In English or en Español

When communicating in the professional world—especially in tech—I've always grappled with the question: should I write everything in Spanish or everything in English? What seems like a trivial decision actually involves unexpectedly complex considerations.

Spanish is my mother tongue and one of the most widely spoken languages in the world. With over 500 million speakers globally and continued growth, particularly in the Americas, it represents a massive audience and a deep cultural connection.

English has become the lingua franca of our time. It has consolidated itself as the language that, regardless of people's place of origin, offers the highest probability of mutual understanding across borders.

Both choices carry significant implications. Writing in Spanish means connecting with a vast audience—and let's be honest, Spaniards are historically known for not speaking great English. On the other hand, writing in English opens doors to an even broader global audience, following the thesis that it serves as the world's vehicular language.

But what about all those people who don't speak English? People who, statistically, I'm more likely to reach with my content?

While my thoughts flow naturally in Spanish, writing in English forces me to stay connected to everything I've learned throughout my life in English-speaking countries. It keeps me sharp and prevents a language I consider vital from rusting—a language that grants access to information, professional growth, and the ability to operate in a global world.

Language Shapes Reality

"Language determines the reality one lives in"

— Someone wise whose name I don't remember :)

There are ideas, concepts, and expressions that only make sense within a specific language or culture. For example, the concept of sobremesa—that cherished time lingering at the table after a meal—exists uniquely in Spanish culture. It's honestly one of our best words and concepts, yet there's no way to properly translate it into English.

I love the culinary content creator @cookingfromSpain, who always uses English for his dishes but refuses to translate certain things. His approach is both hilarious and brilliant—he simply uses Spanish words when English fails. It's a useful and accurate way to blend languages. While it breaks many linguistic rules, I'm convinced his message reaches further because of it.

Language as a Double-Edged Sword

However, language is also a tool that can divide as much as it unites.

At Samara, when we started defining our internal working language (a Spanish company, founded by Spaniards, operating in Spain), we decided on English. The reasoning was solid: given our growth trajectory, the type of talent we wanted to attract, reporting needs, and expansion plans, it made perfect sense as a fast-growing startup.

But we suffered when integrating our installation team into these communications. This group generally had limited English proficiency, and many literally didn't understand anything.

Over time, I received numerous complaints and tried to translate as much content as possible for them. But this was a strategic company decision, and there was little I could do about it. It's completely true that it created some division, though overall it brought many benefits—especially if the goal was to grow beyond Spain.

My Decision

Now, as I write this, I see an opportunity to share my ideas in Spanish with a target audience I want to be as large as possible—and that's why I'm focusing on English. Sure, Google Translate or similar tools can translate the message, but I want the original to emanate from a language that reaches everywhere.

Conclusion: For now, I've decided to focus on writing in English, with the hope that plugins, AI, or similar technologies will eventually make these texts translatable into any language and accessible to everyone. But in the meantime, I'll try to ensure my thoughts have the broadest possible reach from their inception.