Translation Confessional

Misconceptions in Translation and Interpretation

13 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This episode will be divided into two sections. The first one will be directed at clients who request our services as translators and interpreters, so...

Using Linux as a Translator

06 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Those of you who have known me for a while are aware of the fact that I don’t use a Windows or a Mac computer. “What the hell do you use then?” ...

MUSIC EDITION: "Vanità" by The Niro

04 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today I wanted to highlight the third Italian song here at Translation Confessional Music Edition. It’s called “Vanità” by The Niro. I actually...

Online CAT Tools

29 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

A few weeks ago, I had a 5-episode series about CAT tools when I talked about... how they are so crucial for our daily activities as translators ho...

CAREER GUIDE: Getting Started as a Voice Actor

28 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Would you like to learn more about how to become a voice actor? This episode covers the fields where you can find voice-over work, what you need to se...

Client Portals

22 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Some of the clients I work with organize their workflow through a portal, where project managers can log in, upload files to, and assign projects to t...

ONLINE SESSION: The Role of Translators in the Digital Publishing Era

21 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Hi everybody! This is just a quick message about something I’m really, really excited about… I’ve put together a 55-minute online session on how...

MUSIC EDITION: "La edad del cielo" by Jorge Drexler

20 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today I wanted to highlight the third Spanish song here at Translation Confessional Music Edition. It’s called “La edad del cielo” by Uruguayan ...

QUICK TIP: Do you know the parts of speech in English?

16 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Do you know how to identify the parts of speech in English? If you write or translate in English, you must know how words are related to each other wi...

Nothing Wrong With Having an Accent

15 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

People are usually looked down upon if they have an accent. As if they were not proficient enough in their non-native language. The problem is that ma...

What's in a Name?

08 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever stopped to think about your name? Have you made a good name for yourself as a translator or interpreter? Have you been consistent, as fa...

MUSIC EDITION: "O último dia" by Paulinho Moska

06 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today I’m highlighting “O último dia” by Paulinho Moska. It translates to “the last day,” so the lyrics pose this very important philosophi...

Subtle Marketing

01 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today I'll be talking about a first-hand experience involving subtle marketing, that is, when I was able to kind of upsell my services to a long-term ...

Languages and Personalities

25 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

There is a language-related subject that has always fascinated me: do bilingual people or polyglots change the way they talk, behave, and think accord...

MUSIC EDITION: "Mentre tutto scorre" by Negramaro

23 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The time has come to highlight the second song in Italian here at Translation Confessional Music Edition. And this one is from one of my favorite band...

How to Manage Large Projects

18 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today I wanted to do something a bit different. Instead of writing about a translation-related subject from scratch, I’ll be reading an article writ...

QUICK TIP: How to Break Your Writing (or Translating) Patterns in English

16 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

No writer escapes their writing career without a few patterns they lean on. And that doesn’t just apply to novelists and journalists. It happens to ...

Finding Matches and Repetitions

11 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The topic I wanted to focus on today is what matches and repetitions actually are. If you don’t work with CAT tools on a regular basis, you may have...

ONLINE SESSION: Subtitling - The Basics (DotSub)

10 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

I saw that the two episodes I had about subtitling during Season 1 of our Translation Confessional podcast became very popular pretty fast, so I know ...

MUSIC EDITION: "Fuego" by Vetusta Morla

09 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The time has come to highlight the second song in Spanish here at Translation Confessional Music Edition. And this one is by yet another one of my fav...

QUICK TIP: Have You Heard About Riveter?

08 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Hi, everybody! This is a quick message for the lady translators and interpreters out there. Have you heard about Riveter? It’s a community for worki...

CELEBRATION: Women's Month and "O podcast é delas" Campaign

08 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today's episode is special because, in celebration of women's month, Translation Confessional is participating in a Brazilian campaign called O PODCAS...

Playing Tag with CAT tools

04 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The topic I wanted to focus on today is using tags in CAT tools. If you’re unfamiliar with tags, they’re actually a little code that shows up in c...

Keeping a Glossary

25 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Glossary creation is a crucial part of what CAT tools have to offer and having your own glossary will help you keep your terminology consistent with c...

MUSIC EDITION: "Oração ao tempo" by Caetano Veloso

23 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

I knew I wanted to highlight a song by Caetano Veloso when I started brainstorming this Music Edition, but it was only when trying to find the perfect...

Translation Memory Management

18 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Managing your translation memories well is crucial for long-term collaborations with clients. Plus, it really improves your productivity and ensures c...

QUICK TIP: How to Improve Your English as a Second Language

16 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The English language often lacks both rhyme and reason. It’s full of synonyms, homophones, homonyms, and other confusing words that seem to make it ...

Working with CAT Tools

11 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Computer-Assisted Translation―that's what CAT stands for. If you're not a translator―that is, if you’re an interpreter, subtitler, copyeditor, p...

MUSIC EDITION: "Tensione evolutiva" by Lorenzo Jovanotti

09 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today’s song is called “Tensione Evolutiva” by Lorenzo Jovanotti. It is one of my favorite songs in Italian because it always gives me a boost o...

Translation Method

04 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever heard of the so-called “Translation Method”? Do you have a translation method of your own? What steps do you follow when working on ...

ONLINE SESSION: Subtitling - The Basics (YouTube)

03 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

I saw that the two episodes I had about subtitling during Season 1 of our Translation Confessional podcast became very popular pretty fast, so I know ...

QUICK TIP: Let Technology Help Your Language Business!

02 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Hi everybody, this is a quick message for all tech-oriented translators and interpreters out there. Let me tell you a little bit about AppSumo. It’s...

Invoicing Practices

28 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

After talking about client interactions for two weeks, let’s talk about money today. The topic of discussion today is invoicing practices. Receiving...

MUSIC EDITION: "Avalancha" by Heroes del Silencio

26 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today I'll be highlighting “Avalancha” by Héroes del Silencio. Instrumentally, it’s like a 90s rock anthem. However, I have to say I’m not 10...

Ideal Clients

21 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Last week, I talked a bit about Client Education. This week, I wanted to answer a question related to the same topic, which is something that I get as...

Client Education

14 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This seems to be kind of a hot topic for translators and interpreters. I’ve heard many colleagues saying that it’s not our place to educate client...

MUSIC EDITION: (Brazil) "Como os nossos pais" by Elis Regina

12 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

As promised, our MUSIC EDITION is premiering today! When I started brainstorming this first episode, I knew I had to select a song from Brazil. Once I...

Staying Organized

07 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Happy New Year! I hope you had a happy and safe holiday season, and wish that 2021 will be a much smoother and overall healthy year. Since we’re sti...

ONLINE SESSION: Subtitling - The Basics (Technical Aspects)

05 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

I saw that the two episodes I had about subtitling during Season 1 of our Translation Confessional podcast became very popular pretty fast, so I know ...

QUICK TIP: Keep Your English Sharp!

04 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What is the most fundamental tool translators have? Yes, our language! And we must be the grammar and spelling police, not only when we’re working o...

MUSIC EDITION: Coming up on January 12, 2021

29 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Since I had so much fun podcasting throughout the year, I thought it would be a good idea to add something extra to the podcast schedule. Now, every o...

[Spotify VIDEO] Living in a Bilingual Household (FULL conversation)

15 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

To wrap up season 1 of Translation Confessional, I’m interviewing my husband about living in a bilingual home and being the other half of a bination...

Living in a Bilingual Household - Part 2

15 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

If you haven’t done so already, check Part 1 of my interview with my husband about living in a bilingual home and being the other half of a bination...

Living in a Bilingual Household - Part 1

10 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

To wrap up season 1 of Translation Confessional, I’m interviewing my husband about living in a bilingual home and being the other half of a bination...

QUICK TIP: Wanna Expand Your Freelance Business in 2021?

09 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Hi everybody, this is a quick message for all freelance translators, interpreters, and language professionals out there. The end of the year is fast a...

QUICK TIP: How Can You Be Your Best Self in 2021?

08 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Hi everybody, this is a quick message for all freelance translators, interpreters, and language professionals out there. The end of the year is fast a...

Raising Bilingual Kids

03 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Here's my interview in English with my bilingual children. It was weird to talk to them in English for such a long time, since I only speak to them in...

Translating for the IT Industry

19 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Last week, I had an Instagram Live with Laila Rezende Compan, translator, subtitler, and creator of Tradutor Iniciante―a blog, Instagram account, an...

NEWSFLASH: Leave your feedback by November 24!!

17 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

We’re approaching the end of the year and I’m wrapping up Season 1 of Translation Confessional. How do you like it so far? Leave a voice message o...

Scammy Scamming Scammers

12 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Let’s talk about something that has been increasingly happening to translators and interpreters nowadays―we’re being targeted by scammers. I hav...

Personal Time, Personal Space

05 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

A few weeks ago, on episode 27, I talked about using social media to our advantage as professional translators and interpreters. I mentioned how I emp...

NEWSFLASH: Translation Confessional is now available on Amazon Music!

03 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Do you have an Amazon Music account, by any chance? Well, if you do, you must have noticed that they added podcasts to their library recently. Transla...

An Immigrant's Nightmare

29 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Today’s episode will perhaps feel a little different from what you’ve listened to so far at Translation Confessional, so please bear with me. This...

NEWSFLASH: Slate's "What Next" Interview

27 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

I’m releasing this quick episode today because we are exactly one week away from the end of the 2020 elections in the United States right now. Earli...

Lifelong Learning

22 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Just the other day, I was talking to a friend about our kids’ education. Reflecting on my academic experience through elementary, middle, and high s...

Researching in Four Languages

15 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Because I’ve been working as a translator for 23 years now, the way I research my languages has definitely changed, considering the technology I had...

On Fluency and Speaking Naturally

08 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Today I wanted to drill down into the differences between “working languages” and “fluency.” Throughout the years, many people have told me to...

How I Learned Italian

01 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This is definitely my longest and most self-indulgent episode so far, but I do hope you find it entertaining and informative. Join me as I go down mem...

LET'S CELEBRATE: Happy International Translation/Podcast Day!

30 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Happy International Translation Day, everybody! And, guess what, it’s International Podcast Day, too! What a better way to celebrate it than being i...

QUICK TIP: Have You Heard About Riveter?

29 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Hi, everybody! This is a quick message for the lady translators and interpreters out there. Have you heard about Riveter? It’s a community for worki...

NEWSFLASH: Subscribe to My Newsletter

28 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Hi everybody! This is a quick note about the Translation Confessional newsletter. Every month, I send out a summary of what happened on the podcast an...

Translating Fiction

24 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Last week I talked about translating non-fiction books. Today, I wanted to address the more “creative side” of book translations. I didn’t know ...

Translating Non-Fiction Books

17 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Looking at my current book translation portfolio―see link below if you want to check it out―I’ve translated more non-fiction than fiction from P...

Translating Into Your Second Language

10 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Five years ago, I wrote an article in Portuguese for Ponte de Letras, a collective blog created by four translators I admire, who translate books in B...

Stop Writing and Rewriting

03 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Here’s a question: Do you send one message after another when prospecting or saying “hello” to old clients? If you said yes, here’s another qu...

NEWSFLASH: Join me on Telegram!

01 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Hi everybody! While we wait for a new episode to drop this Thursday, I just wanted to let you know that I’m creating a Telegram channel dedicated to...

Feast or Famine Conundrum

27 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Chasing clients can be extremely exhausting and frustrating. It’s like running a marathon every day! But the truth is that all freelancers must go t...

Ergonomics

20 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Let's talk about something that is not related strictly to translation―nor is it confessional in nature―but it's a subject that we all must worry ...

Translation Pet Peeves

13 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

As language people, we all have our pet peeves, those expressions that we cringe at when we hear them. As translators and interpreters, these pet peev...

Behind the Scenes in Subtitling

06 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Last week, I talked a little bit about subtitling and highlighted an unpleasant experience I had with a client who didn’t really seem to take the ro...

Subtitling Work

30 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Subtitling is something that I always wanted to do since I got started as a translator. But, even though I’ve been translating since 1997, I only st...

Client Better Have My Money

23 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

I have very few clients who are based in California. Most of them didn’t even bat an eye at our collaboration since AB5 went into effect―check bac...

WEBINAR ALERT: The "Diversify Your Services" recordings are up!

17 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

If you missed the live webinar sessions I had last week to celebrate my 40th birthday, you can watch the recorded versions now! Here's a link to the n...

With a Friend Like This

16 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Here's what happened when an author contacted me to try to get her book copyedited after a "friend" translated the original... *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*...

Have You Ever Felt Like a Fraud?

09 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In episode 3, I addressed this very subject while talking about “impostor syndrome.” Here’s another take on it, based on an article I wrote back...

KINDLE DEAL! Get a copy of "Tools and Technology in Translation" for only $5.99 through July 14!

07 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The hot Kindle deal in celebration of my 40th birthday is now over :-( But you can still get a copy of "Tools and Technology in Translation" in either...

Using Social Media to Our Advantage

02 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

When I started teaching “Tools and Technology in Translation” back in 2010, I noticed students were very resistant to using social media for profe...

A Case for Specialization

25 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, I wanted to bring awareness to the fact that your specialization as a translator and interpreter is not only related to your educatio...

FREE WEBINAR! Join me for a brainstorm session to celebrate my 40th!

22 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

UPDATE: If you missed the live webinar sessions I had to celebrate my 40th birthday, you can now watch the recorded versions here! *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*...

Keeping Your Sanity

18 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

As translators, most of the work we do can be mentally taxing. I’m not an interpreter at all, but I can imagine how much harder it can be for an int...

Technology and Translators

11 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Last week, while talking about how I started learning Spanish in the 1990s, I had a little side note about technology. That got me thinking: Have you ...

How I Learned Spanish

04 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This is one of my longest and most self-indulgent episode so far, but I do hope you find it entertaining and informative. Join me as I go down memory ...

Interpreters and the Pandemic (Part 2)

28 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Last week, we brought two interviews with interpreters who talked about how their work routine has changed in the times of COVID-19. Let’s hear from...

Interpreters and the Pandemic (Part 1)

21 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Considering the nature of their work, which most often demands in-person interaction at a doctor’s office, at court, in meetings, and events, interp...

Teaching Translation Amid the Pandemic (Part 2)

14 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Last week, I decided to interview a few friends, who are also translation instructors, to learn what their experience has been like while teaching tra...

Teaching Translation Amid the Pandemic (Part 1)

06 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Today, we’re doing something a little different. I decided to interview a few friends, who are also translation instructors, to learn what their exp...

Misaligned Languages

30 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Last week, I addressed the fact that we use a word in English to designate something in Portuguese, but we can’t use it back in English when describ...

The Language of Soccer

23 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

If there is one stereotype I fit into as a Brazilian is that soccer is my religion. But, why am I going to talk about soccer on a translation-related ...

Collaborating With Peers

16 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

As I said in episode 10, word of mouth is something that can truly help us in our freelancing career, especially when we do networking correctly. I st...

My Language Skills Sent me to the Principal's Office

09 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, I'll talk about how "Under the Bridge" by Red Hot Chili Peppers sent me to the principal's office when I was 12 years old. *-*-*-*-*-...

The Importance of Physical Activity

02 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

As you well know, our profession is a sedentary one. Whether you’re a translator who is chained to your computer desk, or an interpreter who spends ...

Coping With Social Isolation

26 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

We’re going through the first worldwide pandemic in the age of social media and we’re all learning from one another how to cope with the COVID-19 ...

Setting Boundaries

19 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

I’ve always been very responsive when clients send me an email, but answering the phone is something that I only do when I’m “in the office.” ...

CELEBRATION: Women's Month and "O podcast é delas" Campaign

19 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Today's episode is special because, in celebration of women's month, Translation Confessional is participating in a Brazilian campaign called O PODCAS...

Literary Expressions

12 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

There are times when you get some feedback that is completely unrealistic and you know you’re right, but despite your best efforts, there’s little...

The Power of Word of Mouth

05 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Word of mouth is indeed very powerful and requires little effort but being yourself, being good at what you do and, above all, being humble. The secre...

Words I've Learned from my Husband

27 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

You can study a language forward and backward and have impeccable grammar, spelling, and punctuation skills. However, it’s only when you have daily ...

No Means No

20 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Once upon a time, there was this client who spoke Spanish and English and thought they could speak Portuguese as well. Okay, Spanish and Portuguese ar...

Abilities and Limitations

13 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The other day I came across this post on LinkedIn: A fellow translator said something like, “You must be as talented as the original author if you’...

How I Learned English

06 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

I used to go to English school twice a week, which is two 45-minutes classes a week. That was not enough for me, so I remember buying some of those ma...