Sí, Hablo Español. No, I’m Not Your Translator.

One of the things I love about being a bilingual notary is being able to look at a signer and say: “Sí, podemos hacer la notarización en español.” For someone who is more comfortable speaking Spanish, hearing that can immediately make an unfamiliar process feel a little less intimidating. But every now and then, “I speak Spanish” gets interpreted as something entirely different: “Great! So you can translate all of this for me.” Well… Not exactly. And I couldn’t help but wonder…

When did speaking two languages mean taking on two jobs?

Hablo Español. And I’m Still Your Notary.

There’s an important difference between communicating with a signer in their preferred language and translating or interpreting the contents of their document.

During a Spanish-language notarization, I can communicate directly with the signer. I can explain the notarial process, ask the questions I need to ask, administer an oath or affirmation when required, and make sure we’re able to communicate with each other.

What I can’t do is suddenly become the person responsible for explaining what every paragraph of their document means or advising them about its legal effect. We’ve talked about this before: “Where do I sign?” and “Should I sign?” are two very different questions. And changing the language doesn’t change that boundary.

And Then There’s the Family Translator…

This is one I’ve encountered more than once. A signer joins an appointment and a daughter, son, spouse, friend, or other family member is there to “help translate.”

Having someone there to assist isn’t necessarily the issue. The problem begins when I ask the signer a question…

…and someone else answers.

So I ask the signer again. And the family member answers again. Sometimes they answer before the signer has even had a chance to speak. At that point, I have a problem. Because I’m not notarizing the daughter. I’m not notarizing the spouse. I’m notarizing the signer.

I need to communicate with that person and be comfortable that the answers I’m receiving are actually their answers. Recently, I had an appointment where a signer’s daughter was translating for her. But as the notarization continued, the daughter began answering questions for the signer. I explained that I needed the signer herself to respond. When it became clear that wasn’t going to happen, we stopped. Not because the signer spoke Spanish. Not because she needed assistance. But because I could no longer confidently communicate directly with the person whose signature I was being asked to notarize.

Bilingual Is a Service, Not a Loophole

At DocsxBrenda, I’m proud to offer notarizations in both English and Spanish. It’s an important service—especially in communities where finding a notary who can communicate comfortably in Spanish isn’t always easy. But bilingual service doesn’t erase professional boundaries.

I can speak your language without interpreting your legal document. I can make the notarization accessible without making decisions for you. And I can absolutely say “Sí, hablo Español” while also saying: “Esa pregunta se la tiene que hacer a la persona que preparó el documento.”

Sometimes the most professional thing a bilingual notary can do isn’t translating another sentence. It’s knowing when the conversation has crossed from communication into interpretation. Because whether we’re speaking English or Spanish, my role remains exactly the same: I’m your notary. Not your attorney. Not your document interpreter. And definitely not your cousin sitting off-camera whispering the answers. Although somehow…there’s always a cousin. 😂