Ubiqus Spain responds

Take a look at our responses to our clients’ most frequently asked questions:

How is Ubiqus Spain different to other, less expensive, translation providers?

We are aware that we’re not the least expensive translation company on the market. In fact, you’re sure to find other, cheaper, providers or freelance translators. At Ubiqus Spain we think real savings come from a job well done from the start, rather than price alone. If you end up having to spend some of your own time correcting a poor translation, the cost will be higher than if you had chosen us from the start.

Few companies can deliver as wide a range of specialised translation services as Ubiqus Spain. And even fewer have such a deep understanding of the original text. We don't just translate from one language to another; we engage 100% in your project to make the final translation perfectly match your needs.

At Ubiqus Spain we deliver the highest quality translations without compromising on delivery times.

Which languages do we work with?

Ubiqus Spain works with over 70 language combinations. There are an estimated 200 languages around the world with over a million native speakers, so why don't we offer translations in these 200 languages? Simply because we prefer to focus on offering our clients a quality specialised translation service.

Most of these 200 languages are spoken on a day-to-day basis, but their speakers often use a second language in formal or official situations.

So it would be unrealistic to provide medical, legal or financial translations by qualified and experienced translators for languages such as Afar, Aramaic, Guarani or Nahuati. At Ubiqus Spain we only offer what we can do well.

Does Ubiqus Spain have experience in my industry?

Ubiqus Spain belongs to the multinational group Ubiqus S.A., a leader in the translation industry, with a worldwide presence. We serve the following industries: life sciences, corporate, technical, legal, financial and investment, events organisation, human resources, marketing, politics and the public sector, public relations, amongst many others. So the answer is yes, we do have specialist translators in your industry. Call us for a chat.

What does Ubiqus Spain charge?

At Ubiqus Spain we have a completely transparent pricing system. We charge per source text word and this is always associated with a customised quote that is adjusted according to the specific characteristics of each text. Request a quote here.

What are “source” and “target” languages?

The source language is the language the original text is written in. The target language is the language the document is translated into. For example, when we translate from English into French and German, English would be the source language and French and German would be the target languages.

The most professional and reliable translators only translate into their mother tongue (or another language they speak and write as well as their mother tongue) and from a language they understand perfectly. This means that for an English-Chinese combination, the translator should not be the same as for a Chinese-English combination.

What about the format of my translation?

This is a very common dilemma. Imagine that you have a well laid out report in English that you need to have translated into Spanish. And now imagine that when you get the translation, your company’s graphic designer instantly realises that, unlike the original, the format of the translated version is not apt for publication. For example, when a text is translated from English into Spanish, it becomes roughly 15% longer. The situation becomes even more complicated in the case of non-Roman characters like those in Chinese or Russian. Will your layout designer have the right font in these cases? Will they be able to determine whether the translation is from right to left, from left to right, or from top to bottom? Think about what this really means.

If the original text is also in PowerPoint, Quark Xpress, Illustrator or InDesign, a complete translation and layout package is probably best. That’s not a problem. We can take care of that too.

How long will it take to translate my documents?

A professional translator usually translates about 3,000 words a day. The translation is then reviewed. The reviewer discusses the changes made directly with the translator. When the technical level of the translation requires it, it is subject to a second review by a technical reviewer. But don’t worry if you have a document you need translating urgently. We can also help you with that, and without jeopardising the quality of the finished text, by forming a project team made up of several translators, coordinated by a single language specialist to establish criteria beforehand and a single reviewer who will check specifically for any consistencies.

What is the difference between translation and interpreting?

Translation is written while the interpreting is verbal. Both services require very different skills. We can offer you both

What can I do to get a great translation?

A good translation is the result of a robust professional partnership between the author of the document and the translation provider. Our clients often ask us for advice on what they can do, as authors of the documents, to enhance the quality of translations. In this section we suggest a few ideas, either you are the one writing the documents for translation or the one who arranges translation services for co-workers or clients.

Use jargon wisely in your documents...

Which terms, acronyms and expressions do you use in your documents that only mean something in your company or industry? When you need to translate a document, you need to be thinking about your readership at all times. Whether foreign co-workers or partners from your local community, stop and think about: whether they use the same terms in their own culture and whether these acronyms mean anything to them. If not, find another way to get your message across. But sometimes the answer is yes. When jargon is truly the right choice, you can help by providing the translator with additional information, as we will see below.

Go easy on the idioms

Blue-sky thinking. In sunny countries, the expression used to express a creative idea is the exact opposite, cloudy-sky thinking. Expressions, idioms and metaphors should be translated according to their meaning, rather than literally. Increase the clarity of your writing by avoiding figures of speech.

It’s best to start once documents are complete

It is best not to start the translation until you have the finished document in the source language. Don’t fall into the trap of trying to speed the process up by asking us to start translating a rough draft. The outcome can sometimes be confusing in the different versions, leading to the delay you were trying to avoid. Or the translator may charge for the extra time taken to check the changes from the first version.

If you cannot complete the entire document on time, please send us a finished section so you can continue with the next one.

Give us some background information

Would you like to save money and get a good translation? Then give us a little background information. Related documents, glossaries, explanations... anything that gives us a clearer picture of the subject and how it is expressed in your industry. We compile client-specific glossaries as a general rule. You can help us with this to enhance the consistency and accuracy of your translations if you share any useful material you have.

Give us reasonable delivery times (... if possible)

A translator translates on average about 3,000 words a day. A review by a second person takes a little longer. Allowing the time required for translators to do their work will help to get a good translation. However, we all know that real life can be an obstacle when it comes to the ideal delivery time. When you need a translation as quickly as possible, we need to know beforehand so we can speed up delivery without affecting the quality of the work.

What can I do to get the best out of a simultaneous interpreting service?

Good interpreting is the key to good communication. If you are looking to convey an idea without interference and as accurately as possible, you should make sure you choose the best professionals. Even so, there are ways in which you can enhance the quality of an interpreting service. Here are a few of our suggestions:

Prepare the speakers

If you want attendees to benefit from the best interpreting service as possible, remind the speakers and moderators to:

• Speak clearly and slowly.

• Minimise interference and interruptions.

• Talk right up to the microphone.

• Prepare slides and other media available in the languages of all participants.

• Ensure that all attendees are tuned into the right channel on their receivers.

Good simultaneous interpreting means the audience forgets that there is someone interpreting.

Give us some documentation

Before the event, you would ideally give us copies of presentations, speeches, glossaries or lists of terms, scripts or summaries of related meetings or sessions, etc. At Ubiqus Spain we have specialist interpreters used to working at these kinds of events. However, even the most experienced interpreter appreciates any additional information provided. They use it to prepare their intervention, to help make it go as smoothly as possible.

Think about translating the material too

Think of simultaneous interpreting as part of a package of language services. Consider whether any kind of documentation for the event (agenda, invitations, contracts, minutes, slides or brochures) needs to be translated. Translation (written) and interpreting (verbal) are very different services. This means that the interpreters attending the event might not be the best people to translate your documents. However, we can arrange both services for you.

Consider the available space

Where will the event be held? Is this a historical space where it might be difficult (or just look messy) to lay the cables around the room? Will there be plenary sessions or parallel sessions in different rooms? Is there enough space for the interpreting booths in the same event room? Ubiqus Spain will advise you on the best solutions in terms of managing the space available.

Plan ahead

The agendas of simultaneous interpreters are often booked up months ahead. The sooner you plan your event, the more likely you are to have the right resources. But if you’re reading this because you require a simultaneous interpreting service at the last minute, give us a call anyway. We can certainly help.

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