Everyone Cried - I Took It as a Compliment

18/06/2026

My first paid translation was not what I expected… at all!

At the time, I was living in Austria, improving my German and teaching Spanish to adults at a language school.

One day, the school secretary called me out of the blue with an unusual request. One of the students —let’s call her Birgit— was looking for a Spanish translator. The next day, I met Birgit in a café. She explained that his son was marrying a Spanish girl in Sevilla in 20 days.

Birgit had been studying Spanish for some time and felt comfortable enough to have simple conversations with her future in-laws during the wedding celebrations. But there was one thing she didn't feel confident about: giving a speech.

As the groom's mother, she wanted to say a few words during the ceremony. However, the idea of speaking Spanish in front of around 200 guests—most of them native Spanish speakers—felt overwhelming. Her solution was simple: she would deliver the speech in German and provide both the original text and a Spanish translation so everyone could follow along.

That was my assignment.

When I got home and started reading the speech, I immediately understood why it mattered so much to her. Birgit's husband, the groom's father, had passed away not long before the wedding. The family had even considered postponing the celebration.

As I read her words, I found myself in tears. The speech spoke about grief, but also about family, love, and the decision to move forward with the wedding despite everything that had happened. Most importantly, it expressed how happy she was to see her son starting a new chapter with someone she genuinely cared about.

As translators, we often talk about conveying meaning, tone and intent. Fresh out of university, this was the first time I truly understood what that meant in practice.

The challenge wasn't finding the right words in Spanish. It was making sure the speech had the same emotional impact. It needed to sound natural, sincere and personal. It needed to feel like Birgit.

I spent much longer on that translation than the project justified from a business perspective. I edited sentences repeatedly, paying attention to every nuance and every emotional shift. When I delivered it, I hoped I had done the original text justice.

After the wedding, Birgit told me: “Everyone was crying thanks to your fantastic job”.

Not sure this is a glowing recommendation, because nobody wants their job to make people cry…

But:

  • The Spanish guests had had been deeply moved by the speech, just as I had been when I read it in German.
  • My translation had helped remove a barrier on an important day. Birgit could speak in her own language, with confidence, while her Spanish family and friends could fully understand her message.

Looking back, it was a small project. But it taught me something I still carry into every assignment today: a good translation isn't just about words. It's about helping people connect when communication matters most.