Old Spanish Translator

Translate from Normal Language to Old Spanish

Last updated: June 2026

Normal Language

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Old Spanish

Translation History

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About the Old Spanish Translator

Old Spanish (Castellano antiguo) is the medieval form of Spanish spoken in Castile from roughly the 10th through the 15th centuries — the language of El Cantar de Mio Cid, of the early Reconquista, and of the court documents of Alfonso X the Wise. It differs from modern Spanish in spelling (ç, ñ as nn, x for /ʃ/), in pronunciation (the distinction between b/v and the old sibilants), in vocabulary (many Arabisms and forms later lost), and in some grammatical patterns.

This translator renders modern Spanish or English text in Old Spanish orthography and phrasing as it would have appeared in 13th-14th century manuscripts. Use it for historical fiction, medieval-Iberia RPG settings, manuscript-style displays, family genealogy projects, or just to read your name as a medieval scribe might have written it.

When to use it

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Historical fiction set in medieval Iberia. Generate dialogue and prose in the style of 13th-14th century Castilian texts.
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Medieval RPG and worldbuilding. Add authentic Iberian flavor to settings inspired by El Cid, the Reconquista, or al-Andalus.
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Manuscript-style design and calligraphy. Produce period-appropriate text for calligraphy practice or display pieces.
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Genealogy and family history. See how ancestral Spanish names and phrases appeared in medieval records.

Sample translations

Input

My king is brave.

Output

Mio rey es valient.

Input

I love my wife.

Output

Amo a mi mugier.

Input

The lord rides to battle.

Output

El sennor cavalga a la batalla.

Tips for best results

Old Spanish uses 'ç' for what became modern 'z' or 'c' before e/i; 'nn' (or ñ) for the palatal n; 'x' for the /ʃ/ sound that became modern 'j'.
Vocabulary varies by century — output favors the 13th-century norm of Alfonso X's chancellery.
For Old Castilian poetry, pair with manual review of meter and rhyme.

Frequently asked questions

What time period is 'Old Spanish'?

Roughly 10th-15th centuries. The classic literary corpus (El Cid, Alfonso X) is 12th-13th century. After about 1500 the language shifts into Early Modern Spanish.

Is the spelling historically authentic?

Output uses spellings characteristic of 13th-14th century manuscripts (ç, nn, x). Medieval spelling was not standardized — actual manuscripts show variation, and ours reflects the most common conventions.

Does it include Arabisms?

Yes — Old Spanish absorbed thousands of Arabic loanwords (alcalde, almohada, ojalá). Output uses period-appropriate Arabisms where natural.

How different is Old Spanish from modern Spanish?

A modern Spanish speaker can read Old Spanish with some effort — it's closer to modern Spanish than Chaucer's English is to modern English. Pronunciation differs more than spelling.