Translating Legalese: Es decir
When reading contracts or legal documents, you will encounter complex terms like estipular (to stipulate) or rescindir (to terminate). To break down these clauses into plain language, Spanish uses explicative discourse markers.
The most common marker is es decir (that is / that is to say). Use it to clarify or rephrase the preceding statement.
| The contract stipulates a penalty, that is, you have to pay. | El contrato estipula una multa, es decir, tienes que pagar. |
| The landlord can terminate the contract, that is, cancel the agreement. | El arrendador puede rescindir el contrato, es decir, cancelar el acuerdo. |
In Other Words: O sea
Another incredibly common marker is o sea (in other words / that is). While es decir is often preferred in formal writing, both are used interchangeably in speech and everyday texts to simplify jargon. You may also see esto es in highly formal texts with the same meaning.
When a contract mentions concepts like el vencimiento (expiration) or la indemnización (compensation), you can use o sea to explain exactly what that means in practical terms.
| The expiration is tomorrow, in other words, the deadline ends soon. | El vencimiento es mañana, o sea, el plazo termina pronto. |
| The document stipulates a monthly payment, in other words, you pay every month. | El documento estipula un pago mensual, o sea, pagas cada mes. |
| If you violate the rule, you lose the compensation, in other words, you do not receive the money. | Si infringes la regla, pierdes la indemnización, o sea, no recibes el dinero. |