Bilingual Website Design: Getting Arabic and English Right

Introduction

In Egypt and the Gulf, many companies speak to two audiences at once. Local customers often prefer Arabic. Meanwhile, partners, expats and overseas buyers often read English. So a site in only one language leaves part of your market behind.

Yet adding a second language is not just a matter of pasting in a translation. Arabic reads from right to left, uses different fonts and often runs longer or shorter than English. This guide explains what to plan, so both versions feel native.

Why Choose a Bilingual Website Design?

A site in both languages helps you reach more people. It also shows respect for your readers, because they can use the language they think in.

For example, a bilingual site can help you:

• Win local customers who search in Arabic
• Serve partners and buyers who read English
• Meet tender or government needs for Arabic content
• Rank in search results for both languages

That is why many of the sites in our portfolio run in both languages. For instance, the sites for Kreston Egypt and LexPro each have an Arabic and an English version.

Right-to-Left Layout in Website Design

Arabic pages read from right to left. So the whole layout must flip, not just the text. The logo, menu, sidebar and icons move to the other side.

Arrows need care too. A "next" arrow points right in English but left in Arabic. On the other hand, some items should not flip, such as logos, phone numbers and video play buttons.

The good news is that modern HTML and CSS handle much of this. First, set the page language and direction in the HTML. Then, use layout rules that follow the text direction rather than fixed left and right values. The W3C guide to right-to-left text explains the details.

Choose Fonts Made for Arabic

Many popular English fonts have no Arabic letters. As a result, the browser swaps in a default Arabic font that may not match your brand. Instead, pick a font family designed for Arabic, or a pair of fonts that look good together.

Also, Arabic letters often need a slightly larger size and more line spacing to read well on screen. Test your headings and body text on a phone, not only on a large monitor.

Finally, watch the file size. Arabic fonts can be heavy, and large font files slow the page down. So load only the weights you really use.

Plan for Different Text Lengths

The same message can be longer in one language than in the other. So a button label that fits in English may wrap in Arabic, or the other way round.

For this reason, avoid fixed-width boxes for text. Let buttons, cards and menus grow with their content. In addition, test long words and long headings in both languages before launch.

Translation vs Localization

A word-for-word translation often sounds stiff. Localization goes further. It adapts the message, the examples and the tone for each audience.

For example, formal pages often use Modern Standard Arabic. Meanwhile, social posts and ads may use a lighter, more local tone. Likewise, a term common in Cairo may be less common in Doha or Muscat.

So work with a skilled translator, and ask a native speaker to review the final pages. Machine translation can speed up a first draft. Still, it should never go live without a careful human review.

URL Structure for a Bilingual Website

Each language should have its own URL. That way, people can share the right page, and search engines can index both versions. There are three common setups:

• A subfolder, such as example.com/ar/
• Subdomains, such as ar.example.com
• Separate domains, one for each language

For most businesses, a subfolder is the simplest choice. It keeps both versions on one domain, so they share the same authority. In fact, this site uses that setup: every English page has an Arabic twin under /ar/.

Make the Language Switcher Easy to Find

Put the language switcher in the header, where people expect it. Then label each option in its own language, such as "العربية" and "English".

Also, the switcher should open the same page in the other language, not the home page. Otherwise, a reader on a service page loses their place.

Avoid forcing a language based on location alone. A visitor in Cairo may prefer English, while one in London may read Arabic. So you can suggest a language, but always let people choose.

SEO for a Bilingual Website Design

Search engines need to know that your two pages are versions of each other. You can tell them with hreflang tags. These tags link each page to its twin in the other language. Google's guide to localized versions shows how to set them up.

Beyond that, give each version its own title, meta description and image alt text in the right language. Then research keywords in both languages, because people search in different ways. Our guide to ranking for Arabic searches covers this in depth.

Images, Icons and Video in Two Languages

Images often carry words too. For example, a banner with English text on it will look out of place on the Arabic page. So keep text out of images where you can, and use real page text on top instead. That way, it can be translated, and search engines can read it.

Some photos also need a second look. A person looking or pointing toward the text may face the wrong way once the layout flips. In that case, use a mirrored or different photo for the Arabic page.

Video needs subtitles or a voice-over in each language. Likewise, any PDF, brochure or price list you link to should exist in both versions, or at least say which language it is in.

Forms, Numbers and Dates

Forms need special care. Labels, error messages and success messages must appear in the right language. Plus, text fields should follow the page direction, while email and phone fields usually stay left to right.

Numbers and dates need a decision too. Some brands show Western digits on both versions, while others use Arabic-Indic digits on the Arabic site. Either way, pick one rule and use it everywhere.

Keep Both Versions in Sync

A common problem appears after launch. The team updates the English page but forgets the Arabic one. Soon, the two versions tell different stories.

To prevent this, choose a content system that links each page to its twin. Then make translation part of every update. For example, no change goes live until both languages are ready.

Test Every Page in Both Languages

Before launch, test each template in both directions. In particular, check menus, sliders, tables, forms and pop-ups. These parts break most often when the direction flips.

Also, test on real phones. A layout that works on a laptop may overflow on a small screen once Arabic text is added.

Conclusion: Planning a Bilingual Website Design

A good site in two languages feels native in each one. To get there, plan the right-to-left layout, pick fonts made for Arabic, localize the text and give each page its own URL and tags.

Above all, plan both languages from the start. Adding Arabic later is possible, but it usually costs more. If you are planning a new site, our web development team can help you build both versions together.