Writing Plain Spanish

Plain Language Principles

"Plain language makes it easier for the public to read, understand, and use government communications." plainlanguage.gov

This guidance follows Federal Plain Language Guidelines, with additional considerations for Spanish grammatical styles and cultural norms.

In general, plain language writing should:

• Use simple, common words and sentences

• Avoid unnecessary words and jargon

• Present information in a logical order

• Focus on the audience's needs

• Have a conversational tone

• Adhere to web accessibility standards

• Consider what devices people may be using to view the content

When writing UI content, consider the target audience's vocabulary, education level, and situation. The goal is not to write in elementary terms, but rather use language appropriate for the readers.

In addition to the principles listed above, UI content should aid comprehension and guide users to take the desired action. To do this effectively it should::

• Aim for an 8th-grade reading level

• Maintain consistent terminology

• Favor short, clear sentences

• Use informative headers to structure content

• Explain concepts directly to readers

• Make text scannable with bullet points, bolding, etc.

• Use active voice and action verbs for calls to action

• Maintain an objective, yet empathetic tone

Learn more about the U.S. Department of Labor’s recommended approach to plain language for unemployment insurance on their Plain Language resources page.

The following sections are organized from simple to complex: First, we focus on words — the building blocks of communication. Then we move on to sentences and paragraphs, followed by guidance on capitalization and punctuation at the end.