United States: language and translation guide
US English spelling, month-first dates, and state-specific terminology deserve particular attention.
Practical guides for translating files, emails and reviewing results
Languages spoken
English is widely used, alongside Spanish and many other languages. Choose the language of the recipient rather than inferring it from a US address.
Translation use cases
Translation can help you understand travel information, prepare a message to a host, compare product descriptions or draft workplace correspondence involving United States. Keep the intended audience and purpose with the text. Machine translation is useful for a first reading; it does not replace a certified translation for an official submission.
Local language information
US English spelling, month-first dates, and state-specific terminology deserve particular attention. Keep addresses in their original format where delivery matters, and write month names when a numeric date could be ambiguous. Verify specialist terminology with the receiving organization.
Avoid ambiguous details in messages for US recipients
For a message used in the United States, name the document, delivery or appointment you mean instead of relying on “it” or “that.” If several offices are involved, state which office should respond. Expand an unfamiliar abbreviation when it first appears, while keeping actual reference codes unchanged. This makes the source easier for a translator and a human reader to follow.
An international exchange benefits from a date with the month written in words, particularly when sender and recipient usually write numeric dates differently. Check the real deadline and include the applicable time zone when timing matters. Do not infer a person’s preferred name or language from their location. Review important contractual or official wording with an appropriate professional and ask the receiving organization about its submission requirements.
Further reading: GOV.UK: dates and clear writing in its style guide · W3C: personal names around the world
Useful language pairs
Language guides
StarTranslate is an online language tool and does not claim a local office in United States.