Translate Spanish to English and understand what it really says
Your builder in Valencia sent a quote full of words like presupuesto, IVA and obra, or a supplier in Mexico answered with a long voice note. This prompt has your todo.is agent turn the Spanish into clear English, flag false friends and pull out the dates, amounts and anything you need to answer.
The prompt
- Translate this Spanish [ATTACH THE FILE, PHOTO OR VOICE NOTE] into natural [ENGLISH VARIANT]. It comes from [WHO SENT IT AND WHY], so keep the tone. If it is a photo or scan, read the text first; if it is audio, transcribe it first. Keep the original layout and numbers. Under the translation, list: every amount, date and deadline; anything that needs a reply from me; and any word that could be misread (false friends, regional slang, abbreviations like IVA or S.L.). Deliver [OUTPUT FORMAT].
What to change
- [ATTACH THE FILE, PHOTO OR VOICE NOTE]: A PDF, Word file, phone photo, screenshot or audio message. You can also paste the text.
- [ENGLISH VARIANT]: E.g. "US English" or "UK English".
- [WHO SENT IT AND WHY]: E.g. "my builder in Spain, a quote for a bathroom" or "my kid's school in Mexico, a note to parents".
- [OUTPUT FORMAT]: E.g. "a Word file", "a side-by-side PDF with Spanish and English" or "just text in the chat".
Example result
- Translation: Presupuesto de reforma de baño
- Spanish (Spain) → English (UK) · builder's quote, 2 pages
- Original (extract)
- Presupuesto n.º 2024-118. Demolición de alicatado existente y retirada de escombros a vertedero autorizado. Suministro y colocación de plato de ducha de resina 120x80. Fontanería: sustitución de tomas de agua. Validez del presupuesto: 30 días. Forma de pago: 40% a la firma, resto a la finalización de la obra. IVA no incluido.
- English
- Quote no. 2024-118. Removal of existing wall tiles and disposal of rubble at an authorised tip. Supply and fitting of a 120x80 cm resin shower tray. Plumbing: replacement of water connections. Quote valid for 30 days. Payment terms: 40% on signing, balance on completion of the works. VAT not included.
- Amounts and dates
- • Subtotal on page 2: 6.480,00 € (Spain writes 6,480.00 as 6.480,00)
- • IVA (Spanish VAT) at 21% is extra: 1.360,80 €, so the total is 7.840,80 €
- • 40% due when you sign: 3.136,32 € with VAT
- • The quote expires 30 days after its date (12 March)
- Watch out for
- • presupuesto means quote or budget, not "presupposition"
- • obra here means the building works, not a work of art
- • alicatado is wall tiling; floor tiling would be "solado"
- • actualmente means currently, not actually
- • S.L. after a company name is like "Ltd"
- You may want to ask
- • Does the price include the new taps and the shower screen, or only the tray?
- • Is the 40% deposit refundable if work does not start on time?
- • Can they confirm the total with IVA in writing?
How to do it with todo.is
- Copy the prompt and say who sent the Spanish text and which English you want.
- Attach the PDF, a phone photo or the voice note, or paste the message, and send it to your agent in todo.is or on Telegram.
- Read the English version, then the list of amounts, deadlines and words to watch.
- Ask for your answer in Spanish too: "write my reply to the builder in polite Spanish".
Tips for a better result
- Tell your agent where the Spanish is from. Coger, guagua and pisto mean very different things in Spain, Mexico and the Caribbean.
- Spain and most of Latin America write numbers as 1.250,50 and dates as day/month/year. Ask for amounts in both formats if you pay from abroad.
- For voice notes, mention the speaker's country. Your agent transcribes first, and that context helps with accents and fast speech.
- Birth certificates, court papers and visa documents usually need a sworn translation. Use this one to understand them, then hire a certified translator.
translate Spanish to English: FAQ
- How accurate is AI Spanish to English translation? For everyday letters, emails and quotes it is very good, and the notes point out spots that could be read two ways. For legal or medical decisions, have a professional check it.
- Can I translate a photo of Spanish text? Yes. Attach the photo or scan and your agent reads the text (OCR) and then translates it. Clear, straight photos give the best result.
- What are common Spanish false friends? Embarazada means pregnant, not embarrassed. Constipado means having a cold, librería is a bookshop and éxito means success, not exit.
- Can my agent translate Spanish emails as they arrive? With Google connected, you can set a recurring to-do that checks Gmail for Spanish messages and sends you an English summary on WhatsApp or by email.
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