From Español to English: Navigating the Process of Video Translation. If you’ve got a video in Espanol, or literally any other language and wish to translate it to English, or any other language, this piece is for you.
In this piece, we’ll discuss how to pick the best tools to translate videos, the problems faced during translation, how to overcome them and much more.
The best part? You can implement most of the tips for free without having to spend a ton of money on it.
Let’s get started then?
Table of Contents
The easiest method for any Spanish to english video translation is getting the right software or platform.
Well, the problem is, there are dozens. How do you pick one that’s truly best for your needs?
While there’s no written rule, here are a few pointers that help you pick the best of these tools:
- Languages support: While you may need your tool only for Spanish to English translation, it’s best to pick something that supports multiple languages and not just one.
- Subtitles vs. Dubbing: Your end-goal may require simply making the video understandable by your target audience, or actually dubbing it in a different language. Some tools also let you download the subtitle/dubbed files separately while others may not.
- Emotions: A video isn’t just text which means the pause, stretch, emphasis on words can convey emotions. Your tool should preferably be able to convey those emotions in every language instead of simply reading from a script.
- Different voices: Of course, you should get the option to choose the voice for your video. You know best the type of audience you have and the type of voice that would resonate most with them.
Problems with Español to English translation
Unlike just subtitling a video, actual video translations actually have quite a few problems associated with them.
For starters, the tone matters. This is probably the biggest struggle with video translations. The same phrase, said with a different tone, may mean very different things. This is why I advocate going for AI-powered translation tools that can capture the essence of the content and not just the script.
You also need to pay attention to culture and tradition. Words mean different things in different languages and cultures. Your translator needs to be able to capture the cultural challenges and ensure that nothing is said that may be offensive or negative due to someone’s cultural beliefs.
Finally, In some languages, sentences can be longer while they’re shorter in others. It’s important to use a translator that understands this time-sync for each video and concludes the sentence at the perfect moment.
How to translate videos better?
While a good tool will do most of your work, there are still a few tips you can use to make your videos better.
For starters, identify who you’re targeting. This is important because the tone, words, phrases will matter and change depending on who you’re targeting. Even for the same things, the words you’ll use for a 5 year old kid and a 20 year old boy will be very different.
You also need to balance out what’s replaceable and what’s not. Meaning, some words or phrases may get lost in translation when the language is changed. Hence, you need to identify the words and phrases that are just irreplaceable for your brand/context.
Finally, choosing a tool that has human checkers after it’s processed is a great solution. This ensures whatever wrinkles an automated tool may have left get wrinkled out.
You can also add subtitles regardless of your video being dubbed. This would just provide that additional backup for users in case they miss a few words. There’s no harm in it, is there?
I hope your idea of translating videos from one language to another has become clearer? Well, the primary battle is won when you’ve selected the right tool. Then, you can fine-tune the tool and its features to get yourself the best output.
Do note that translating videos isn’t just about conveying one idea in another language. It’s about doing so, while respecting the cultural and other beliefs of the new language and ensuring the right words are used.
