others” / “A veces tu opinión puede herir a otros”

• Photo / Foto: “Let’s take a photo at the Central Park” / “Tomemos una foto en el Central Park”

• Plant / Planta: “My plants are growing so big and beautiful!” / “¡Mis plantas están creciendo tan grandes y hermosas!”

• Radio / Radio: “I love listening to the radio while I write my articles” / “Me encanta escuchar la radio mientras escribo mis artículos”

• Romantic / Romántico: “He invited me to a very romantic restaurant” / “Él me invitó a un restaurante muy romántico”

• Secret / Secreto: “If we decide to go there it must be a secret between you and me” / “Si decidimos ir allí, tiene que ser un secreto entre tú y yo”

• Special / Especial: “She made me feel very special on my birthday party” / “Ella me hizo sentir muy especial en mi fiesta de cumpleaños”

• Telephone / Teléfono: “When we were teens we used to speak on the telephone for hours” / “Cuando éramos adolescentes solíamos hablar por teléfono durante horas” 

• Urgent / Urgente: “This is an urgent problem for us” / “Este es un problema urgente para nosotros”
  
  
• Victory / Victoria:  “Real Madrid’s victory was unforgettable for their fans” / “La victoria del Real Madrid fue inolvidable para sus fans”