Last update: Oct 27, 2025
Here you will find the guidance for Arabic, but you should also consider the guidance for all languages.
1. Gender
We want to be as inclusive as possible, so we try to be neutral, but we use gender-specific nouns and verbs if remaining neutral goes against writing best practices for Arabic.
Basic principles:
When possible, avoid the use of masculine singular form to refer to someone whose gender is unknown. This can sometimes be achieved through using the passive voice.
If you cannot use forms that are gender-neutral, rephrase the sentence.
| English | We avoid | We prefer |
|---|---|---|
| If you’re not satisfied, we’ll refund your payment in full within 30 days. | إذا لم تكن راضيًا، فسوف نقوم برد دفعتك بالكامل خلال 30 يومًا. | في حال عدم رضاك، فسوف نقوم برد دفعتك بالكامل خلال 30 يومًا. |
| If you are interested in Proton Mail… | إذا كنت مهتمًا بـ Protonmail… | إذا كان لديك اهتمام بـ Protonmail… |
| I am not used to this tool. | أنا لست معتادًا على هذه الأداة. | لم أعتد استخدام هذه الأداة من قبل. |
You can use passive language to avoid gender-specific verbs, but only if it doesn’t hurt readability and/or make the sentence sound unnatural.
Apply the masculine form when an adjective, verb, or another part of speech refers to multiple nouns with different genders (plural forms).
The gender and number of the acronym are determined by the gender and number of the translation for the governing noun of the extended form.
Example: VPN (Virtual Personal Network) is feminine because the translation of “network” (“شبكة”) is feminine.
2. Abbreviations
Whenever possible, avoid using abbreviations.
Abbreviate text only in situations where space is limited—such as on buttons, option names, or strings with specific character constraints—or when improved readability is required. Rather than abbreviating extended phrases, summarize terms or expressions using two or three full words wherever possible.
Please refrain from devising new and unknown abbreviations; stick to common practices and keep the reader/user familiarity in mind.
Examples:
- ساعة → س.
- دكتور → د.
Days and months names: Never abbreviate.
3. Acronyms
Common examples are VPN (Virtual Personal Network), DNS (Domain Name Server), HTML (Hypertext Markup Language), etc.
The most common acronyms and their translations are included in the glossary. Always refer to the glossary when localizing acronyms.
The gender and number of the acronym are determined by the gender and number of the translation for the main noun of the extended form.
Example: API (Application Programming Interface) is feminine because the translation of “interface” (“واجهة”) is feminine.
Commonly used acronyms do not need explanations (DVD, LED, TV, etc.). Use your best judgment—and the glossary—to determine these and don’t include their translations.
When an acronym is repeated several times in the same section, include its extended form in parentheses only for its first occurrence.
4. Pronouns
English, especially technical English, is more redundant than some other languages.
When translating, you often need to reduce redundancy by using pronouns to avoid repeating the same nouns again. This may otherwise affect readability, but accuracy must be preserved.
When translating technical or complex strings, ensure users can associate pronouns with their referents.
Use proper possessive pronouns instead of using الخاص/الخاصة بك.
Omit pronoun subjects such as “نحن” and “أنت” when possible by employing the correct verb parsing.
| English | We avoid | We prefer |
|---|---|---|
| Contacts successfully imported. The imported contacts will now appear in your contact list. | تم استيراد جهات الاتصال بنجاح. ستظهر جهات الاتصال الآن في قائمة جهات الاتصال الخاصة بك. | تم استيراد جهات الاتصال بنجاح، وستظهر الآن في قائمتها لديك. |
| Events successfully imported. The imported events will now appear in your calendar. | تم استيراد الأحداث بنجاح. ستظهر الأحداث التي تم استيرادها الآن في التقويم الخاص بك. | تم استيراد الأحداث بنجاح، وستظهر الآن في تقويمك. |
5. Gerunds (“ing” ending)
Gerunds are used in English, such as in “Creating a report.”
Depending on the context, they can be translated using the infinitive (in the case of an action or a title) or using the Arabic expression “جارٍ”.
| English | Context | We avoid | We prefer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Generating keys | Action or title | يصدر المفاتيح | إصدار المفاتيح |
| Generating keys | Processing | إصدار المفاتيح | جارٍ إصدار المفاتيح |
6. Punctuation
If you need help, you can check this website.
7. Period
For the period at the end of a sentence (subject + verb), adapt to Arabic usage: when the English source omits a period but Arabic requires one, add it in your translation. Ensure the text is not part of a longer sentence.
Include a period at the end of each extended sentence in a bullet list if it has a full meaning by itself.
Do not place periods at the end of titles, links, nominative phrases, buttons, and checkboxes unless they contain more than one sentence.
| English | We avoid | We prefer |
|---|---|---|
| This footer is added after your signature | يُضاف هذا التذييل بعد توقيعك | يُضاف هذا التذييل بعد توقيعك. |
| Impossible to load content. Please enable Chrome | تعذر تحميل المحتوى. يُرجى تفعيل Chrome. | تعذَّر تحميل المحتوى. يُرجى تفعيل Chrome. |
| Signature verification error. | خطأ في التحقق من التوقيع. | خطأ في التحقق من التوقيع |
| Unknown error. | خطأ غير معروف. | خطأ غير معروف |
8. Exclamation mark
Exclamation marks are used to give emphasis.
Since they are less common in Arabic than in English, use them sparingly. You can replace an exclamation mark with a period if it reads more naturally, but never change a period into an exclamation mark.
| English | We avoid | We prefer |
|---|---|---|
| The PIN codes must match! | يجب أن تتطابق رموز PIN! | يجب أن تتطابق رموز PIN. |
| Can’t create a SRP verifier! | لا يمكن إنشاء متحقق SRP! | لا يمكن إنشاء متحقق SRP. |
| Theme reset! Redirecting… | إعادة ضبط السمة! إعادة التوجيه … | تمت إعادة ضبط السمة. جارٍ إعادة التوجيه … |
9. Parentheses
Parentheses clarify statements or provide additional information.
Follow the source when possible, ensuring fluency and readability.
| English | We avoid | We prefer |
|---|---|---|
| Please choose a display name to finish setting up your account. (Other people will see this.) | يرجى اختيار اسم عرض لإكمال إعداد حسابك، مع العلم أنه سيكون مرئيًا للآخرين. | يرجى اختيار اسم عرض لإكمال إعداد حسابك. (سيشاهده الآخرون). |
10. Comma
Do not place a comma before “و” or “أو” when the conjunction links two related terms.
| English | We avoid | We prefer |
|---|---|---|
| You can also add, delete, and edit them by clicking… | يمكنك أيضًا إضافتها، وحذفها، وتحريرها، بالنقر فوق…… | يمكنك أيضًا إضافتها وحذفها وتحريرها بالنقر فوق…… |
| Assign permissions to users, or groups | تعيين الأذونات للمستخدمين، أو المجموعات | تعيين الأذونات للمستخدمين أو المجموعات |
11. Colon and semicolon
Follow standard MSA rules for using the colon and semicolon.
12. Em dash (—), en dash (–), hyphen (-)
In English, dashes separate clauses, introduce nonessential items, or emphasize shifts in thought.
If the related phrase can be treated as a جملة اعتراضية, replicate the effect using commas. Otherwise, replace dashes with commas.
Do not use an em dash for date ranges; use “من … إلى” or “ما بين … و” instead.
| English | We avoid | We prefer |
|---|---|---|
| In case the default value is unsuitable for a particular network, enter a value within 1280–1500 range. | في حال عدم ملاءمة القيمة الافتراضية لشبكة معينة، أدخل قيمة ضمن النطاق 1280–1500. | في حال عدم ملاءمة القيمة الافتراضية لشبكة معينة، فأدخل قيمة ضمن النطاق ما بين 1280 و1500. |
| Secure access to your favorite content from other countries — Now available on Android TV. | اضمن الوصول إلى المحتوى المفضل لديك من بلدان أخرى - متوفر الآن على Android TV. | اضمن الوصول إلى المحتوى المفضل لديك من بلدان أخرى، فقد أصبح متوفرًا الآن على Android TV. |
| More than 12 hours passed since last update — ${ CALENDAR_APP_NAME } will try to update the calendar in a few hours. | لقد مر أكثر من 12 ساعة منذ التحديث الأخير — سيحاول ${ CALENDAR_APP_NAME } تحديث التقويم في غضون ساعات قليلة. | لقد مر أكثر من 12 ساعة منذ التحديث الأخير. ولذلك، سيحاول ${ CALENDAR_APP_NAME } تحديث التقويم في غضون ساعات قليلة. |
| September 10 - 20 | 10 - 20 سبتمبر | من 10 إلى 20 سبتمبر |
13. Quotation marks
Use these specific quotation marks: "example".
Place the period inside the closing quotation mark.
There are no spaces between guillemets and the enclosed text.
| English | We avoid | We prefer |
|---|---|---|
| The “From:” address is invalid. Please change it to a valid one | عنوان “من: “ غير صحيح. يُرجى تغييره إلى عنوان صحيح. | عنوان “من:” غير صحيح. يُرجى تغييره إلى عنوان صحيح. |
14. Ampersand (&)
Replace “&” with “و” unless it is part of a company/product name or a registered trademark.
15. Spacing and non-breaking spaces
Use non-breaking spaces to prevent improper separation of elements such as product names, numbers, or dates.
When using currency symbols or measurement units, include a non-breaking space between number and symbol.
Keyboard shortcuts:
- Windows: Hold “Alt” and type 255.
- Mac: Ctrl + Option⌥ + Space bar.
| English | Arabic | [non-breaking space] |
|---|---|---|
| First step: click | الخطوة الأولى: النقر | الخطوة الأولى[non-breaking space]: النقر |
| 1 GB | 1 جيجابايت | 1[non-breaking space]جيجابايت |
16. Numbers
Replace the decimal period with a comma in Arabic translations:
3.75 → 3,75
For numbers smaller than 1, always write a zero before the comma:
.5 → 0,5
Do not change periods in version numbers:
Proton Mail v.3 → remains unchanged.
Avoid thousand separators; instead, spell out large numbers partly:
15,000 → 15 ألفًا
Time and date:
- Use 12-hour format followed by صباحًا or مساءً as needed.
Example: at 9:25 P.M → الساعة 9:25 مساءً - Use “dd/mm/yy” for dates.
Example: 01-31-22 → 31/01/22
17. Ordinal and cardinal numbers
Follow the source’s use of ordinal/cardinal forms.
Always spell out 1 and 2 as words.
Examples:
- 1 address → عنوان واحد
- 2 logs → سجلان
18. Currencies
Do not convert USD ($) or EUR (€) to local currency.
Place the symbol or code immediately after the number, with no space.
Example: Amount of €30 → مبلغ 30€
19. Units of measurement
Use the metric system.
Insert a non-breaking space between numbers and units.
Convert imperial units to metric.
| Category | Measurement unit | Translation | Abbreviation |
|---|---|---|---|
| LINEAR | Kilometer | كيلومتر | كم |
| Meter | متر | م | |
| Centimeter | سنتيمتر | سم | |
| Millimeter | ملليمتر | مم | |
| MASS | Ton | طن | طن |
| Kilogram | كيلوجرام | كجم | |
| Pound | رطل | رطل | |
| IMPERIAL | Inch | بوصة | " |
| Feet | قدم | قدم | |
| Mile | ميل | - | |
| Gallon | جالون | - | |
| COMPUTING | Byte (B) | بايت | - |
| Megabyte (MB) | ميجابايت | - | |
| Gigabyte (GB) | جيجابايت | - | |
| Terabyte (TB) | تيرابايت | - |
20. English/US terms and formulations
Please
The word please is often used in English to introduce an instruction.
For simple instructions, omit it to keep the sentence concise and natural.
Example:
Please try again later → أعد المحاولة لاحقًا
For error messages or problematic situations, translate it fully.
Example:
Verification code sending failed. Please try again. → فشل إرسال رمز التحقق. تُرجى المحاولة مرة أخرى.
And more
The expression and more (or and much more) is a typical US formulation used to end sentences.
When it appears as part of a list, translate it as وغيرها الكثير or والعديد من (…) الأخرى depending on the sentence.
| English | Arabic |
|---|---|
| Access your streaming services, like Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video, and many others, no matter where you are. | يمكنك الوصول إلى خدمات البث الخاصة بك، مثل Netflix وDisney+ وPrime Video والعديد من الخدمات الأخرى، أينما كنت. |
| When it comes to securing your business, we’re here to help with our encrypted email, calendar, VPN, and much more. | عندما يتعلق الأمر بتأمين عملك، فنحن هنا لمساعدتك من خلال البريد الإلكتروني المشفر والتقويم وشبكة VPN وغير ذلك الكثير. |
Now
The word now (as in “buy now” or “download now”) is a common CTA in English. Translate it naturally to keep the same call-to-action effect.
Example:
Get Proton VPN now → احصل على Proton VPN الآن
Successfully
The word successfully is a US formulation that can often be omitted in Arabic to avoid awkward phrasing.
Example:
Your Proton account was successfully created. → تمَّ إنشاء حسابك في Proton.
Failed
Avoid literal translation of failed whenever possible.
Use alternative phrasing to sound natural and idiomatic.
Example:
Message decryption failed. → تعذَّر فك تشفير الرسالة.
(rather than “فشل فك تشفير الرسالة.”)
21. Foreign words
The decision to keep an English word or translate it depends on how widely recognized it is.
To determine usage, compare search results for both the English term and its Arabic equivalent. The more common usage should guide your choice.
If unsure about an important term, contact the Proton Localization team for an SEO check.
Foreign words may appear in quotation marks or italics if uncommon. However, widely accepted English terms can remain in their original form.
When a foreign word is common and well understood, keep it in English. Add an Arabic explanation only when clarity is required.
Avoid overusing anglicisms.
22. Localizing person names
Localize fictitious names used for explanatory examples. Use generic, non-stereotypical Arabic names.
| English | Arabic |
|---|---|
| Please enter your display name (e.g. Julia Smith) | يُرجى إدخال اسم العرض (على سبيل المثال: منى سعيد) |
Do not localize or transliterate real person names.
| English | Arabic |
|---|---|
| Bart Butler is a senior engineer at Proton Mail | Bart Butler مهندس كبير في شركة Proton Mail |
23. Localizing domains and email addresses
Do not translate the local part of an email address.
Localize but don’t translate the domain name, and use the local country code.
| Example | English | Arabic |
|---|---|---|
| Domain | yourdomain.com | yourdomain.ar |
| user@ | user@ |
Example sentence:
Receive all email sent to addresses in your domain that do not exist (e.g., “mistake@yourdomain.com”).
→ استقبل جميع رسائل البريد الإلكتروني المرسلة إلى عناوين غير موجودة في نطاقك (مثل “mistake@yourdomain.ar”).
Do not localize real email addresses or domains.
24. Error/success/info messages
Structured sentences
Translate such messages into structured sentences (at least subject + verb), using active voice and correct punctuation.
| English | We avoid | We prefer |
|---|---|---|
| Error updating event | خطأ في تحديث الحدث | لقد وقع خطأ في تحديث الحدث. |
| Duplicate key updated | تحديث المفتاح المتكرر | تم تحديث المفتاح المتكرر. |
Nominal phrases
Do not add a period at the end of nominal phrases.
| English | We avoid | We prefer |
|---|---|---|
| Authentication error. | خطأ في المصادقة. | خطأ في المصادقة |
| Unknown error. | خطأ غير معروف. | خطأ غير معروف |
25. Localizing CTA (Call To Action) buttons
For neutral or instructional content, use the infinitive form. Validate phrasing with the language lead when necessary.
Examples:
- نسخ الرابط
- اكتشاف كل الميزات
- الحصول على Proton for Business
- الحصول على حساب مجاني
- اختيار الاشتراك المدفوع
- الاتصال بنا
- مشاركة هذه الصفحة على LinkedIn