What sounds sharp in English often lands flat in every other language
The copy that “just works” in English isn’t always built to travel
From the bottom of my heart mind
Fresh stories from a Spanish Copywriter.
There’s a kind of copy that works too well in English.
It’s witty.
It’s punchy.
It’s short.
And then… it gets translated.
Suddenly, it’s none of those things.
I’ve seen it happen a hundred times:
A smart headline full of rhythm, rhyme, or clever wordplay that completely collapses when you try to localize it.
Why?
Because English makes it easy to sound sharp.
Short words. Flexible structure. A culture of slogans.
Actually, for some kind of advertising copy, I prefer to write in English (Latin languages tend to need tooooo many words).
But here’s the trap: if your message only works in English… maybe it wasn’t made for the rest of the world.
Some copy simply doesn’t survive translation:
Puns & idioms
“Let’s taco ’bout savings”
“Sleigh your shopping list”
These don’t just lose meaning—they lose everything.
Tightly packed slogans
“Live well. Pay less.”
“Run fast. Stay strong.”
In Spanish? You’ll need more syllables… and a breath.
Subtext-heavy copy
Sarcasm. Irony. Meta humor. These rely on cultural context. And sometimes, they’re just not exportable.
That doesn’t mean you should never write smart or playful English copy.
It means you should know when you're writing global-first and when you’re writing English-first.
Because if a line breaks the moment it crosses a border, that’s not the translator’s fault.
It’s a design flaw.
If you're going to write English-first copy—especially something idiomatic or playful—give local teams the context behind it. Explain what it's trying to achieve, what the emotional tone is, and how flexible it can be. That context can make the difference between a flat translation and a powerful adaptation.
So next time a line “just works” in English, pause for a second.
And ask yourself:
Would it still work in Spanish?
In German?
In Korean?
If not, maybe it’s time to start with the message, not the wordplay.
Because sharp copy isn’t the one that sounds clever in one language.
It’s the one that makes sense everywhere.
Outside the desk
Where the magic really happens.
🌤️ When we talk about “Spain”, it’s easy to just think of sun and beaches… but every region is different. While I’m now in Valencia with 30 degrees, I spent the weekend in Bilbao with no sun and temperatures below 20°C.
🚗 My Sunday was a 7-hour drive back home, so not much to share from that day this week.
🏀 The NBA season is coming to an end! Looks like the Oklahoma City Thunder might take the ring over the Indiana Pacers. Anyone else following the playoffs?
Make it global, baby
If you want to work with me, this is the way.
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All the best for the rest of your week,
💙 Ricky from Textonality.com 💙