Preparing Your Documents for Arabic Translation

If you are targeting customers in Arabic-speaking countries, you likely need to have your marketing documents localized into Arabic. This could include content like brochures, menus, price lists and press releases. Arabic is a bi-directional language and one of the most sophisticated and diverse languages, so here are a few tips to consider while planning for your Arabic document translation project.

Know Your Target Audience

Arabic is the official language for around 27 countries and is spoken as a minority language in another six countries. Although there is a standard Arabic form that is understood for all Arabic speakers, if you are targeting a specific country or region, you may need to use a certain dialect or terminology for that locale. It is important at this stage to hire native speakers from the targeted country so they are aware of the locale requirements in terms of culture, terminology, colloquialisms, habits, etc.

Make Sure Source Files are Final

It will save time and money to wait until your document source files are finalized before you send them out for translation. Although any changes in the source file could be minor, it will still affect the translation schedule and can result in delays and additional cost. A single word change can lead to re-translating the entire sentence to maintain the meaning, so it is recommended to send only final versions to the translation vendor.

Plan for the Layout Formatting

If these documents are going to be printed, they should be formatted after the translation is completed. Arabic has specific desktop publishing requirements, so it is important to get the documents formatted by a native Arabic speaker who is aware of the specific tools, fonts and formatting requirements. The formatted files should also be checked by the linguist who translated the files before sending them to print to make sure the final files are correct with no issues. Usage of incompatible fonts, for example, might lead to text corruption and render a non-readable text.

When you provide your translation team with the source files they can easily export and import the content for translation using the professional translation tools without the need to manually copy and paste to and from Word files. Please make sure to also provide brand guidelines and the full set of fonts and images to avoid any delays or issues.

Agree on the Deliverable Format

Specify what format you would like your final translated files delivered in so the translation teams can prepare the files correctly. This will ensure they do not need to rework the files if delivered in a different format. Also, your translation partner can advise you on the best review-friendly format so you can review the translation and deliver your comments in the most efficient manner for both parties.

Provide Your Linguists with Existing Glossaries and Reference Files

In order to help the linguists have a clear idea of what they are translating, you can send them any previous glossaries, translations, website links or any other content that helps them know more about the brand or product they are translating. Arabic is a rich language and each word can have many synonyms, so providing the linguists with additional information will ensure they are using your preferred terminology and communicating your brand’s message effectively.

Designate a Realistic Turnaround Time

A professional translation agency has to go through several steps to ensure final quality. These steps can include file preparation, glossary creation, rounds of translation, editing and reviewing, so it is important to allow appropriate time to make sure quality is not compromised. Since Arabic is a highly stylistic language and its syntax is different from English, it is very important to allow time to get the translation reviewed and edited by a second linguist to make sure the translation sounds natural to Arabic speakers.