# Quick English-to-Spanish translation needed **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 6, 2010, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-english-to-spanish-translation-needed/538516 "2010-05-06T15:24:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Kizarvexius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/da6949/32.png) [@Kizarvexius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kizarvexius)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2010, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-english-to-spanish-translation-needed/538516/1 "2010-05-06T15:24:25Z")
We’ve had a company application form professionally translated into Spanish, and I have a last minute-revision. We just had a toll-free number set up for our company, and this must be added to both the English and Spanish forms. The English form reads > [@](#): > > Phone (Toll-Free): XXX-XXX-XXXX > Phone: XXX-XXX-XXXX So how should this be phrased in Spanish? ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2010, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-english-to-spanish-translation-needed/538516/2 "2010-05-06T15:44:11Z")
_Oprima_ is the imperative for “Call” – I think it literally means “push” (as in “oprima dos” for “To discuss your bill, press 2” or “Oprima 555-1234” for “Call 555-1234”.) _Gratuito_ means “free, at no charge” and is standard for usages like this. Should you use an exclamation point, don’t forget that Spanish usage is to begin a sentence ending with one with an inverted one. My advice would be to omit it altogether. ---
**Author:** ![lalenin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@lalenin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lalenin)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2010, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-english-to-spanish-translation-needed/538516/3 "2010-05-06T15:48:44Z")
> [@Kizarvexius](#): > > We’ve had a company application form professionally translated into Spanish, and I have a last minute-revision. > > We just had a toll-free number set up for our company, and this must be added to both the English and Spanish forms. > > The English form reads > > So how should this be phrased in Spanish? Phone (Toll-Free): XXX-XXX-XXXX = Número de teléfono gratuito: xxx-xxx-xxxx Phone: XXX-XXX-XXXX = Número de Teléfono: xxx-xxx-xxx ---
**Author:** ![Kizarvexius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/da6949/32.png) [@Kizarvexius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kizarvexius)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2010, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-english-to-spanish-translation-needed/538516/4 "2010-05-06T15:54:55Z")
The phone numbers are posted underneath our mailing address, so there’s no exhortation for the client to call – merely a simple listing. The Spanish translation already uses _teléfono_ to indicate the standard number. I’m just trying to distinguish the local number from the toll-free. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2010, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-english-to-spanish-translation-needed/538516/5 "2010-05-06T17:12:11Z")
You don’t need the “Número de”, which takes up a lot of space. It’s not relevant in an email signature, but can be in other types of forms. Teléfono (gratuito) XXX-XXX-XXXX Teléfono XXX-XXX-XXXX For better alignment, I’ve also seen Teléfono XXX-XXX-XXXX (gratuito) Teléfono XXX-XXX-XXXX (local) ---
**Author:** ![Kizarvexius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/da6949/32.png) [@Kizarvexius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kizarvexius)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2010, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-english-to-spanish-translation-needed/538516/6 "2010-05-06T17:28:15Z")
**Nava** , that looks exactly like what I’m after. Gracias. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2010, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-english-to-spanish-translation-needed/538516/7 "2010-05-07T01:08:47Z")
> [@Kizarvexius](#): > > The phone numbers are posted underneath our mailing address, so there’s no exhortation for the client to call – merely a simple listing. The Spanish translation already uses _teléfono_ to indicate the standard number. I’m just trying to distinguish the local number from the toll-free. Sorry. I read it as the verb: “[You should] Phone 555-9876 if you have any questions.” Hence my skewed-from-your-needs answer. ---
**Author:** ![CBEscapee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b19c9b/32.png) [@CBEscapee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CBEscapee)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2010, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-english-to-spanish-translation-needed/538516/8 "2010-05-07T01:31:11Z")
Lada sin costo XXX-XXX-XXXX Teléfono XXX-XXX-XXXX