This guide adapts rules and examples from Microsoft’s Localization Style Guide for Spanish (Mexico) (originally written for software/UI localization). The underlying linguistic rules apply universally — to legal contracts, medical documents, marketing copy, and any Mexican Spanish translation work. Restructured and reformatted as a general Mexican Spanish translator reference by ChatsControl.
Spanish (Mexico) Translation Style Guide — Voice, Word Choice & Common Pitfalls (Legal, Medical, Marketing, IT)¶
TL;DR¶
- Modern Mexican Spanish translation prioritizes a warm, conversational register — long Castilian-style formal constructions feel stiff and alien to Mexican readers across all spheres.
- Use informal ‘tú’ as the default address for consumer-facing software, marketing, healthcare patient materials and most product documentation — ‘usted’ only for sworn legal documents and very formal correspondence.
- Latin American vocabulary differs from Peninsular Spanish: use ‘computadora’ (not ‘ordenador’), ‘la PC’ (not ‘el PC’), ‘video’ (not ‘vídeo’), ‘mouse’ (not ‘ratón’), ‘pulsar’ (not ‘puntear’), ‘costo’ (not ‘coste’).
- Avoid bureaucratic verbs and overly formal connectors — pedir > solicitar, después/luego > a continuación, pero > sin embargo, dar > suministrar/proporcionar, encontrar > detectar.
- Reference Real Academia Española (Diccionario de la lengua española, Nueva gramática, Ortografía, Diccionario panhispánico de dudas) and Fundéu for orthography, grammar and terminology decisions.
- TL;DR
- Register and tone for modern Mexican Spanish translation
- Words and phrases to avoid in modern Mexican Spanish
- Word choice: approved terminology and conversational vocabulary
- Mexican Spanish vs. Peninsular Spanish: critical vocabulary differences
- Address forms and pronouns (tú / usted / leísmo)
- Sample modern voice text
- Inclusive language
- Language-specific standards
- Error messages
- Keys
- Copilot predefined prompts
- Voice and video considerations
- Trademarks and version strings
- Reference materials
- FAQ
- Should I use ‘tú’ or ‘usted’ for Mexican Spanish translation?
- What’s the difference between Mexican Spanish and Peninsular Spanish vocabulary?
- Which words should I avoid in Mexican Spanish translation?
- What about ‘leísmo’?
- How do I avoid queísmo and dequeísmo errors?
- What authoritative Spanish references should I use?
- Are accents required on capital letters in Spanish?
- Sources
Register and tone for modern Mexican Spanish translation¶
Register is the level of formality, warmth, and conversational ease the target text projects. Mexican Spanish has a strong, well-defined informal register that is now standard in consumer-facing communication — formal Castilian-style Spanish, with its long subordinate clauses and Latinate connectors, sounds distant and bureaucratic to modern Mexican readers. Three principles define the modern register:
- Warm and relaxed. Sounds like honest conversation, not an official notice. Less institutional, more grounded — closer to how Mexicans actually speak.
- Crisp and clear. Written for scanning first, reading second. Short sentences, simple syntax. Simplicity is the default.
- Ready to help. Anticipates what the reader needs and offers it at the right moment, rather than burying it under qualifications.
Why this matters: Formal Spanish register damages outcomes across spheres in Mexico. In marketing copy it kills conversion — Mexican readers respond to text that addresses them as people, not as expedients. In patient-facing medical materials (instructivos, consentimientos, prospectos) it reduces comprehension and compliance — Mexican health regulators increasingly favor plain-Spanish requirements. In software UI it creates friction at every interaction. In consumer-facing legal documents (privacy notices, terms of service, banking disclosures) plain-Spanish drafts now dominate. Only sworn legal translation (traducción peritada) and pure technical specifications retain the older formal register.
Audience targeting: technical vs. consumer vocabulary¶
The same source text requires different vocabulary depending on who reads the translation. Use technical terms for technical audiences; for consumers use common words.
This applies in every sphere. Legal translation for corporate counsel uses Latinisms and procedural shorthand; consumer-facing versions need plain-Spanish framing. Medical translation for clínicos keeps Greek/Latin nomenclature (infarto de miocardio, hipertensión); for patients it switches to common terms (ataque al corazón, presión alta). IT translation uses developer jargon in engineer-facing docs (endpoint, callback); plain Spanish in end-user help (vínculo, notificación).
Words and phrases to avoid in modern Mexican Spanish¶
Mexican Spanish modern register avoids unnecessarily formal tone. Long, formal constructions are replaced by simpler, more direct syntax. Some connecting phrases are replaced by simpler alternatives; compound verbal tenses sometimes get replaced by simple tenses.
| en-US source | Spanish word to avoid | Spanish word/phrase |
|---|---|---|
| (when) appropriate | (cuando sea) apropiado | (cuando) corresponda / (cuando) sea posible / (cuando) se pueda |
| …and then… | y, a continuación,… | y después… / y luego… |
| about | acerca de | sobre |
| as long as… | siempre y cuando… | si… |
| ask for | solicitar / requerir | pedir |
| detect (an error) | detectar | encontrar |
| follow these steps… | realice los siguientes pasos… / llevar a cabo los siguientes pasos | haz lo siguiente / hacer lo siguiente… |
| however | sin embargo / no obstante | pero |
| if you’ve already allowed… | si ya has permitido… | si ya permitiste… |
| in addition,… | asimismo,… | además,… / también,… |
| in conjunction with | junto con | con |
| provide | suministrar / proporcionar | dar |
| reinstall | volver a instalar | reinstalar |
| request | requerir / solicitar | pedir |
| subsequent | subsiguiente | siguiente / que sigue a… |
| to have the opportunity to | tener la oportunidad de | poder |
| try | intentar | tratar |
| try again | inténtelo de nuevo | prueba otra vez / probar otra vez / volver a probar / volver a intentarlo |
Why this matters: These forms appear in legal templates and government forms out of institutional habit but feel alien in modern consumer products, patient-facing medical materials, brand-led marketing, and user-friendly software. A privacy policy opening with “Asimismo, se le solicitarán los siguientes datos…” signals bureaucratic indifference; “También vamos a pedirte estos datos…” reads as the product talking to its user. A patient leaflet saying “Inténtelo de nuevo” lands differently than “Prueba otra vez” — the second reduces missed actions. These substitutions are among the highest-leverage edits a translator can make.
Word choice: approved terminology and conversational vocabulary¶
Approved terminology is the project-specific bank of fixed translations for key terms, product names, technical concepts, and recurring phrases. Every serious translation project has one. Consistency within the bank matters more than the individual choice — switching between ‘computadora’ and ‘PC’, or ‘pedir’ and ‘solicitar’, within one document signals carelessness.
Short, everyday words are preferred over long formal ones wherever both exist and the audience is non-specialist. Be careful, however, with shortened English words like “app” and “info” — for these two words, use the full Spanish form (‘aplicación’, ‘información’), regardless of the source.
| en-US source term | Spanish word | Usage |
|---|---|---|
| demo | demo | This short version for ‘demostración’ appears in the RAE dictionary. Use ‘demo’ to refer to a demonstration of a product or service. |
| gigabyte / GB | giga | Use after a number. Example: “necesitarás 2 gigas para …” |
| email account | cuenta de correo | The full ‘cuenta de correo electrónico’ is too long. ‘Cuenta de email’ also acceptable. |
| PC | PC | In Spanish for Latin America, ‘la PC’ is used — feminine, same gender as ‘la computadora’. |
Synonyms¶
Word variety can convey a more natural, conversational tone, especially in longer text and informal topics. For example, ‘desear’ (almost always used as the dictionary translation for ‘to wish’) is heard as overly formal — ‘querer’ is more natural.
The following target terms may be interchanged in translations with the following synonyms, except when quoting an already-localized UI element:
| es-ES source term | es-MX synonym |
|---|---|
| desear | querer |
| puntear | pulsar |
| funcionalidad | características, funciones |
| purgar | depurar, limpiar, eliminar |
| utilizar | usar |
| volver a instalar | reinstalar |
| iniciar (not as UI term) | empezar |
| cancelar (not as UI term) | anular |
Why this matters: Terminology consistency is non-negotiable in legal translation (a defined term in a contract must render identically across all 200 pages — variant renderings create ambiguity opposing counsel will exploit), medical translation (drug names, dosage units, anatomical terms must be invariant — a synonym swap can produce a dispensing error), and IT/software translation (UI labels, menu items, error codes must match help documentation word-for-word or users can’t find what they need).
Mexican Spanish vs. Peninsular Spanish: critical vocabulary differences¶
The list below covers some of the most common terms where Mexican (and broader Latin American) usage diverges from Peninsular Spanish. Using Castilian-favored terms in Mexican-targeted text marks the translation immediately as wrong-locale.
| Don’t use (Castilian / incorrect) | Use (Mexican / recommended) | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| abortar | anular | Better |
| acceso directo, método abreviado | atajo | Context: icons or keys |
| autentificar | autenticar | Approved by subsidiaries |
| buffer | búfer | No need for English term; plural ‘búferes’ |
| capacitación, curso, entrenamiento | formación | More widely used in Latin America |
| checar | comprobar, chequear | ‘Checar’ is incorrect though common in speech |
| coger | tomar | ‘Coger’ is offensive in Latin America |
| compartición | recurso compartido | |
| copia de respaldo | copia de seguridad | Established Microsoft term |
| coste | costo | ‘Coste’ not used in Latin America |
| defragmentar | desfragmentar | |
| el API | la API | |
| el PC | la PC | Gender from ‘computadora’ |
| el tablet | la tableta | |
| fallo | error | |
| marcación | marcado | In phone calls |
| mercadeo | marketing | Preferred by subsidiaries |
| ordenador | computadora, PC | ‘Ordenador’ not used in Latin America |
| por defecto | predeterminado, de forma predeterminada | Established Microsoft terminology |
| ratón, ratones | mouse, los mouse | ‘Ratón’ not used for computer mouse in Latin America |
| remover | extraer | ‘Remover’ (in this sense) is incorrect |
| reporte | informe | |
| utilerías | herramientas | |
| vídeo | video | Accented form not used in Latin America |
False-friend traps¶
Check vs. verify. Maintain the distinction:
- Verificar — to check if something is true or false; to check if a mathematical condition is met.
- Comprobar — to make sure of something (something suspected or alleged); to know something with absolute certainty. Use ‘comprobar’ as the default translation for ‘to check’.
| English | Spanish |
|---|---|
| Please, check that the network cable is… | Comprueba si el cable de la red está… |
| CHKDSK is verifying free space | CHKDSK está comprobando el espacio disponible |
| Tells cmd.exe whether to verify that your files are written correctly to a disk. | Especifica si cmd.exe debe verificar que los archivos se escriban de forma correcta en un disco. |
Ignore. Translating ‘ignore’ as ‘ignorar’ is a false friend. Alternatives: ‘omitir’, ‘pasar por alto’, ‘hacer caso omiso’, ‘prescindir’. Choose case by case. Avoid blanket use of ‘omitir’.
| English | Better Mexican Spanish |
|---|---|
| Ignore this error throughout the document | Pasar por alto este error en el resto del documento |
| Ignore words in uppercase (in a spell-checker) | Pasar por alto las palabras en mayúsculas |
| The DS/IS consistency check will be ignored. | Se omitirá la comprobación de coherencia DS o IS… |
| The mapping of the URL %1 to the queue %2 was ignored. | Se omitió la asignación de la dirección URL %1 a la cola %2… |
Occurrence. Standard translation is ‘repetición’ or ‘caso’, not ‘ocurrencia’.
- (–) Número de ocurrencias
- (+) Número de repeticiones
Address forms and pronouns (tú / usted / leísmo)¶
The use of personal pronouns is a powerful way to express all the attributes of the modern Mexican voice. The user is addressed directly through first-person and second-person pronouns. Third-person references like ‘el usuario’ sound formal and impersonal.
| en-US classic user reference | en-US modern user reference |
|---|---|
| Users can change when new updates get installed. | You can change when new updates get installed. |
| This setting provides users with the best display appearance. | Choose one of these schemes or make your own. |
| Mexican Spanish classic | Mexican Spanish modern |
|---|---|
| Los usuarios pueden determinar cuándo instalar nuevas actualizaciones. | Puedes determinar cuándo instalar nuevas actualizaciones. |
| Esta configuración proporciona la mejor visualización para los usuarios. | Elige una de estas combinaciones para ti. |
Use ‘tú’ (informal second person singular) as the default for consumer-facing Mexican Spanish translation. Use ‘usted’ only for sworn legal documents, formal correspondence, and content explicitly targeting older or institutional audiences.
In general, use first person (‘yo’, ‘me’, ‘mi’) when the customer is telling the program or wizard what to do, and second person (‘tú’, ‘tu’) when the program or wizard is telling the customer what to do. When the user is telling the program or wizard what to do, the infinitive is used.
Leísmo¶
The phenomenon called ‘leísmo’ (using the indirect object pronoun ‘le’ instead of the masculine direct object pronoun ‘lo’ when the direct object refers to a male person) occurs largely in Spain. Do not use leísmo in Mexican Spanish. Use ‘lo’.
| English | Mexican Spanish |
|---|---|
| You will help him solve his problems … | Lo ayudarás a resolver sus problemas… |
Possessive adjectives¶
The frequent use of possessives is a feature of English. In Spanish, possessives should be avoided where the definite article carries the same meaning unambiguously. Exception: possessives in UI items like ‘My network places’ → ‘Mis sitios de red’.
| en-US source | es-MX target |
|---|---|
| Name your settings file | Asigna un nombre al archivo de configuración |
| Type your phone number | Escribe tu número de teléfono |
| Pick a file on your computer | Elige un archivo en la computadora / Elige un archivo en tu PC |
| Your audio hardware cannot play files like the current file. | No se pueden reproducir archivos de este tipo con el hardware de audio en uso. |
Sample modern voice text¶
Addressing the user to take action¶
| en-US source | es-MX target | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| The password isn’t correct, so try again. Passwords are case-sensitive. | La contraseña es incorrecta. Prueba otra vez. Las contraseñas distinguen mayúsculas de minúsculas. | Short, friendly, with action to try again. “Please” omitted for naturalness. |
| This product key didn’t work. Check it and try again. | Esta clave no funciona. Fíjate si está bien y prueba otra vez. | Casual and polite. “Please” omitted. |
| All ready to go | Todo listo | Casual, short. |
| Would you like to continue? | ¿Quieres continuar? / ¿Deseas continuar? | Second person; ‘quieres’ is conversational. |
| Give your PC a name—any name you want. If you want to change the background color, turn high contrast off in PC settings. | Dale a tu PC el nombre que quieras. Si quieres cambiar el color de fondo, desactiva el contraste alto en Configuración. | Direct second-person. |
Explanatory text and providing support¶
| en-US source | es-MX target |
|---|---|
| The updates are installed, but Windows 10 Setup needs to restart for them to work. After it restarts, we’ll keep going from where we left off. | Las actualizaciones están instaladas, pero el programa de instalación de Windows 10 debe reiniciarse para que funcionen. Una vez reiniciado, seguiremos donde lo dejamos. |
| If you restart now, you and any other people using this PC could lose unsaved work. | Si reinicias esta PC ahora, tú y las otras personas que la estén usando podrían perder el trabajo no guardado. (or: Si reinicias la PC ahora, todas las demás personas que la estén usando podrían perder el trabajo no guardado.) |
| This document will be automatically moved to the right library and folder after you correct invalid or missing properties. | El documento se moverá automáticamente a la biblioteca y carpeta correctas después de que corrijas las propiedades que no son válidas e incluyas las que faltan. |
| Something bad happened! Unable to locate downloaded files to create your bootable USB flash drive. | ¡Oh, no! No se encontraron los archivos descargados para crear la unidad flash USB reiniciable. |
Promoting a feature¶
| en-US source | es-MX target |
|---|---|
| Picture password is a new way to help you protect your touchscreen PC. You choose the picture—and the gestures you use with it—to create a password that’s uniquely yours. | Las contraseñas de imagen son una nueva manera de proteger tu PC con pantalla táctil. Tú eliges la imagen y los gestos que usarás con ella para crear una contraseña propia. |
| Let apps give you personalized content based on your PC’s location, name, account picture, and other domain info. | Permitir que las aplicaciones te ayuden a personalizar el contenido según la ubicación, el nombre, la imagen de cuenta y demás información de dominio de tu PC. (or: Deja que las aplicaciones te ayuden a personalizar el contenido según la ubicación, el nombre, la imagen de cuenta y demás información de dominio de tu PC.) |
Providing how-to guidelines¶
| en-US source | es-MX target |
|---|---|
| To go back and save your work, click Cancel and finish what you need to. | Para volver y guardar el trabajo, haz clic en Cancelar y termina lo que tengas que hacer. |
| To confirm your current picture password, just watch the replay and trace the example gestures shown on your picture. | Para confirmar tu contraseña de imagen actual, mira la reproducción y sigue los gestos de ejemplo que aparecen en tu imagen. |
| It’s time to enter the product key. When you connect to the Internet, we’ll activate Windows for you. | Es hora de escribir la clave de producto. Cuando te conectes a Internet, activaremos Windows para ti. |
Inclusive language¶
Microsoft technology reaches every part of the globe, so it is critical that all communications are inclusive and diverse. These principles apply to any modern Mexican Spanish translation work.
General principles:
- Comply with local language laws.
- Use plain language. Use straightforward, concrete, familiar words. Plain language helps people of all learning levels and abilities.
- Be mindful when referring to parts of the world. If you name cities, countries, or regions, make sure they are not politically disputed. Use equivalent references — don’t mix countries with states or continents.
- Represent diverse perspectives in text and images. Depict a variety of people in a wide variety of professions, educational settings, locales, and economic settings.
- Don’t generalize or stereotype people by region, culture, age, or gender — not even with positive stereotypes.
- Don’t use profane or derogatory terms.
- Don’t use slang that could be considered cultural appropriation.
- Don’t use terms that may carry unconscious racial bias or terms associated with military actions, politics, or controversial historical events.
| Use this (English) | Not this (English) | Use this (Spanish) | Not this (Spanish) |
|---|---|---|---|
| primary/subordinate | master/slave | primario/subordinado | maestro/esclavo |
| perimeter network | demilitarized zone (DMZ) | red perimetral | zona desmilitarizada (DMZ) |
| stop responding | hang | detener llamada | colgar |
| expert | guru | experto | gurú |
| colleagues; everyone; all | guys; ladies and gentlemen | colegas | damas y caballeros |
Avoid gender bias¶
Use gender-neutral alternatives for common terms. Avoid compounds containing gender-specific terms.
| Use this | Not this |
|---|---|
| humanidad | el hombre |
| personal | empleados |
| representante de ventas | vendedor |
| fabricado | hecho por el hombre |
| fuerza de trabajo | trabajadores |
For generalizations, use plural noun forms (personas, estudiantes). Where possible, avoid gendered pronouns (ella, él, ellas, ellos) in generic references. Instead:
- Rewrite using second or first person (tú o yo).
- Use a gender-neutral noun: ‘estudiante’ instead of ‘alumno’.
- Use ‘personas’ to paraphrase: ‘personas empleadas’ instead of ‘empleados’; ‘personas con interés’ instead of ‘interesados’.
- Use broader words: ‘gente’, ‘personas’, ‘todo el mundo’ instead of feminine/masculine duplications.
| English use this | English not this | Spanish use this | Spanish not this |
|---|---|---|---|
| A user with the appropriate rights can set other users’ passwords. | If the user has the appropriate rights, he can set other users’ passwords. | Una persona con los permisos correspondientes puede establecer las contraseñas del resto. | Si el usuario tiene el permiso correspondiente, puede establecer las contraseñas del resto |
| Developers need access to servers in their development environments, but they don’t need access to the servers in Azure. | A developer needs access to servers in his development environment, but he doesn’t need access to the servers in Azure. | El personal de desarrollo necesita acceso a los servidores de su entorno de desarrollo, pero no a los servidores de Azure. | Los desarrolladores necesitan acceso a los servidores de su entorno de desarrollo, pero no a los servidores de Azure. |
| When the author opens the document …. | When the author opens her document …. | Cuando la persona que creó el documento… | Cuando el autor abre el documento… |
When writing about a real person, use the pronouns the person prefers (él, ella, ellos/ellas, or another). It is fine to use gendered pronouns when writing about real people who use those pronouns.
Accessibility¶
Focus on people, not disabilities. Don’t use words that imply pity, such as ‘padece de’ or ‘sufre de’. Don’t mention a disability unless it is relevant.
| Use this (English) | Not this (English) | Use this (Spanish) | Not this (Spanish) |
|---|---|---|---|
| person with a disability | handicapped | persona con discapacidad | minusválido |
| person without a disability | normal person; healthy person | persona sin discapacidad | persona normal, persona saludable |
Use generic verbs that apply to all input methods and devices.
| Use this | Not this | Spanish use this | Spanish not this |
|---|---|---|---|
| Select | Click | Seleccionar; Elegir | Dar clic; Hacer clic |
Keep paragraphs short and sentence structure simple — aim for one verb per sentence. Read text aloud and imagine it spoken by a screen reader. Spell out words like ‘más’ and ‘aproximadamente’ — screen readers can misread text that uses special characters like ‘+’ and ‘~’.
Language-specific standards¶
Abbreviations¶
Some words may need abbreviation in the UI (mainly buttons or options) due to lack of space. Rules:
- The order of letters in the abbreviation should match the source word (‘art.’ for ‘artículo’).
- A word should not be abbreviated by omitting only one letter — a minimum of two characters should be omitted.
- Abbreviations formed by dropping the last syllables should not end in a vowel (‘pról.’ not ‘prólo.’ for ‘prólogo’).
- Abbreviations created by contraction (omitting syllables in the middle) can end in a vowel (‘pdo.’ for ‘pasado’).
- Don’t abbreviate a word in a way that coincides with an established abbreviation for a different word.
Note: Follow the Ortografía de la Lengua Española for the comprehensive list of recommended abbreviations.
| Expression | Acceptable abbreviation |
|---|---|
| aproximadamente | aprox. |
| biblioteca | bibl. |
| capítulo | cap. |
| código | cód. |
| derecha | dcha. |
| documento | doc. |
| figura | fig. |
| izquierda | izqda. |
| máximo | máx. |
| mínimo | mín. |
| página | p. / pg. / pág. |
| por ejemplo | p. ej. |
| referencia | ref. |
Symbols vs. abbreviations. Words like ‘metro’ and ‘litro’ are ‘symbols’ in Spanish, not abbreviations — they don’t end in a period. Symbols represent units of measurement or currency:
| Symbol | Full term |
|---|---|
| cm | centímetro |
| h | hora |
| kB | kilobyte |
| SE | sudeste |
Acronyms¶
Acronyms behave like nouns. Gender is the gender of the spelled-out form. For non-Spanish words, gender varies by usage.
Acronyms have no plural -s in Spanish. Number is shown by the preceding determiner. ‘PCs’ is incorrect; use ‘las PC’. In Mexican Spanish (and Latin American Spanish), ‘PC’ takes the feminine from ‘computadora’.
Localized acronyms. If widely known, use the acronym as-is. If not widely known or potentially confusing, spell out the term and include the acronym in brackets at first appearance:
| en-US source | es-MX target |
|---|---|
| Uninterruptible power supply (UPS) management. | Administración del sistema de alimentación ininterrumpida (SAI). |
Unlocalized acronyms. Commonly understood acronyms (used as-is, no spelling out): ANSI, URL, USB, HDMI, ISO, IP. For less-common acronyms, spell out the Spanish form at first appearance with the English acronym in parentheses:
| en-US source | es-MX target |
|---|---|
| This policy setting controls whether Excel can exchange data with other applications that use Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE). | Esta configuración de directiva controla si Excel puede intercambiar datos con otras aplicaciones que usan Intercambio dinámico de datos (DDE). OR Esta configuración de directiva controla si Excel puede intercambiar datos con otras aplicaciones que usan Intercambio dinámico de datos (DDE, Dynamic Data Exchange). |
Adjectives¶
Adjectives change form depending on whether the noun is masculine or feminine, singular or plural. The inflection of adjectives must coincide with that of the noun they modify. Adjectives can precede or follow the noun. See the Nueva Gramática.
Adjectives of nationality are not capitalized in Spanish (unlike English).
| en-US source | es-MX target |
|---|---|
| Column “%1!s!” combines operations on Japanese characters with operations for Chinese characters. | La columna “%1!s!” combina operaciones en caracteres japoneses con operaciones de caracteres chinos. |
Articles¶
Follow the normative reference and the project-specific terminology. Sometimes the definite article makes a general term more specific:
| en-US source | es-MX target | Term Usage Note |
|---|---|---|
| query clause | cláusula de consulta | When referring to a clause for a specific query use ‘cláusula de la consulta’; for general statements use ‘cláusula de consulta’ or ‘cláusula de consultas’ depending on context. |
Unlocalized feature names (Microsoft product names, non-translated features) are used without articles, as in English:
| en-US source | es-MX target |
|---|---|
| Microsoft Office 365 component | Componente de Microsoft Office 365 |
| Visual Studio Add-in | Complemento de Visual Studio |
Localized feature names:
- If treated as a proper noun, no article.
- If the localized feature starts with a common noun (tool, wizard), include the article.
| en-US source | es-MX target |
|---|---|
| A page that can be easily edited in the web browser using Web Edit. | Una página que se puede editar fácilmente en el explorador web con Edición web. |
| Create a new report project using Report Wizard | Crea un nuevo proyecto de informe con el Asistente para informes. |
Capitalization¶
Spanish capitalization differs from English. Follow normative rules.
Software interface elements — capitalize only the first letter of the first word in commands, dialog box titles and options, menus, buttons, pane/view/window names:
| en-US source | es-MX target |
|---|---|
| From the File menu, disable Save As Web Page Complete. | En el menú Archivo, deshabilita Guardar como página web completa. |
Key names — capitalize the initial letter only (‘tecla Control’). For abbreviated keys (CTRL, ALT, MAYÚS), match the source character formatting:
| en-US source | es-MX target |
|---|---|
| Reply to group CTRL+G | Responder al grupo CTRL+G |
| Mark all as read Ctrl+Shift+A | Marcar todos como leídos Ctrl+Mayús+A |
Headings, captions, tables, figure titles — initial capital for the first word only, and for proper nouns/interface terms:
| en-US source | es-MX target |
|---|---|
| Quick Reference Guide | Guía de referencia rápida |
| Working with Files | Trabajo con archivos |
| Item | English | Spanish | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adjectives of nationality | Yes | No | argentino, brasileño, holandés, ruso |
| Names of days, months, seasons | Yes | No | lunes, enero, primavera |
| Names of languages | Yes | No | inglés, francés, chino, alemán |
Accented capital letters are mandatory in Spanish — accented capitals should be used unless software incompatibility prevents it (e.g., programming language function names).
Compounds¶
Compounds should be understandable and clear to the user. Avoid overly long or complex compounds. Always follow the approved term in the terminology database.
| en-US source | es-MX target |
|---|---|
| bi-directional | bidireccional |
| auto-correct | autocorrección |
| auto-joining | unión automática |
| read-write | lectura y escritura |
For compounds in variables, user input or programming language elements, check first whether the term is localizable. If not, leave unchanged. If localizable:
| en-US source | es-MX target | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Sub, If, ChDir, Print, True, Click, Debug | Sub, If, ChDir, Print, True, Click, Debug | Language-specific keywords — kept in source language or translated depending on the programming language. |
| object, varname, arglist | objeto, nombreDeVariable, listaDeArgumentos | Placeholders for user-supplied information. Start with lowercase; subsequent words capitalize the first letter (camelCase). |
| PathName, fileNumber | nombreDeRutaDeAcceso, númeroDeArchivo | Placeholders for arguments — same camelCase pattern. |
| [expressionlist] | [listaDeExpresiones] | Inside square brackets = optional items. Translated, camelCase. |
| MyString = “Hello, world!” / MyVar = 312 | miCadena = “Hello, world!” / miVariable = 312 | Code, variables, and error message text. |
Conjunctions¶
Use of conjunctions can convey a conversational tone. Starting a sentence with a conjunction is informal — in Mexican Spanish this is acceptable in modern voice writing, though less common than in English.
| en-US source | es-MX old | es-MX new |
|---|---|---|
| That is to say, you can enter the web page path in the above text box or click Browse to look for it | Es decir, puede escribir la ruta de una página Web en el cuadro de arriba o hacer clic en Examinar para buscarla. | O sea que puedes escribir la dirección de la página web en el cuadro de arriba o hacer clic en Examinar para buscarla |
| And finally, we need to find out a few things about the new IIS Virtual Server we will create… | Para finalizar, necesitaremos algunos datos sobre el Nuevo servidor virtual de IIS que vamos a crear… | Y, por último, necesitamos algunos datos sobre el nuevo servidor virtual de IIS que vamos a crear… |
| And, in some cases, the Player can automatically use the codecs installed by other digital media playback and creation programs on your computer. | Además, en algunos casos, el Reproductor puede usar, de manera automática, los códecs que otros programas de reproducción y creación de multimedia digital hayan instalado en el equipo. | Y, en otros casos, el Reproductor puede usar automáticamente los códecs que otros programas de reproducción y creación de multimedia digital hayan instalado en el equipo. |
Gender¶
For English loan words, consider:
- Motivation — does the English word have formal features that allow integration into Spanish noun classes?
- Analogy — is there an equivalent Spanish term whose article could be used?
- Frequency — what article is most often used in technical documentation?
| es-US source | es-MX target | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Web | la web | Feminine because of Spanish equivalent ‘la red’ or ‘la telaraña’. |
| cache | la caché | Feminine from ‘memoria’ — la [memoria] caché. |
| firewall | el firewall | Masculine from ‘servidor de seguridad’. |
Localizing colloquialism, idioms, and metaphors¶
- Don’t replace the source colloquialism with a Spanish colloquialism that “fits the same meaning” unless it is a perfect, natural fit for that context.
- Translate the intended meaning of the colloquialism (not literally), but only if the meaning is integral to the text.
- Omit the colloquialism if it can be omitted without affecting meaning.
| en-US source | es-MX target |
|---|---|
| Thanks, you’re all done and your PC is ready to go | Muchas gracias. Ya hemos terminado y la PC está lista para empezarla a usar |
Numbers¶
The use of numerals versus spelled-out numbers differs between Spanish and English.
In Spanish non-technical writing, spell out numbers of one or two words, or two words joined by ‘y’:
| en-US | es-MX |
|---|---|
| Now, some 18 years later … | Ahora, unos dieciocho años más tarde… |
| I counted 46 records on the shelf. | Conté cuarenta y seis discos en el estante. |
Use figures for numbers requiring more words to spell out.
In technical/scientific and business writing, figures are preferred even when spelling would be brief.
Generally use figures for: dates, addresses, percentages, fractions, decimals, scores, statistics, pages, identification numbers, time.
In software localization, usually follow the source usage for simplicity.
Prepositions¶
Many translators, influenced by English, omit prepositions or change word order. Be aware of proper preposition use.
Avoid coordinating two verbs that take different prepositions when they share a common complement:
| en-US source | es-MX |
|---|---|
| You’ll be able to edit your document, but you won’t be able to print or preview all of your data source entries until you reconnect. | (Incorrect) Podrás modificar el documento, pero no imprimir ni obtener vistas previas de los datos hasta que vuelvas a conectarte al origen de datos. (Correct) Podrás modificar el documento, pero no imprimir todos los datos ni obtener vistas previas de los mismos hasta que vuelvas a conectarte al origen de datos. |
Don’t coordinate verbs needing different prepositions (‘correo enviado a y recibido de’ is incorrect in Spanish).
Queísmo and Dequeísmo
- Queísmo — omission of ‘de’ where required.
- Dequeísmo — inclusion of ‘de’ where not needed.
| en-US source | es-MX |
|---|---|
| Make sure your start date comes before the end of the repeating pattern. | (Incorrect) Asegúrate que la fecha de inicio sea anterior a la fecha de finalización de la pauta de repetición. (Correct) Asegúrate de que la fecha de inicio sea anterior a la fecha de finalización de la pauta de repetición. |
| This site may be experiencing a problem. | (Incorrect) Es posible de que se haya producido un error en el sitio. (Correct) Es posible que se haya producido un error en el sitio. |
For Microsoft voice, sometimes simpler prepositions can replace longer prepositional phrases:
| en-US source | es-MX target | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| This lookup can only be modified using the design view. | Esta consulta solo puede modificarse a través de la vista de diseño. | Simpler: Solo es posible modificar esta consulta con/en la vista de diseño. |
Punctuation¶
Punctuation marks (periods, commas, colons, question marks) follow English conventions in Spanish. Exceptions: opening ‘¿’ and ‘¡’. Follow normative rules.
Bulleted lists with full sentences start with initial caps and end with a period:
Cuando finalice la ejecución del programa de instalación de DoubleSpace:
- Tu PC tendrá una unidad sin comprimir.
- La unidad C estará comprimida y tendrá más espacio libre.
Bulleted lists of elements forming part of the same sentence use lowercase and Spanish punctuation (commas or semicolons, ending period):
Estos conflictos surgen cuando:
- se deben ejecutar dos versiones de la misma aplicación al mismo tiempo,
- el departamento de finanzas migró a una versión más nueva del software de contabilidad o
- se requiere acceso a una versión antigua del software para cerrar el año fiscal.
Bulleted items that are not full sentences and not continuations don’t have an ending period:
Tareas principales:
- Compatibilidad de las aplicaciones
- Virtualización del escritorio
- Seguridad y control
Dashes and hyphens — three different dash characters are used:
Hyphen — for syllable division at line ends, compound terms:
| es-MX target | Comment |
|---|---|
| Escribe dblspace a continuación del sím-bolo del sistema… | Hyphenation of ‘símbolo’ |
| relación calidad-precio | Compound term |
En dash — used as a minus sign (usually with spaces) and in number ranges (no spaces):
| en-US source | es-MX target | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| − 18°C | − 18 °C | Space after the n-dash, before the number |
| pages 204–206 | páginas 204–206 | No spaces |
Em dash — used only to emphasize an isolated element or introduce non-essential elements. See normative references.
Ellipses — no space before the ellipses sign (even when source text has one):
| en-US source | es-MX target | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Connecting, please wait … | Estamos conectando, espera… | No space before ellipsis |
Command names in menus followed by ellipses (indicating a dialog will open) — same in Spanish in SW. References to that command in documentation or messages don’t keep the ellipses.
Period — don’t use two spaces after a period, even if the source has them.
Quotation marks — normative Spanish uses chevrons (« »), but with English-source translations curly quotes (” “) are widespread in Spanish printed material. Microsoft Spanish documentation uses curly/smart quotes in normal text. Use ‘comillas de apertura’ / ‘comillas de cierre’ when referring to a set of quotation marks.
Don’t use quotation marks with user input unless they are part of the input. In technical material, specify ‘sencilla’ ( ’ ) or ‘doble’ ( ” ).
When translating, follow the source:
| en-US source | es-MX target |
|---|---|
| Try another ID, or tap “Show Available IDs” to see some suggestions. | Inténtalo con otro id. o pulsa “Mostrar id. disponibles” para ver algunas sugerencias. |
Parentheses — no space between parentheses and the text inside.
Sentence fragments¶
Sentence fragments help convey a conversational tone. The Mexican Spanish modern voice uses them in some cases:
| en-US source | es-MX long form | es-MX fragment |
|---|---|---|
| Follow the steps below. | Sigue los pasos a continuación. | Cómo hacerlo / Haz lo siguiente |
| Get more information | Obtener más información | Más información |
Subjunctive¶
The subjunctive is an important resource in Spanish. Use it when required by the content — lack of subjunctive impoverishes the text. When ‘cantara/cantase’ is an option, use ‘cantara’ for Mexican Spanish — the ‘-se’ form is less common in some Latin American countries.
Symbols and non-breaking spaces¶
Use non-breaking spaces (Ctrl+Shift+Spacebar) between words that should not separate onto different lines. Use them:
- Between ‘capítulo’ or ‘apéndice’ and its corresponding number or letter.
- Between a unit of measure or currency and the number that goes with it.
- Between items that should not be divided (e.g., Microsoft Office, Microsoft).
Note: Non-breaking spaces can cause problems in document generation. Don’t use them in online help and documentation live content.
Verbs and tense¶
Use simple tenses over compound tenses. The easiest tense to understand is the simple present.
| en-US source text | es-MX classic | es-MX modern |
|---|---|---|
| After you finished installing the tool, the icon appears on the desktop. | Después de haber terminado de instalar la herramienta, aparece el icono en el escritorio. | Después de que termines de instalar la herramienta, aparece el icono en el escritorio. OR Después de que termines de instalar la herramienta, aparecerá el icono en el escritorio. OR Después de que instales la herramienta, aparecerá el icono en el escritorio. |
| It is likely that either this computer or its partner computer was set to the incorrect time zone. | Es probable que esta computadora o su computadora asociada se hayan configurado en la zona horaria incorrecta. | Es probable que esta computadora o la computadora asociada estén configuradas en una zona horaria incorrecta. |
Use of future tense is fine to express something that will happen in the future or in conditional clauses where the context requires it.
Error messages¶
Apply Microsoft voice principles to make error message translation more natural, empathetic, and not robot-like.
| en-US target | es-MX target |
|---|---|
| The password isn’t correct, so try again. Passwords are case-sensitive. | La contraseña es incorrecta. Prueba otra vez. Las contraseñas distinguen mayúsculas de minúsculas. |
| Not enough memory to process this command. | Memoria insuficiente para procesar este comando. |
Syntax and punctuation in error messages¶
English error messages can separate the problem and the resolution with a period, semicolon, or colon. For concision and homogeneity, use the period as a separator in Spanish. The result: each element is clearly defined and more visible.
Concision also leads to using phrases made of nouns and adjectives instead of full sentences:
| en-US source | es-MX target |
|---|---|
| The disk is full. You cannot save this file. | Disco lleno. No se puede guardar el archivo. |
English error messages often take exclamation marks. Don’t transfer exclamation marks to Spanish:
| en-US source | es-MX target |
|---|---|
| Operation failed! | No se pudo realizar la operación. |
The impersonal form is preferred over excessive ‘tú’. But include the subject in 3rd-person verbs when an error or cause is mentioned. Only remove the user reference if context is clear:
| en-US source | es-MX target |
|---|---|
| You installed a hardware device, and your computer stopped working | La PC dejó de funcionar debido al dispositivo de hardware instalado. |
| You have not selected a modem. Press OK to go back and make a selection that matches your modem. | No seleccionaste un dispositivo. Presiona Aceptar para volver atrás y seleccionar un dispositivo compatible. |
Verbs ser and estar. Often the verb ‘to be’ can be omitted without losing the message. Adopt the nominal form in short sentences:
| en-US source | es-MX target |
|---|---|
| The specified device is invalid. | Dispositivo especificado no válido. |
| This command is not available. | Comando no disponible. |
In long sentences with many participles, prefer the verbal structure:
| en-US source | es-MX target |
|---|---|
| An error number was specified that is not defined in the system. | El número de error especificado no está definido en el sistema. |
Standard error message phrases¶
| English | Translation | Example | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cannot … / Could not … / Unable to… | No se puede + infinitive | No se puede abrir el archivo. | Generic impossibility. Stress on the action, not the subject. For ‘could not’ if past tense matters, use ‘No se pudo’. |
| Failed to … / Failure of … | Error + preposition | Error durante la operación criptográfica. / Error en la conexión. | Don’t use fallo/falló. When ‘failed to’ is mid-sentence with subject and complement: subject + no se pudo + complement. Example: “Setup failed to initialize” → “La instalación no se pudo inicializar.” |
| … occurred / … has occurred | omit | Error de escritura. / Error durante la reconexión de %2 a 3%. | Omit ‘ha ocurrido’ or ‘ocurrió’ — they are unnecessary. |
| Not enough memory / Insufficient memory / There is not enough memory / There is not enough memory available | Memoria insuficiente / …insuficiente | Memoria insuficiente para completar la operación. / Espacio en disco insuficiente para instalar los programas seleccionados. | Be concise and consistent. |
| … is not available / … is unavailable | …no disponible | Comando no disponible. | Common in source to omit the verb (is/are) — also omit in Spanish even when source has it. |
| … not found | No se encuentra… | No se encuentra el archivo… / No se encuentra el valor en el Registro de configuraciones. | Use for ‘File not found’, ‘Value not found in Configuration Registry’. |
Placeholders in error messages. Letter conventions:
%d,%ld,%u,%lu→ number%c→ letter%s→ string
Examples: “Checking Web %1!d! of %2!d!” → “Checking Web
Take the meaning of the placeholder into account; treat it as a usual noun or numeral and move it into the relevant position to comply with the language rules.
Keys¶
References to key names appear in normal text (not in small caps). Same formatting in Spanish.
| en-US key name | es-MX key name |
|---|---|
| Alt | Alt |
| Backspace | Retroceso |
| Break | Inter |
| Caps Lock | Bloq Mayús |
| Ctrl | Control |
| Delete | Supr |
| Down Arrow | Flecha abajo |
| End | Fin |
| Enter | Intro |
| Esc | Esc |
| Home | Inicio |
| Insert | Insertar |
| Left Arrow | Flecha izquierda |
| Num Lock | Bloq Num |
| Page Down | Av Pág |
| Page Up | Re Pág |
| Pause | Pausa |
| Right Arrow | Flecha derecha |
| Scroll Lock | Bloq Despl |
| Shift | Mayúsculas |
| Spacebar | Barra espaciadora |
| Tab | Tabulación |
| Up Arrow | Flecha arriba |
| Windows key | tecla Windows |
| print screen | Imp Pant |
| menu key | tecla Menú |
Keyboard shortcuts¶
| Option | Allowed? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| ‘Slim characters’ (I, l, t, r, f) as shortcut | yes | Only when no other character is available |
| Descenders (g, j, y, p, q) as shortcut | yes | Only when no other character is available |
| Extended characters as shortcut | no | |
| Additional letter in brackets after item name | no | |
| Number in brackets after item name | no | |
| Punctuation in brackets as shortcut | no | |
| Duplicate keyboard shortcut allowed when no other available | n/a | Engineering decision |
| No shortcut assigned when no characters available (minor options) | n/a | Engineering decision |
Localization terminology¶
| Term | Usage |
|---|---|
| access key | A letter/number to access UI controls with text labels. Assigned to top-level controls. Most use Alt. Example: F in Alt+F; in UI localization H&ome. |
| key tip | Letter/number that appears in the ribbon when Alt is pressed. In UI localization, the key tip is the last character after the “`” character. Example: Home`H. |
| shortcut key | A key the user types to perform a common action without using the UI. Not available for every command. Most use Ctrl. Examples: Ctrl+N, Ctrl+V. Ctrl+letter combinations and function keys (F1–F12) are usually the best choices. |
When choosing shortcuts, choose the most significant letters (typically the first character) for the most important commands. Keep keyboard shortcut consistency across products and product families — Office and Windows as reference.
Standard shortcut keys¶
| es-US command | en-US shortcut | es-MX command | es-MX shortcut |
|---|---|---|---|
| Help window | F1 | Ayuda | F1 |
| Context-sensitive Help | Shift+F1 | Ayuda contextual | Mayús+F1 |
| Display pop-up menu | Shift+F10 | Mostrar el menú contextual | Mayús+F10 |
| Cancel | Esc | Cancelar | Esc |
| Activate/Deactivate menu bar | F10 | Activar o desactivar las opciones de la barra de menús | F10 |
| Switch to next primary application | Alt+Tab | Cambiar a la siguiente aplicación en ejecución | Alt+Tab |
| Display next window | Alt+Esc | Mostrar la siguiente ventana | Alt+Esc |
| Display pop-up menu for window | Alt+Spacebar | Mostrar menú emergente de la ventana | Alt+Barra espaciadora |
| Display pop-up menu for active child window | Alt+- | Mostrar el menú emergente de la ventana secundaria activa | Alt+- |
| Display property sheet for current selection | Alt+Enter | Mostrar la hoja de propiedades del elemento seleccionado | Alt+Entrar |
| Close active application window | Alt+F4 | Cerrar la ventana de la aplicación activa | Alt+F4 |
| Switch to next window within (modeless-compliant) application | Alt+F6 | Conmuta entre varias ventanas de la misma aplicación | Alt+F6 |
| Capture active window to Clipboard | Alt+Prnt Scrn | Capturar la imagen de la ventana activa al Portapapeles | Alt+Imp Pan |
| Capture desktop to Clipboard | Prnt Scrn | Capturar la imagen del escritorio al Portapapeles | Imp Pan |
| Access Start button in taskbar | Ctrl+Esc | Obtener acceso al botón Inicio en la barra de tareas | Ctrl+Esc |
| Display next child window | Ctrl+F6 | Mostrar la siguiente ventana secundaria | Ctrl+F6 |
| Display next tabbed pane | Ctrl+Tab | Mostrar la siguiente ficha | Ctrl+Tab |
| Launch Task Manager | Ctrl+Shift+Esc | Iniciar el Administrador de tareas | Ctrl+Mayús+Esc |
| File New | Ctrl+N | Archivo Nuevo | Ctrl+U |
| File Open | Ctrl+O | Archivo Abrir | Ctrl+A |
| File Close | Ctrl+F4 | Archivo Cerrar | Ctrl+F4 |
| File Save | Ctrl+S | Archivo Guardar | CTRL+G |
| File Save As | F12 | Archivo Guardar como | F12 |
| File Print Preview | Ctrl+F2 | Archivo (Vista previa) | Ctrl+F2 |
| File Print | Ctrl+P | Archivo Imprimir | Ctrl+P |
| File Exit | Alt+F4 | Archivo Salir | Alt+F4 |
| Edit Undo | Ctrl+Z | Edición Deshacer | Ctrl+Z |
| Edit Repeat | Ctrl+Y | Edición Repetir | Ctrl+Y |
| Edit Cut | Ctrl+X | Edición Cortar | Ctrl+X |
| Edit Copy | Ctrl+C | Edición Copiar | Ctrl+C |
| Edit Paste | Ctrl+V | Edición Pegar | Ctrl+V |
| Edit Delete | Ctrl+Backspace | Edición Eliminar | Ctrl+Barra espaciadora |
| Edit Select All | Ctrl+A | Edición Seleccionar todo | Ctrl+E |
| Edit Find | Ctrl+F | Edición Buscar | Ctrl+B |
| Edit Replace | Ctrl+H | Edición Remplazar | Ctrl+L |
| Edit Go To | Ctrl+B | Edición Ir a | Ctrl+I |
| Help | F1 | Ayuda | F1 |
| Italic | Ctrl+I | Cursiva | Ctrl+K |
| Bold | Ctrl+G | Negrita | Ctrl+N |
| Underlined | Ctrl+U | Subrayado | Ctrl+S |
| All caps | Ctrl+Shift+A | Mayúsculas | Ctrl+Mayús+U |
| Small caps | Ctrl+Shift+K | Versalitas | Ctrl+Mayús+L |
| Centered | Ctrl+E | Centrar | Ctrl+T |
| Left aligned | Ctrl+L | Alinear a la izquierda | Ctrl+Q |
| Right aligned | Ctrl+R | Alinear a la derecha | Ctrl+D |
| Justified | Ctrl+J | Justificado | Ctrl+J |
Copilot predefined prompts¶
Best practices for localizing Copilot predefined prompts:
- Be clear and specific. English prompts are usually questions or requests starting with an action verb. Use clear, specific phrases.
- Keep it conversational. Simple, natural language. Don’t sound like a machine. Use informal tone of voice and form of address.
- Be polite and professional. Kind, respectful language. No slang or jargon.
- Use quotation marks to help Copilot know what to write/modify/replace.
- Pay attention to punctuation, grammar, capitalization.
- Entity tokens are placeholders — not localizable. The position should make sense in the target syntax. Exception: when the prompt is display text (an example), the entity token needs to be translated — check the Dev comment.
- Be consistent across similar prompts.
| Source prompt | Target prompt | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| List ideas for a fun remote team building event | Enumera ideas para un divertido evento de creación de equipo remoto | Formulate grammatically correct sentences that facilitate comprehension. |
| What are the goals and topics from the meeting? Format each section with a bolded heading, a bulleted list, and bolded names | ¿Cuáles son los temas y los objetivos de la reunión? Da formato a cada sección con el encabezado y los nombres en negritas, y una lista con viñetas | Reorder nouns and adjectives to avoid repetition without changing meaning. |
Propose a new introduction to <entity type='file'>file</entity> |
Sugiere una nueva introducción para este <entity type='file'>archivo</entity> |
Read the whole sentence ignoring placeholders to verify grammar. |
What were the open issues from <entity type='meeting'>meeting</entity>? |
¿Cuáles fueron los asuntos que se trataron en esta <entity type='meeting'>reunión</entity>? |
Include opening interrogation mark “¿”. |
| Give me ideas for icebreaker activities for a new team | Dame ideas para realizar actividades que rompan el hielo en un nuevo equipo | Choose language that is correct but easy to understand. |
Create a list of <placeholder>color names inspired by the ocean</placeholder> |
Crea una lista de <placeholder>nombres de colores inspirados por el océano</placeholder> |
Preserve placeholder consistency — they may be used in other prompts. |
Voice and video considerations¶
A good voice video addresses only one intent, is not too long, has high audio quality, has visuals that add to the information, and uses the right language variant in voice-over.
Successful techniques:
- Focus on the intent.
- Show empathy.
- Use SEO — include search phrases in title, description, headers.
- Talk to the customer as if they’re next to you.
- Record a scratch audio file. Check length, pace, clarity.
English pronunciation¶
In general, English terms and product names left unlocalized should be pronounced the English way. Microsoft is pronounced English. If Spanish has an established pronunciation for a common term (like “server”), use the local pronunciation. Pronunciation can be adapted to Spanish phonetics if the original sounds awkward.
- In general, English terms and product names — English pronunciation with a slight Spanish accent.
- Numbers — Spanish. “Windows 10” → “Windows diez”.
- “r” is always pronounced the Spanish way (rolling r — “release” sounds like the “r” in “rosa”).
| Example | Phonetics | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| SecurID | [sı’kjuər aı di:] | |
| .NET | [dot net] | Don’t pronounce ‘punto net’ — it’s a proper name. |
| Skype | [skaip] | Official name; pronounced as in English. |
Acronyms are pronounced like real words, adapted to local pronunciation:
| Example | Local pronunciation | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| RADIUS | RADIUS | |
| RAS | RAS | |
| ISA | ISA | Don’t pronounce ‘aisa’ |
| LAN | LAN | |
| WAN | WAN | |
| WAP | WAP | |
| MAPI | MAPI | |
| POP | POP |
Other abbreviations are pronounced letter by letter:
| Example | Local pronunciation |
|---|---|
| ICMP | i-c-m-p |
| IP | i-p |
| TCP/IP | t-c-p-i-p |
| XML | x-m-l |
| HTML | h-t-m-l |
| URL | u-r-l |
URLs. “http://” is left out; the rest of the URL is read entirely. “www” → “triple w”. “dot” can be omitted or read as Spanish “punto”.
Example: http://www.microsoft.com → /’tɾi.ple ‘do.ble ‘u ‘puN.to mi.kro.’sofD ‘puN.to ‘koN/
Punctuation marks are implied by voice (? ! : ; ,). En dash (–) is pronounced as a comma — a short pause.
Special characters (/ \ < > + -) are pronounced using approved Spanish for Latin America translations. Hyphen → ‘guion’; underscore → ‘guion bajo’.
Tone¶
Match tone to target audience — informal/playful/inspiring for most consumer products and games; formal/informative/factual for technical texts.
Video voice checklist¶
Topic and script:
- Apply voice principles: single intent, clarity, everyday language, friendliness, relatable context.
Title:
- Includes the intent.
- Includes keywords for search.
Intro (10 seconds to set up the issue):
- Put the problem in a relatable context.
Action and sound:
- Keep something happening visually and audibly, but maintain pace.
- Synchronize visuals with voice-over.
- Fine to alternate between first and second person (use “tú” for second person).
- Repetition of big points is fine.
Visuals:
- Eye is guided through the procedure — smooth pointer motions, judicious callouts.
- Appropriate use of motion graphics and branding-approved visuals.
Ending: recaps are unnecessary.
Trademarks and version strings¶
Trademarked names and “Microsoft Corporation” should not be localized unless local laws require translation and an approved translated form is available. List of Microsoft trademarks: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/legal/intellectualproperty/Trademarks/
When a product name contains a preposition, translate the preposition unless trademark/copyright instructions prevent it. Always check Microsoft Terminology.
| en-US source | es-MX target |
|---|---|
| Visual Studio for Mac | Visual Studio para Mac |
Feature names. Wizard names follow the format: ‘Asistente + para + noun’ or ‘Asistente + para + infinitive + object’.
Version numbers always contain a period: “Version 4.2” → “Versión 4.2”.
Version strings containing copyright info should always be translated. Refer to Microsoft Terminology for the correct translations of “All rights reserved” and “Microsoft Corporation”.
Reference materials¶
Normative references (adhere to these):
- Diccionario panhispánico de dudas, Real Academia Española & Asociación de Academias de la Lengua Española, Madrid, Ed. Santillana, 2005.
- Diccionario de la lengua española (23rd edition), Real Academia Española, Madrid, Ed. Espasa-Calpe, 2014.
- Nueva gramática de la lengua española, Real Academia Española y Asociación de Academias de la Lengua Española, Madrid, Ed. Espasa-Calpe, 2009.
- Ortografía de la lengua española, Academias de la Lengua Española, Ed. Espasa, 2010.
Informative references (supplementary):
- Diccionario de uso del español, M. Moliner, Madrid, Ed. Gredos S.A., 1991.
- Diccionario de informática (2nd ed.), Oxford University Press, Ed. Díaz de Santos, 1992.
- Diccionario comentado de terminología informática, Aguado de Cea, Ed. Paraninfo, 1996.
- Microsoft Diccionario de Informática e Internet, McGraw-Hill Interamericana, Madrid, 2001.
- El lenguaje de la informática e Internet y su traducción, Belda Medina, J.R., Publicaciones de la Universidad de Alicante, 2003.
- Diccionario de Internet ATI: http://www.ati.es/novatica/glointv2.html.
- Fundéu BBVA: http://www.fundeu.es/
- Wikilengua del español.
FAQ¶
Should I use ‘tú’ or ‘usted’ for Mexican Spanish translation?¶
Use ‘tú’ as the default for consumer-facing software, marketing copy, online help, healthcare patient materials and most product documentation — Microsoft Mexican Spanish style explicitly recommends ‘tú’. Use ‘usted’ for sworn legal translations, very formal business correspondence, and content targeting older or institutional audiences. Pick one and stay consistent within a single document or product.
What’s the difference between Mexican Spanish and Peninsular Spanish vocabulary?¶
Mexican Spanish (and Latin American Spanish broadly) uses different terms in many common areas: ‘computadora’ instead of ‘ordenador’, ‘la PC’ instead of ‘el PC’ (gender from ‘computadora’), ‘mouse’ instead of ‘ratón’, ‘video’ (no accent) instead of ‘vídeo’, ‘costo’ instead of ‘coste’, ‘informe’ instead of ‘reporte’, ‘marketing’ instead of ‘mercadeo’. Don’t mix the two variants.
Which words should I avoid in Mexican Spanish translation?¶
Bureaucratic and Castilian forms: ‘solicitar/requerir’ (use ‘pedir’), ‘sin embargo / no obstante’ (use ‘pero’), ‘asimismo’ (use ‘además’ or ‘también’), ‘a continuación’ (use ‘después’ or ‘luego’), ‘suministrar/proporcionar’ (use ‘dar’), ‘detectar un error’ (use ‘encontrar un error’), ‘inténtelo de nuevo’ (use ‘prueba otra vez’), ‘siempre y cuando’ (use ‘si’), and the false friend ‘ignorar’ for English ‘ignore’ (use ‘omitir’, ‘pasar por alto’, ‘hacer caso omiso’).
What about ‘leísmo’?¶
Don’t use it in Mexican Spanish. ‘Leísmo’ (using indirect ‘le’ instead of direct ‘lo’ when the direct object refers to a male person) is common in Spain but not in Mexico. Use ‘lo’: ‘Lo ayudarás a resolver sus problemas’ — not ‘Le ayudarás…’.
How do I avoid queísmo and dequeísmo errors?¶
Queísmo is omitting ‘de’ where it’s required (‘Asegúrate que la fecha…’ — incorrect; should be ‘Asegúrate de que la fecha…’). Dequeísmo is inserting ‘de’ where it’s not needed (‘Es posible de que se haya…’ — incorrect; should be ‘Es posible que se haya…’). Check the verb’s required preposition before composing the subordinate clause.
What authoritative Spanish references should I use?¶
Normative: Real Academia Española — Diccionario de la lengua española (23rd edition, 2014), Nueva gramática de la lengua española (2009), Ortografía de la lengua española (2010), Diccionario panhispánico de dudas (2005). Informative: Diccionario de uso del español by María Moliner, Fundéu (fundeu.es), Wikilengua del español, and specialized IT dictionaries like Microsoft Diccionario de Informática e Internet.
Are accents required on capital letters in Spanish?¶
Yes. Accented capital letters are mandatory in Spanish: BRASILEÑO, MÉXICO, BOLÍVAR, ÍNDICE, ÚLTIMO. The only exception is software-incompatible contexts (e.g., function names in programming languages) where the accent might cause an error.