# Help me translate to Spanish! **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 26, 2003, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-translate-to-spanish/197773 "2003-08-26T16:23:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DeVena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dec6dc/32.png) [@DeVena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeVena)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2003, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-translate-to-spanish/197773/1 "2003-08-26T16:23:41Z")
I work for the state environmental agency in Alabama. I’m translating a booklet I wrote on Household Hazardous Waste into Spanish using the barren remnants of my high school Spanish and BabelFish. But I’m not liking one translation (If I remembered more, I would probably not like most of this). Please translate to colloquial Spanish: **DO NOT DUMP, BURY OR BURN YOUR LEFTOVER PRODUCTS AND CONTAINERS!** and does “DESECHOS PELIGROSOS DE LA CASA” sound right for Household Hazardous Waste?? Thanks in advance!! ---
**Author:** ![urban1a](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e47c2d/32.png) [@urban1a](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/urban1a)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2003, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-translate-to-spanish/197773/2 "2003-08-26T17:15:56Z")
Although it’s probably not colloquial (to which country? Mexico?), I offer the following translation: ¡No DESCARGUE, ENTIERRE O QUEME SUS PRODUCTOS de SOBRAS Y CONTENEDORES! For the other ? I got this answer, but I believe yours is more correct. La casa el Desecho Peligroso Bob ---
**Author:** ![DeVena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dec6dc/32.png) [@DeVena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeVena)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2003, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-translate-to-spanish/197773/3 "2003-08-26T17:45:13Z")
Sorry about that - Yes, Mexican colloquial. There are many Mexican emigrants settling in Alabama and we are trying to reach out to them. ---
**Author:** ![urban1a](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e47c2d/32.png) [@urban1a](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/urban1a)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2003, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-translate-to-spanish/197773/4 "2003-08-26T17:59:23Z")
Well, the translation I gave, assuming it is correct, would probably be Spanish (españa). I would suggest you enlist another State employee who’s primary language is Spanish, preferably from Mexico, to help with the translations. This probably isn’t going to cost anything. Babelfish is not a good translator and some of the results are really laughable. Congratulations to the State of Alabama in reaching out to it’s newly acquired Spanish population. Just don’t provide them with a Spanish translation of the 10 Commandments (:D) Bob ---
**Author:** ![parlo\_americano](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b19c9b/32.png) [@parlo\_americano](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/parlo_americano)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2003, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-translate-to-spanish/197773/5 "2003-08-26T19:33:58Z")
Here’s my favorite site for translation tools on the Internet. [http://www.translatorscafe.com/Cafe/Dictionaries.asp](http://www.translatorscafe.com/Cafe/Dictionaries.asp) > **[Dictionaries, translation and language resources](https://www.lexicool.com/)** > > Over 8000 online bilingual and multilingual dictionaries, free automatic translation and other useful language resources. might have a specific dictionary for you. I found these after a quick search [http://www.bic.state.tx.us/trip/glossary.html](http://www.bic.state.tx.us/trip/glossary.html) [http://ar.geocities.com/albertochaia/glosario.htm](http://ar.geocities.com/albertochaia/glosario.htm) [http://www.acta.es/bddoc/glosarios/urbanismo-i.htm](http://www.acta.es/bddoc/glosarios/urbanismo-i.htm) ---
**Author:** ![xicanorex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/a88e57/32.png) [@xicanorex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xicanorex)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2003, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-translate-to-spanish/197773/6 "2003-08-26T20:10:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by DeVena \* > \*\* > > Please translate to colloquial Spanish: > > **DO NOT DUMP, BURY OR BURN YOUR LEFTOVER PRODUCTS AND CONTAINERS!** > > and does “DESECHOS PELIGROSOS DE LA CASA” sound right for Household Hazardous Waste?? > \*\* Informally, I would translate as: **"¡No Tire, Entierre, o Queme Sus Productos de Sobra y Cajas y Envases!"** as far as second, sounds fine as is, though waste can also be translated as “basura.” XicanoreX ---
**Author:** ![The\_Ryan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7feea3/32.png) [@The\_Ryan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Ryan)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2003, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-translate-to-spanish/197773/7 "2003-08-26T20:15:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by urban1z \* > ¡No DESCARGUE, ENTIERRE O QUEME SUS PRODUCTOS de SOBRAS Y CONTENEDORES! I think it should be “¡No DESCARGUE, ENTIERRE O QUEME SUS PRODUCTOS Y CONTENEDORES de SOBRAS!” That is, I think the intent is to have “leftover” refer to both products and containers. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mighty\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Girl)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2003, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-translate-to-spanish/197773/8 "2003-08-26T20:42:46Z")
I would prefer: ¡No tire, entierre o queme basura ni contenedores! YMMC ---
**Author:** ![Zapper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a88e4f/32.png) [@Zapper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zapper)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2003, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-translate-to-spanish/197773/9 "2003-08-27T03:51:00Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by DeVena_ > > **and does “DESECHOS PELIGROSOS DE LA CASA” sound right for Household Hazardous Waste??** “DESECHOS PELIGROSOS DEL HOGAR” sounds better to me > [@](#): > > _Originally posted by Mighty\_Girl_ > > \*\*I would prefer: > > ¡No tire, entierre o queme basura ni contenedores!\*\* I second that ---
**Author:** ![Ale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ale)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2003, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-translate-to-spanish/197773/10 "2003-08-27T04:29:19Z")
_Native Spanish speaker_ 😃 OK, make way! let me see… Oh… Mighty Girl is right. However I would suggest something a bit more refined: “No tire, entierre o queme sus desperdicios y/o envases.” Desperdicios is more like leftover products, followed by “y/o” and/or “envases”; “contenedores” suggests large containers, not something you find in an average house. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mighty\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Girl)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2003, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-translate-to-spanish/197773/11 "2003-08-27T05:21:32Z")
What Ale said. 🙂 Although I am a native speaker I don’t speak Spanish of the Mexican variety, so I don’t know if in Mexico they say _contenedores_ or _envases_. The _y/o_ touch could be overkill if you are addressing a somewhat less educated audience. YMMV ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mighty\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Girl)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2003, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-translate-to-spanish/197773/12 "2003-08-27T05:25:07Z")
Ah, and I am also not sure _y/o_ would be the correct usage. I implies that is in addition, it should imply that is not one **nor** the other. So I guess I recall my previous vote for _y/o_. **No tire, entierre o queme basura ni envases** That’s my final answer. ---
**Author:** ![Ale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ale)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2003, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-translate-to-spanish/197773/13 "2003-08-27T05:42:20Z")
OK, drop the “y/o” 😉 ---
**Author:** ![universe.zip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/a9adbd/32.png) [@universe.zip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/universe.zip)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2003, 10:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-translate-to-spanish/197773/14 "2003-08-27T10:47:17Z")
As **urban1z** said: Try to find a native speaker to translate it. If you can´t, at least get someone to proofread it. Babelfish is not really a reliable tool. It´s probably even worth paying someone to proofread it, the benefits of the people actually understanding and following the instructions in the leaflet surely outweigh the costs of a translation/proofreading. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mighty\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Girl)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2003, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-translate-to-spanish/197773/15 "2003-08-28T05:52:13Z")
Oh most definitely! PLEASE do not use Babelfish for translation. It SUCKS! Get yourself someone whose Spanish is above average, and I mean above average native speakers. Spanish can be tricky even for the educated native Speaker. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2003, 10:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-translate-to-spanish/197773/16 "2003-08-28T10:05:10Z")
Let me get this straight. You work for a government agency, and they’re too cheap to hire a professional translator for this job, so you’re left asking a bunch of strangers for help on an internet message board? For what, exactly, do the good citizens of Alabama pay their taxes? ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2003, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-translate-to-spanish/197773/17 "2003-08-28T11:49:59Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by r\_k \* > **Let me get this straight. You work for a government agency, and they’re too cheap to hire a professional translator for this job, so you’re left asking a bunch of strangers for help on an internet message board?** Hehehe… here’s the translation you really want to put on your pamphlet: ``` "No cagarse en los pantalones. Y su mamá dio luz a un mono quien eres tu. Come un platano, apestoso." ``` ---
**Author:** ![No\_Me\_Ayudes\_Compadre](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/no_me_ayudes_compadre/32/5224_2.png) [@No\_Me\_Ayudes\_Compadre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/No_Me_Ayudes_Compadre)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2003, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-translate-to-spanish/197773/18 "2003-08-28T19:27:58Z")
**DeVena** , please check your email. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2003, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-translate-to-spanish/197773/19 "2003-08-28T21:51:44Z")
According to Mrs. Bricker, who is (a) a native Spanish speaker, and (b) a professional translator to boot: ¡No arroje, entierre, o queme los productos que le sobren o sus contenedores! ---
**Author:** ![Grousser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9d8465/32.png) [@Grousser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grousser)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2003, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-translate-to-spanish/197773/20 "2003-08-29T23:23:35Z")
I’m a Mexican native spanish speaker, too. This one fits well for me, as often seen in containers: **¡NO ARROJE, ENTIERRE O QUEME LOS RESIDUOS DE LOS PRODUCTOS NI LOS ENVASES DE LOS MISMOS!** It’s not a word-by-word translation but it’s clearly understandable for customers. That’s the normal style of phrases in instruction booklets. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-translate-to-spanish/197773.md?page=2)