A translation company based in Bizkaia
Basque is not simply another language in a global list for LinguaVox.
Our head office is in Santurtzi, in the Basque Country, and we work with organisations that use Basque in professional, institutional and international communication.
For an overseas production company, this provides a practical way to source Basque subtitling through a supplier established in the region while retaining international project management and access to more than 150 additional languages.
Projects are normally managed online, so the client can be in London, New York, Paris, Berlin or anywhere else.
English to Basque subtitles
International films, documentaries, training materials and corporate videos may require a Basque version for audiences in the Basque Country.
We can translate an existing English subtitle file or work from the audiovisual material when subtitle creation is also required.
The Basque version must fit the timing and reading conditions of the production. It should not be treated as a word-for-word replacement of the English text inside fixed subtitle boxes.
Where source timing or segmentation creates a problem for the target language, we can adapt or flag it according to the agreed scope.
Basque to English subtitles
Basque-language productions also need to travel internationally.
A documentary, feature film, short, interview series or institutional production made in Basque may require English subtitles for festivals, broadcasters, distributors, streaming services or international sales.
We can prepare British English, US English or another agreed variety.
The video itself is valuable reference material because local references, spontaneous speech, humour and code-switching can be difficult to interpret from a subtitle file alone.
Basque and Spanish in the same production
Many Basque productions are naturally multilingual.
Interviewees may switch between Basque and Spanish. Archive footage may use one language while narration uses another. A public event may contain contributions in both.
This language alternation can be meaningful and should not automatically be erased in the target subtitles.
We identify the source-language structure of the programme and then determine what each target audience needs to understand.
For an English version, for example, both Basque and Spanish dialogue may need translating while the original language changes remain apparent through context.
Documentary subtitling in Basque
Documentaries are a strong use case for Basque subtitling because they frequently rely on local voices, places, institutions and historical references.
Unscripted interviews may also contain dialectal features, hesitation and overlapping speech.
We can create the original Basque subtitle file from video, translate a prepared template into Basque or translate Basque source subtitles for international release.
Producer-supplied name lists, background notes and specialist documentation help verify references that are not always clear from the audio alone.
Film and scripted content
In fiction, subtitle decisions are shaped by character, performance and scene timing.
Humour, irony, register and relationships between speakers have to survive the translation while remaining readable.
A line cannot be evaluated separately from what happens on screen. Early subtitle appearance can reveal information too soon, and excessive literalism can make dialogue feel unnatural.
We therefore treat the Basque version as audiovisual dialogue rather than a conventional written translation.
Television, streaming and festivals
We can prepare Basque subtitles for programmes, series, interviews, festival material and content distributed through digital platforms.
If a broadcaster, platform or distributor has its own timed-text specification, we follow the applicable requirements supplied for that production.
Files can be delivered in formats such as SRT, WebVTT, STL, TTML or SCC depending on the workflow.
Institutional and public communication
Public bodies, universities, associations and organisations may require Basque subtitle versions for information campaigns, events, interviews and educational material.
Terminology should match the organisation’s established usage.
Where available, we can work with approved glossaries, previous publications and client style guides so that the subtitles remain consistent with other Basque-language content.
Corporate and industrial video
Companies in the Basque Country also use subtitles for internal communication, training, safety, recruitment, product presentation and international marketing.
Technical terminology can be particularly important in industrial content.
Client documentation, manuals and approved terminology can be used as reference material for the subtitle version.
The same video can also be translated into Spanish, English, French, German or other languages within a coordinated project.
Creating Basque subtitles from audio
If no timed subtitle file exists, we can create it from the Basque soundtrack.
The process can include transcription, speaker identification, segmentation, spotting, timecoding and final review.
Audio quality, number of speakers and specialist terminology affect the work required.
A participant list, script or background documentation is useful when the recording contains names or references that are difficult to verify from sound alone.
Basque within a multilingual release
A Basque track may be one component of a much larger localisation project.
An English documentary might require Basque, Spanish and Catalan versions. A Basque film might need Spanish, English, French and German subtitles for distribution.
We can coordinate those files under one project, using shared terminology and reference material where appropriate.
This is particularly useful when a production includes recurring names, technical concepts or a series of related episodes.
Accessible Basque subtitles
We can also prepare accessible timed text in Basque when the production requires speaker identification, relevant sound information or other elements for deaf and hard-of-hearing audiences.
The exact conventions should be defined according to the destination, as accessibility specifications differ between clients and platforms.
What determines the price?
The cost depends on the actual work required rather than the language name alone.
Important factors include duration, direction of translation, whether timed subtitles already exist, audio quality, specialist terminology, accessibility requirements, delivery format, number of target languages and deadline.
A fully timed English SRT translated into Basque is a different project from creating and translating subtitles from a two-hour unscripted Basque documentary.
Send the available files and we will confirm the scope before work begins.
Frequently asked questions
Are you based in the Basque Country?
Yes. LinguaVox has its head office in Santurtzi, Bizkaia, Spain.
Can you translate subtitles from English into Basque?
Yes. We work from English into Basque and can also prepare Spanish, Catalan or other versions from the same source material.
Can you translate a Basque film into English?
Yes. Basque can be the source language. We can prepare English subtitles for festivals, distribution and other international uses.
Can you create subtitles directly from Basque audio?
Yes. We can include transcription, spotting, timecoding and subtitle creation when no source file exists.
Can you handle a video where speakers alternate between Basque and Spanish?
Yes. We identify the languages used in the original and prepare the target version according to what the audience needs to understand.
Can you manage several languages in the same project?
Yes. LinguaVox works in more than 150 languages and can coordinate Basque with Spanish, English and other target versions.
Do you work with overseas production companies?
Yes. File exchange, quotation, project management and delivery can all be handled online.