Slash & Hash

Blog · Digital Engineering

Bilingual by design: building digital experiences for the Gulf

Arabic and English are not a translation task. Designing for both from day one produces better products for every user.

Many websites and apps in the region are designed in English and translated into Arabic at the end. The result is familiar: awkward layouts, misaligned icons and an experience that feels second-class to Arabic-speaking users.

Designing bilingually from the start avoids these problems and usually improves the product for everyone.

Principles we apply

  • Mirror the layout, not just the text. Navigation, progress indicators and directional icons should follow the reading direction.
  • Choose typefaces in pairs. Latin and Arabic fonts should share weight, rhythm and personality.
  • Allow for length. Interfaces must accommodate text that expands or contracts between languages.
  • Localise meaning. Dates, numerals, currencies and cultural references deserve as much attention as words.

A bilingual product is not twice the work when it is planned properly. It is a single, coherent system that respects every user it serves.

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