acta

English translation: Past tense

10:08 Jun 14, 2001

Spanish to English translations [PRO]

Spanish term or phrase: acta

I do not need a translation, is to ask if the "actas" are written in english with the past or with the present. The spanish is written with present, but a teacher of legal translation told me the minutes in english normally are written in the past sense. What should I do? With the present or with the past. These minutes are not exactly legal, are from a general meeting.
Thanks.

nakota

English translation:Past tense

Explanation:
I agree completely with your teacher. In English, minutes are written as a narration of past events. I have never heard of putting them in the present in English, whether in the legal or any other field. You can put them in the past in English with total confidence.

Selected response from:

Margaret Schroeder
Mexico
Local time: 19:25

Grading comment

Thank you very much to both of you!!! I was not sure.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

Past tense

Margaret Schroeder

I WOULD DEFINITELY USE THE PAST TENSE

Terry Burgess

Past for sure.

Celia Hagerman

Answers

5 mins

Past tense

Margaret Schroeder
Mexico
Local time: 19:25
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in pair: 1449

Grading comment

Thank you very much to both of you!!! I was not sure.

6 mins

I WOULD DEFINITELY USE THE PAST TENSE

Explanation:
Formal or informal, if the meeting has already taken place then use the past.

"The minutes were read...etc"

Slán..

tb

Terry Burgess
Mexico
Local time: 19:25
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in pair: 2372

14 hrs

Past for sure.

Explanation:
Anytime I had my hands on any minutes of a meeting or acta, it has been written in past, that is the correct way and sometimes, even the reported speech is used to reinforce whatever may be more relevant that someone in the meeting had said.

Celia Hagerman
Local time: 21:25
Native speaker of:

Spanish
PRO pts in pair: 6

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