Translating Songs
Hi Everyone,
I was thinking about translating my favorite english songs but I wasn't sure how to go about doing it. Do I use a pocket dictionary or do I use the Spanishdict.com translation? Does it really matter how I translate it? Because I know different translators have different ways of translating a song so I wanted to come and ask first before I went ahead and translated the songs. Any answers would be a great help.
8 Answers
There are several sites where contributors (ordinary people) have posted translations of thousands of songs.
Check out these two:
In many many cases, SpanishDict translation, Google translators, etc can't give you accurate translations.
I think you yourself should try to translate the song first, and then show it in the forum so that the members here can help you correct it.
Regards
Hi Roz, one of things you might want to do is to find a song that has been recorded in both Spanish and English. Then, look at the translations. If you know both languages well enough, you will sometimes see huge differences in how the words/phrases are interpreted. This will give you some idea of what you’re looking at doing. A lot of translation is a matter of subjective interpretation as well as simply translating words.
I’m not trying to discourage you; just giving you a heads up. The first time I tried doing this I did my own translation first and then compared it to what someone who is fluent in both languages had done. However, I learned a lot from it. Some things are not translatable in words, but rather in the expression of ideas. A good simple one to start out with for comparison purposes is “La Bamba”. I hope this helps. Good luck and have fun!
Songs and poetry are very difficult. Neither machines, nor dictionaries can do it. You can try yourself, and then ask for help..
Poetry, luckily, for those of us that love languages, need a personal touch.
Well thanks for all the help. I did translate the first verse of a song by the group No Doubt the song is called Settle Down
Here goes nothing if you see something that i didn't do right please let me know.
Cuál es su veinte (hacer tú copiar) Dónde es su cerebro (hacer tú copiar) Verificando en a checar tú fuera Preocuparse acerca su paradero copiar ese (hacer tú copiar) Eres actuacia raro (hacer tú copia) Así contar me cuáles es yendo en sobre Está así pesado yo apuesta
Tell me how I did please 
Here is one that I translated and had corrected by my Spanish teacher, I got the title wrong, I said "Todas tipo de todas cosas" was corrected to "Todo tipo de cosas" "All Kinds Of Everything" Dana. Eurovision song contest winner 1970 "Todo tipo de cosas"
Copos de nieve y los narcisos
Snowdrops and daffodils
mariposas y las abejas
butterflies and bees
veleros y pescadores
sailboats and fishermen
cosas del mar
things of the sea
pozos de deseo
wishing-wells
campanas de boda
wedding bells
rocío de la mañana
early morning dew
todo tipo de cosas me recuerdan a ti
all kinds of everything remind me of you
Las gaviotas y los aviones
Seagulls and aeroplanes
las cosas del cielo
things of the sky
Los vientos que van aullando
winds that go howlin'
brisas que suspiran
breezes that sigh
vistas de la ciudad
city sights
las luces de neón
neon lights
cielos grises o azules
grey skies or blue
todo tipo de cosas me recuerdan a ti
all kinds of everything remind me of you
verano
Summertime
invierno
wintertime
la primavera y el otoño también
spring and autumn too
lunes
Martes y cada día
Monday
Tuesday every day
Yo pienso en ti.
I think of you.
Danzas
Dances
romances
romances
cosas de la noche
things of the night
Los días soliados y las vacaciones
sunshine and holidays
tarjetas postales para escribir
postcards to write
árboles en ciernes
Budding trees
las hojas de otoño
autumn leaves
una copo de nieve o dos
a snowflake or two
todo tipo de cosas lo que recuerdan a ti.
all kinds of everything remind me of you.
Verano
Summertime
invierno
wintertime
la primavera y el otoño también
spring and autumn too
estaciones nunca va a cambiar
seasons will never change
la forma en que Te amo.
the way that I love you.
Danzas
Dances
romances
romances
cosas de la noche
things of the night
Los días soliados y las vacaciones
sunshine and holidays
tarjetas postales para escribir
postcards to write
árboles en ciernes
Budding trees
las hojas de otoño
autumn leaves
una copo de nieve o dos
a snowflake or two
todo tipo de cosas me recuerdan a ti.
all kinds of everything remind me of you.
todo tipo de cosas me recuerdan a ti.
All kinds of everything remind me of you.
If you want an accurate translation, I would use a dictionary. You cannot depend on any translators being accurate all of the time, and in my opinion, not most of the time. Perhaps you could put it into the form of a question, and put it in the category for proofreading, or practice and someone could help you with corrections.
The problem with translating poetry is this.
Only the author knows if it the "meaning" has been translated and then only if he / she is native fluent in the other language.
Music is really the only "language" that needs no translation.
