When presenting an English video with the intention of reaching a Spanish audience, vendors are required to translate all dialogue and provide subtitles that are time-synchronized to support people who are deaf or hard of hearing. These subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing (SDH) are based on translations that follow our plain language and style guidelines to convey the intended meaning of the spoken dialogue.
These guidelines cover how to develop Spanish translations for accessible transcripts and time-synchronized subtitles.
Accessibility Checklist
- A Spanish transcript created from a translation of the spoken dialogue that includes non-spoken elements.
- A Spanish subtitle, that is time-synchronized to an English source video.
Plain Language and Tone
Plain language is communication that an audience can understand the first time they read or hear it. Translators must follow the federal plain language guidelines and equivalent guidelines in Spanish (Lenguaje claro). The Head Start audience who reads and speaks in Spanish is diverse. It is composed of both providers and families from different backgrounds and cultures. This may be a challenge for translators and linguists. However, the Office of Head Start (OHS) has created specific language resources to use when writing in or translating into Spanish.
Translations created in Spanish for transcripts must be:
- Informative and educational
- Written in a friendly and inviting tone; clear for all Spanish-speaking readers
- Authoritative and reliable
Translation Checklist
- Use U.S. Spanish, as neutral as possible, in all subtitle translations.
- Use “usted” and “ustedes” in subtitle translations when speakers refer to audience members. You might use “tú” when speakers are talking to each other.
- To capture nonspoken content and sound effects, use [Música], [Inaudible], [Risas], [Sonido de instrumento], [Tos], [Bailando], [Jugando], [Llorando], etc.
- For a video/audio within a video, use the guidelines contained in Embedded Audio/Video in Another Language
Refer to the Head Start Bilingual Glossary and the Style Guide for Translations into Spanish to ensure accurate and consistent translations.
For grammar rules and linguistic questions, refer to Real Academia Española (RAE) and Fundéu.
Creating Subtitles
The Head Start website requires synchronized text for all translated videos to maintain 508 compliance. Subtitles are a form of synchronized text developed for translations that, unlike captions, are paraphrased in the other language to fit within time and space constraints. This is challenging to achieve, while trying to convey the intended meaning of the spoken dialogue. To fulfill accessibility, we require SDH subtitles to provide all the information conveyed by closed captions — including non-spoken content. This standard assumes the viewer cannot understand the language and cannot hear.
Subtitles Checklist
- SDH subtitles in a subrip (SRT) file format
- Spoken dialogue must be paraphrased, and condensed
- Non-spoken content (laughter, applause, and music) and speaker IDs must be transcribed
- 84 character limit per each subtitle block
- Subtitle blocks must be on screen for a minimum of 1.5 seconds
Subtitles Layout
Once the transcript has been reviewed and approved, break it up into subtitles that will appear on screen. In the file, a subtitled phrase:
- Is no more than 84 characters, including spaces (up to 42 characters per line)
- Appears on up to two lines within a single subtitle block
It is important to follow this guidance because phrases that exceed the limit will not render properly on screen. Follow these additional subtitling tips:
- Do not start a new sentence near the end of a subtitle block.
- Do not include two or more speakers in a single subtitle block.
- Do not separate compound words or phrases in different frames (e.g., Head Start Preschool, Early Head Start, Dr. Smith, family-centered services, the director).
- Delete spaces at the beginning or end of each line to remove the extra character.
Character Limits and Readability
The 84-character phrases should be broken into two lines that will appear simultaneously in a single subtitle block. Insert hard returns where the text should break in the frame rather than relying on the natural break, which may be awkward (e.g., long top line and only one or two words on the second line). In a two-line subtitle, each line may be up to 42 characters long, including spaces.
| DO NOT | DO |
|---|---|
| That's a great success for a program that was conceived of during | That's a great success for a program¶ that was conceived of during |
| The higher education community is also a great partner. We have — Next subtitle block — provided on-campus Early Head Start services at our local college; | The higher education¶ community is also a great partner. — Next subtitle block — We have provided on-campus Early¶ Head Start services at our local college; |
Synchronization and Timing
The first word of each subtitled phrase must be synced to the audio as closely as possible, and not more than a half-second off. The user needs to be able to follow the subtitles as they are spoken, so as not to confuse hearing people who are simultaneously using the closed subtitling function.
Subtitles should appear on the screen for a minimum of 1.5 seconds to ensure they meet Section 508 criteria. Subtitles cannot be followed if they flash across the screen too quickly.
Last Updated: January 15, 2025