veinticinco metros al norte

English translation: leave it in Spanish as is

11:32 Jun 20, 2011

Spanish to English translations [Non-PRO]
General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters / address in Costa Rica

Spanish term or phrase: veinticinco metros al norte

Hello,
For anyone familiar with addresses in Costa Rica, I am wondering if the above term in an address should be left in Spanish in a legal document. For example: "sociedad domiciliada en San José, Sabana Oeste, veinticinco metros al norte" or "vecino de San José, Sabana Oeste del Balcón Verde veinticinco metros al norte." Is this the most common way to write addresses in Costa Rica? Is this term similar to a street number?
Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

AFerroni KudoZ activity Questions: 229 (1 open) (7 closed without grading) Answers: 24 Spain
Local time: 03:47

English translation:leave it in Spanish as is

Explanation:
I lived in Costa Rica for 5 months in a town near San José, the capital. The address was "1 km al noroeste de la Iglesia Católica de ..." *All* addresses were expressed this way (exept maybe important places in San José), it's the Costa Rican system and everyone uses and understands it.

My take on translating addresses is that you have to leave them as is in legal documents because they were meant for process servers and letter carriers to deliver documents to them. If you feel that an English translation is in order, you can always place it in parentheses (25 meters to the north).

If we were to follow the logic of translating addresses, then why shouldn't we put "St. Joseph" instead of San José?

Selected response from:

Reed James
Chile
Local time: 21:47

Grading comment

Thanks again. It seems as though this is a very common way to express addresses in Costa Rica and is best left as is.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

5 +4

leave it in Spanish as is

Reed James

4 +4

twenty-five meters to the north

Michael Powers (PhD)

Discussion entries: 3

Answers

14 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +4

twenty-five meters to the north

Explanation:
This is not the street address. In some of the smaller villages, there is no specific street address, and this is the descrption where the place is located. For purposes of finding the residence/business, this is the system that is used in select remote, small places.

Mike

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Note added at 49 mins (2011-06-20 12:21:34 GMT)
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My pleasure

Michael Powers (PhD)
United States
Local time: 21:47
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 209

Notes to answerer

Asker: Thanks.

1 hr confidence:

peer agreement (net): +4

leave it in Spanish as is

Reed James
Chile
Local time: 21:47
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 28

Grading comment

Thanks again. It seems as though this is a very common way to express addresses in Costa Rica and is best left as is.

Notes to answerer

Asker: Thanks.

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English translation: leave it in Spanish as is

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