For ideas with wings

Tinta Viva helps businesses, NGOs and academics scale their impact through creative human translation.

French and Spanish to English (all varieties)

Hire Me

I bring people into your world.

I translate and edit original texts in French and Spanish into targeted, publication-ready English, specialising in marketing, real estate, urbanism, sustainability and social science.

I help organisations and individuals create a more beautiful, sustainable and liveable world, by taking their words global, connecting with new audiences and optimising their results — whether seeking to convince, inspire, seduce, educate or simply inform.

My clients are building cities, changing lives, transforming industries and leading the way to a more sustainable future. They’re conducting research into issues that matter and sparking conversations. I’m here to help them reach new audiences, make meaningful connections and achieve their vision of success.

I’m here to be invisible.

What I do (and don’t)

Give your words the power to move

I take texts in French and Spanish and transform them into an English version that reads beautifully, works for your audience and helps elevate your international profile. Every project is unique, calling for a bespoke translation strategy. At the end of the process, you’ll have a publication-quality text, thoughtfully composed with your unique goals in mind.

And here’s what I don’t do: fix texts produced by Google translate or other MT platforms, revise translations done by others, give you ‘the gist’ or do your homework. That’s about it.

One more thing: to do my best work, I need to be on your side. So I only partner with organisations whose values sit comfortably with my own.

Urbanism and Real Estate

Property marketing, architecture, market analysis, valuations, sale-and-purchase agreements, development control, urban design, regeneration

Urbanism and Real Estate

Marketing

Web copy, brochures, advertising, financial and non-financial reports, corporate communications, press releases

Business and Marketing

Sustainability

ESG, climate, renewables, biodiversity, ecology, sustainable architecture and construction, campaigning

Sustainability

Social Sciences

Geography, history, political science, economics, sociology, cultural studies, philosophy, anthropology

Social Science

Why Tinta Viva?

A bit niche

You know your audience; so do I. Two language pairs: French and Spanish to English (all varieties). Five specialist areas: marketing, real estate, urbanism, sustainability and social science. I work in this space because it’s what I know best and care about most, and that’s good for everyone.

Why Tinta Viva?

A bit niche

You know your audience; so do I. Two language pairs: French and Spanish to English (all varieties). Five specialist areas: marketing, real estate, urbanism, sustainability and social science. I work in this space because it’s what I know best and care about most, and that’s good for everyone.

Smart + simple

You want to stand out, but for all the right reasons. With advanced academic qualifications and seven years’ experience in these fields, I’ll make sure your translation is publication-ready, slipping seamlessly into its context. You’ll work directly with me throughout (I never outsource), and I’m always just a quick phone call away.

Smart + simple

You want to stand out, but for all the right reasons. With advanced academic qualifications and seven years’ experience in these fields, I’ll make sure your translation is publication-ready, slipping seamlessly into its context. You’ll work directly with me throughout (I never outsource), and I’m always just a quick phone call away.

Happily human

AI and machine translation (MT) have come along way, and can do some amazing things. But true communication requires an understanding of what we are doing, and why. It requires empathy. You can’t make an impact without stepping into your reader’s shoes. Meaningful writing calls for understanding, nuance, imagination and creativity. It matters. I don’t use MT at any stage of my work. If you wouldn’t trust a robot to write your copy, then keep its tinny mits off your translation.

Happily human

AI and machine translation (MT) have come along way, and can do some amazing things. But true communication requires an understanding of what we are doing, and why. It requires empathy. You can’t make an impact without stepping into your reader’s shoes. Meaningful writing calls for understanding, nuance, imagination and creativity. It matters. I don’t use MT at any stage of my work. If you wouldn’t trust a robot to write your copy, then keep its tinny mits off your translation.

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Qualified

I am a Chartered Linguist, fully qualified member of the Institute for Translation and Interpreting (ITI) and the Chartered Institute of Linguists, and bound by the codes of conduct of both institutions.

 

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Reliable

Your time (and stress levels) matter, so you’ll have my direct phone number for any queries, I respond to emails within hours not days and your delivery date is set in stone — in fact, if I miss it (and it hasn’t happened yet), I’ll waive 50% of the fee.

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Flexible

I can translate your text into British, American or Australian English, conforming to any style guide or publishing guidelines you may have or my own in-house style guide by default. The tone, register, style and terminology will be carefully handled to reflect your field, audience and goals.

What’s your story?

Everything you write tells two stories. One tells us about something out in the world; the other — the quieter one — tells us about you. In translation, we need to get both stories right. Right for your values, identity and goals. Right for your field and the audience you want to reach. And right for the outcome you want to see.

The right words can persuade, educate, inform or inspire. They can sell a product, win an argument or rouse a movement. Let’s give them their due.

Thank you for your clear, precise, smooth-flowing translations. We appreciate your dedication and professionalism even when deadlines are short.   Tilly Gaillard Translation Officer | FIDH

Ruth translated one of our educational program guides and she was timely, professional and did an excellent job. She was organised and has great attention to detail. I would highly recommend her to anyone!   Emily Turner Country Manager | Education for Sharing

Thank you for your generous support toward Equity for Children. The quality of your work is outstanding. You have been responsive within minutes of a request and always delivered on time. Alberto Minujin Executive Director | Equity for Children

Ruth is a very professional and responsive linguist. She delivered a high-quality document, in full compliance with the agreed deadline. I would highly recommend her!   Project Manager | Agency Client

Ms Grant delivered an excellent translation of our Case Study. She completed her task ahead of schedule, and was very communicative, not only in the coordination of her assignment, but also in regards to her work.   María Gabriela Caram Programme Assistant | Equator Initiative

The work done by Ruth Grant has been of incredible value to me and my team at Cineuropa.org. Her in-depth knowledge of both Spanish and English shines through in her accurate, thorough translations, which we barely even had to proofread before publishing them on our website. Whatever pace we expect her to adapt to, she is able to deliver great results.   David Gonzáles Editorial Coordinator | Cineuropa

Ruth has worked with us as a true professional, responding quickly and graciously to translation requests, always returning a beautiful product on time (even early!), and taking the care necessary to make sure it meets our expectations.   Beth Inabinett Global Venture and Fellowship Team | Ashoka

Thank you so much for your personal input, for your attention to detail, for your professionalism and for delivering this project on time! I highly appreciate it.   Project Manager | Agency Client

Ruth was a pleasure to work with. She provided an exceptionally detailed and researched translation. She worked very quickly and was highly responsive via email.   Annie Virnig Strategic Advisor on Science and Policy | UNDP Equator Initiative

FAQs

Can you translate my English document into French/Spanish?

I’m afraid not. I only work FROM French and Spanish INTO English. Most professional translators (with the exception of genuinely bilingual speakers) only translate into their first language. This helps guarantee quality and naturalness and prevent any tell-tale ‘translationese’.

How should I prepare and format my document?

I can work with almost any standard file type, but editable formats (like Word or Excel) are much easier and quicker to handle than non-editable formats (like pdf or JPEG), for which there is a surcharge to account for the extra time required. If you can, it’s always best to send an editable file — it will cost you less and allow for a faster turnaround. In any case, the translation will match the original formatting as closely as possible (e.g., layout, font, styling etc.) unless you specify otherwise.

My document contains personal/commercially sensitive information. How do I know it’s safe?

You need to feel completely confident that any information you send over the internet is as safe as it can be. I take this seriously, and have a number of specialist tools and systems in place to make sure everything stays as locked down as possible — and that applies to every project I work on, not just those that are obviously sensitive. You can find all the details in my privacy and security policy here. Tinta Viva Translation adheres to the standards contained in the EU GDPR. I am also registered as a data controller with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) here in the UK.

I’ve been told I need a sworn/certified translation. What does that mean, and can you do it?

In the UK, there’s no such thing as a sworn translator. However, translations can be certified (at an additional charge), provided that the translator meets certain criteria. This means that the translation will be accompanied by a written statement signed by the translator, confirming his or her identity and that the translation is true, accurate and completed to the best of his or her ability. It will also bear the seal or stamp of a professional association. You may need a certified translation if  you will be submitting your document to a government agency, university or employer. As a Chartered Linguist and fully qualified member of the Institute of Translation and Interpreting (MITI), I am entitled to certify translations and I am always happy to do so.

A notarised translation is similar, but in this case the translation is taken to a solicitor or notary public, in front of whom the translator swears to the accuracy of the translation and signs the declaration. The notary will also confirm the identity of the translator before signing and stamping the translation. It is important to bear in mind that a notary can only confirm that the translator is who he or she claims to be; not the accuracy or quality of the translation itself. Having your translation notarised will incur an additional charge to cover the notary’s fee and the translator’s time.

Always check whether you need a certified or notarised translation — notarisation is rarely necessary and can be expensive.

How long does translation take?

Well, it depends! One of the first things any translator will ask you is, ‘What’s your deadline?’ It’s always best to get in touch well in advance of your deadline, as good translators may be fully booked on any given week. On average, a professional translator can complete between 2,000 and 2,500 words per working day, but there is a lot of variation. The key factors are the complexity or creative demands of the original text and the format in which it is provided. When you ask me for a quote, I will set out a proposed timescale that can be tweaked as needed to work for both of us.

How much does translation cost?

Again, it depends! If you ask for quotes from a range of translators, you’ll notice that there is quite a wide range. So how do you know when you’re getting good value? Here’s the problem: In most countries (including the UK), translation is not a regulated profession. A genuine professional translator will inevitably cost a bit more, but will also offer a lot more value. he or she will have a postgraduate qualification in translation (either an MA or DipTrans) and be a member of the relevant national professional bodies. In the UK, these are the Chartered Institute of Linguists (CIoL) and the Institute of Translation and Interpreting (ITI). This ensures that the translator’s skills and experience have been adequately tested and approved. It also means that he or she is bound by a code of conduct and must undertake a certain amount of continuous professional development (CPD) every year. Some have also achieved the status of Chartered Linguist, which involves further assessment and scrutiny.

I aim to keep my prices competitive, fair and consistent, so you get the best value with every single project.

Do you offer guaranteed availability for regular clients?

Unfortunately, if you tend to work to short deadlines, I cannot always guarantee that I will be available when you need me. For regular clients, I will do everything I can to accommodate last-minute requests, but the more notice you can give me, the better. If you’d like to work with me on a regular basis, a retainer package might be a good option for you — if this is something you might be interested in, please get in touch.