Spanish Language Style Guide & Glossaries: Frequently Mistranslated English Terms
English |
Spanish Equivalent |
|---|---|
| Access [v] | Broadvision (Portal) Acceder a- NEVER accesar |
Act [n], when referring to a law – No Child Left Behind Act |
Ley o Proyecto de Ley; NEVER acta |
American [adj.] |
Estadounidense, less desirable, norteamericano; NEVER americano |
Authoritative[adj.] |
Confiable – According to the Real Academia Española Autoritativo is hardly used. |
Application [n] |
Solicitud |
Apply [v] to a job, or for a license, etc.] |
Solicitar o postular NEVER aplicar |
Apply [v] to a [noun] (Ex: This benefit applies to full-time employees) |
In this case the verb aplicar should be used in the reflexive form Este beneficio se aplica a los empleados a tiempo completo NEVER Este beneficio aplica a los empleados a tiempo completo Other ways of translating this sentence are: Este beneficio es para empleados a tiempo completo; o Los empleados a tiempo completo tienen este beneficio. |
Circle [v] (when used as a verb in a sentence such as: circle the correct answer) |
Action verb in Spanish +… círculo, such as, “encerrar en un círculo la respuesta correcta” NEVER “circular” when used in this context. |
Comprehensive, [n] |
Completo, extensivo, amplio NEVER comprensivo |
Directions, [n] as in driving directions, directions to a place, etc. |
Instrucciones, indicaciones NEVER direcciones |
Discrimination, [n] |
Discriminación, NEVER discrimen |
Fact Sheet [n] |
Hoja de datos, planilla de datos |
Federal government, [n] |
Gobierno federal, estatal y/o local (Gobierno in Spanish should be capitalized, but not federal, estatal o local). See the Diccionario panhispánico de dudas online http://buscon.rae.es/dpdI/html/cabecera.htm. Write the term gobierno in the search box for capitalization rules of this word. |
| File [v] (as in to file taxes, file a story, etc.) | Declarar, presentar File has many meanings, depending on use, the example only pertains to the use described.
|
| Form [n] (as in complete this form) | Preferred word is Formulario (Llene este formulario) |
Guidelines [n] |
Directrices, also directivas, pautas, normas |
Launch [v] (when used with a program, initiative, website, new feature, etc.) |
Lanzar, Inaugurar, iniciar, estrenar, activar, presentar, introducir al mercado, poner en marcha, etc. – lanzar is by no means the only translation for this term |
Learn more about…[exp.] just learned that…[exp.] |
Informar(se), enterar(se), tomar conocimiento de —conjugate accordingly. |
Qualify [v] (people who qualify for a program, a job, etc.) |
Estar capacitado, calificado para…. Reunir los requisitos para un programa, o asistencia… NEVER CALIFICAR (Ella califica para el préstamo—incorrect use) |
| Raise awareness [exp.] | Concientizar al público (widely used http://www.google.com/search?num=100&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&q=concientizar+del+cancer) |
| Require [v] | Pedir, exigir; necesitar |
Requirement [n] |
Requisito; requerimiento, necesidad |
| Select [v] | Seleccionar, NEVER selectar |
Selected list [n] |
Lista selectiva; Listado selectivo |
| Selection guidelines [n} | Criterio o criterios de selección
|
| Submit [v] (as in submit an e-mail or submit a paper) | Enviar o presentar un trabajo o un documento NEVER someter |
| Suggestion [v] | Sugerencia, recomendación, NEVER sugestión |
| Surgeon General [n] | Director de Salud Pública – NEVER Cirujano General |
Abreviations Key
v: verb
n: noun
adj.: adjective
exp.: expression
