Translating

[Preya_M]

Have you ever had to translate for someone who spoke the same language as you but not the other language? Say, for example, everyone spoke English in the class and you were the only one to speak both English and German; a new person comes to class and they require a translator. I find it wonderful how people can translate; you need to be able to repeat what they said in another language.

[mareebaybay]

I have never had to translate in this situation. On the other hand, I always translate languages, especially when doing school work. Whenever I do school work I usually translate whatever I don't know.

[Trellum]

Yeah, I had to translate from spanish to english once   I suspect I might have to do the same once my boyfriend and soon-to-be husband comes to meet my parents.  He says he wants to learn spanish, but he also says a lot things, and so far he hasn't done a lot to accomplish everything he would like to do.  Like for example stop smoking.  I still have to see that day! 

I find translating to be easy, as long as you have to repeat what someone just said, but it isn't so fun when you have to write a document or a text.  Yikes!!!

[Guest isabbbela]

I always find myself as everyone's "official translator" for some reason... My family will always ask me stuff when we are watching a movie or music or something, at work before I was hired because of the languages I spoke, and now I work in a big multinational and I pretty much became the department's translator (and that is not even my actual work!). The bad thing about that is that I work extra without winning any extra for it, but the good thing is I'm becoming an useful asset to the company, which means my chances of growing there are higher.

[leahcim132]

Yes, I have been in charge or translating many times (for my family, not really anyone famous). It can be tough sometimes, but it's a heck of a lot fun.

[Preya_M]

Oh yes, translating for school work is a must at some point, I completely forgot about that type of translating situation; I’ve done that many times. Translating sounds fun in general when it comes to interacting with others. I wonder, what if you accidentally say something wrong when translating and accidentally offend someone?

@Trellum: I hope your boyfriend stops smoking. 

[sidney]

Well, not really translate, but I helped them create proper English sentences, because some of my former classmates were struggling in English, so they asked me to help them construct what they wanted to say in English because we were doing some school quizzes.

[shamzblueworld]

Well at one point in my teens, being an interpreter became my dream job I think it is really very nice, and interesting thing to do everyday.

[Lithium]

I've been in this situation before. My grandma didn't know any English and my dad's friends came back from the US. I needed to translate every single word.

However, it was fun and I was only 14 then. They said I had a very good English.

[fredkawig]

Yes. We had a lot of foreign exchange students and foreigners who study here in the Philippines, I helped a lot of Koreans and other Foreigners who don't understand our Native language so I had to translate it to English. I had one Chinese Friend where she was having difficulty also in English so I tried to explain to her what it means by ways of gestures and writing. I'm very blessed to have a very good grasp with the English language and it really is for a purpose.

[CeliVega]

Yeah, it's actually a good way to practise and improve on both the languages that you are translating. Back then I worked at a cafe where most of the customers only speak the local language. And then as time goes by some new buildings are built around the area, and they are mostly occupied by foreigners. There's a huge increase in foreign customers that required the usage of a second language, and I help with translating between the languages for the other staffs and the customers. It's actually pretty fun!

[Daimashin]

Yes I did all the time in college actually. One of my course mates spoke China Mandarin and the Chinese here couldn't understand what he was saying so I had to translate them to English for the other students. I didn't find it hard, I guess I was already used to both languages.

[Hanaseru]

I have to translate French and Spanish every once in a while

[fluffyducky]

I do this a lot for my older relatives who grew up only speaking our mother tongue and who only know limited English, when we go to nice places to eat or the shops and they don't know how to say certain words, I translate for them.