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Translation App Guide

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Table of Contents Introduction ......................................................................... 4

Getting started ..................................................................... 4

Main areas ........................................................................... 5

Search ............................................................................................................................................................. 5

Translation activity overview ................................................................................................................ 6

Useful links ................................................................................................................................................... 7

Leaderboards ............................................................................................................................................... 7

Translation app feedback ...................................................................................................................... 8

Translation community ........................................................................................................................... 8

Translating with the app ......................................................... 9

Tokens .......................................................................................................................................................... 10

Variations (applicable to some languages only) ....................................................................... 11

Number ................................................................................................................................................................ 11

Gender .................................................................................................................................................................. 12

Viewing user ...................................................................................................................................................... 13

Subject .................................................................................................................................................................. 13

Multiple variations in one string .............................................................................................................. 14

How to use variations? ................................................................................................................................. 15

Attributes (applicable to some languages only) ....................................................................... 16

Using an attribute for a token that will be replaced by a name ............................................. 18

Using an attribute for a token that will be replaced by a noun or a phrase .................... 18

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Special characters before tokens ..................................................................................................... 19

Inline translations ................................................................ 20

Voting with the app ............................................................. 21

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Introduction

Created: May 2014

Volunteer translators make it possible for us to make Facebook available in

many languages around the world. First of all, thank you for your interest and

contributions. You are helping to make Facebook accessible to a lot of

people!

The purpose of this guide is to show you how to use the translation app and

introduce its main features. We hope you will enjoy using the app!

Getting started

To get started with translations go to https://www.facebook.com/translations.

Select the language you are going to translate into. Note that once you set a

language you can only change to another language after 30 days. Please also

change the language you are using Facebook in to the language you are

translating into. This will enable you to see your translations in context to

check their accuracy. If there’s a mismatch between those settings you will see

the following message in the translation app:

https://www.facebook.com/translations

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Main areas

The main part of the screen is the translations pane where you can enter

translations or vote for existing translations. If you have a preference for

voting vs. translation you can click either the Vote or Translate link at the top

of the page.

At the top of the page there’s also an Edit Settings link where you can

change your translation language setting (every 30 days). You can also choose

to hide your activity from the community so your name doesn’t show on the

leaderboard.

Search

At the top of the right pane you can search for strings either by source

(English) or translation. You might find it useful to open a separate window

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for search otherwise it might be difficult to get back to the string you were

working on.

Translation activity overview

Under the search bar you can find a ticker that tracks your translation and

voting activity over time.

As you submit more translations and votes you can also earn awards.

Clicking View All will take you to the awards page where you can see a

summary of your awards. You can currently earn 9 awards, some of which are

shown in the image below:

Translation awards: After translating 50, 500 and 5000 strings

Voting awards: After voting on 50, 500 and 5000 strings

Publisher awards: After 100, 500 and 1000 words displayed

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You’ll see a lock icon for any awards you haven’t earned yet. It might take a

day or two for newly earned awards to show.

Useful links

In the right bar you’ll also find the Useful Translations Links section that

includes links to the glossary and style guide for your language and a list of

FAQs.

Leaderboards

On the right side you’ll see a list of the top contributors for your language in

the current week. If you click View All, you can see the different leaderboards

and you can see how many translations and votes were contributed by the

translators on the leaderboard.

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The leaderboards we have today show the top contributors in the current

week, month and since translation started for the given language. Total

impact is calculated based on the number of words submitted that were

approved either by an administrator or auto-approved through up-votes from

other translators.

Translations have a heavier weight than votes in our leaderboard calculations.

Translation app feedback

This area has a link to answers to the frequently asked questions as well as to

forms that let you report problems with the translation app or report incorrect

translations in strings that are no longer open for editing. The problems you

submit are sent to the Facebook translations team and someone will get in

touch with you about your report.

You will also find a link to the Translation App Terms of Service in this section.

Translation community

This section includes a link to the discussion group that was created for your

language and you will also see some of the most recent posts in the group

(you can even comment on them from here). These discussion groups were

created to facilitate discussions related to translation and voting activities. You

can use the group to ask questions to other translators, make suggestions or

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report issues. If you’d like attention from the Facebook team, please make

sure you write in English and tag us (Facebook Translations Team) in your

post. Please limit discussions to the topic of translations in your language or

to the translation app.

Translating with the app

If you have a preference for translation work you can select Translate at the

top of the page. Otherwise you will be presented with a mix of strings

requiring votes and translations.

For every string you will see the English source in bold followed by a short

description that gives some context on how the string is displayed. To provide

the first translation for a string all you have to do is type your translation into

the Translate into [language] field and click the Translate button. To help

you with the translations and keep the main terms consistent, you’ll also find

the applicable glossary entries listed. Please use the glossary translations as

provided. If you don’t agree with the translations, post a comment in the

community discussion group or file a “bad translation” ticket.

https://www.facebook.com/FacebookTranslationsTeam

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Tokens

Lots of strings contain tokens or variables that are replaced automatically

when they show on Facebook. These tokens are shown in curly braces.

As a general rule, tokens that contain an equality (=) sign before the text

included between the braces will be replaced by those same words, while

tokens that do not contain the equality sign will be replaced by a variable

item. In this string, {name} will be replaced by the name of a person and

{=link} will be replaced by the word “link” that is translated as a separate

string. An example for the string that’s actually displayed:

Facebook Translations Team shared a link.

You can only submit a translation if it contains all the tokens that are present

in the source text. To help you ensure that you are inserting them all, you can

click them from the token list that shows under the translation field.

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Variations (applicable to some languages only)

Variations are used when the item that will eventually replace the token

influences the translation of the rest of the phrase. There are four types of

variations: two related to tokens and two more that don’t actually involve

tokens. This feature is only available for certain languages. If it’s not currently

enabled for your language, but you think it should be, please contact us by

filing a “Report bugs with the translation app” ticket here.

Number

Number variations are used if the token will be replaced by a number, and

the rest of the phrase depends on what number the token is replaced with.

Example: You like {number} photos.

For some languages, the translation that eventually shows on the screen will

have to be different if {number} is 1, 0, 01-19 or 20-100, 120-200, etc. So the

translation has to vary according to the number in the token. When you apply

https://www.facebook.com/help/contact/343774988984861

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number variations, the original string will become three separate strings

derived from the original one. Each variation string has a specific description

describing what type of number will replace the token {number}, so you can

type in the correct translation.

Number variation should only be applied to strings in which the {number} or

{name count} token is on its own, not embedded together with other text.

OK to use number variation:

{number} people use this

Not OK to use number variation:

{name1} ,{name2} and {name count other people} like your {=post}

Gender

Gender variations are used when a token will be replaced by someone’s name.

They are necessary because a name has a gender (female, male, unknown),

and this gender might influence the rest of the translated phrase.

Example: {name1} marked you safe during {crisis}

When you apply gender variations, three new variation strings will be created

based on the original. For each of them, the gender for {name1} is specified in

the description of a variation string description, so you can translate

accordingly.

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Note: Facebook has the option of “unknown gender” because some people

don’t specify their gender. Also some Page names are considered “unknown

gender”. Translation solutions for this situation vary for different languages.

Viewing user

This type of variation does not actually involve tokens. In this case, the

translated phrase is influenced by the gender of the viewer who sees the

translation on screen.

Example: You were invited to an event.

For some languages the translation of the verb “invited” needs to reflect the

viewer’s gender. If you apply this variation, the original string will split in three

(the person view it might be female, male or of an unknown gender). You can

then insert the three translations.

Subject

Subject variations are used when the subject of the phrase is not the person

viewing it, but it still does influence the translation of the phrase.

Example: Invited by you yesterday.

The translation of the verb “invite” might need to be adjusted according to

the gender of the invitee.

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Note 1: Unfortunately, subject variations only work in some places, such as

Timeline. Try to avoid using this option. If you really need to use it, you can

ask for a confirmation in the Admin Group, to make sure it will work. If it

doesn’t work, the translated string will show by default using the variation for

unknown gender.

Note 2: Do not confuse subject variations and the viewing user variations.

Whenever the viewing user is also the subject of the phrase, use the viewing

user variations.

Multiple variations in one string

You might see strings for which you need to apply variations not for just one

token, but for two or even three.

Example: {name} was tagged in this photo {hours} hours and {minutes}

minutes ago.

The {hours} and {minutes} tokens will be replaced by the respective number of

hours and minutes. You need to apply number variations for both. You also

need to apply gender variations for {name}. As a result, you end up with two

number variations and a gender variation, three in total.

If you apply number variations for one token in a string, you’ll get 3 variation

strings. If you do it for two tokens, the number increases to 9, and for three

tokens to 27. You cannot expand the string into more than 27 total. If the

number goes above 27 the variations will be disabled.

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How to use variations?

If your language is enabled with these features you can see a version of the

following under applicable strings:

Once you click the link, the following dialog will appear

Select the applicable checkboxes and click Save to generate a number of

alternate strings for translation. Please make sure you only select the

checkboxes that are necessary, otherwise you’ll generate a lot of unnecessary

strings. You’ll be presented with the list of strings to be translated:

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If you realize that too many unnecessary variations were created select the

Change options link above the variations and unselect the checkboxes that

are not needed. Then click Save again.

Attributes (applicable to some languages only)

Attributes can be used when the rest of the translated phrase influences the

item that will replace the token. Attributes work differently than variations.

This feature is only available for certain languages. If it is not currently

enabled for your language, but you think it should be, please contact us by

filing a “Report bugs with the translation app” ticket here.


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If attributes are activated for your language, then you can edit any token by

adding a special string of characters inside the token. Such a string of

characters is called an “attribute”.

If you place the cursor at the end of a token (after the closing curly brace “}”),

and then press backspace, a drop-down with all the attributes available for

your language will show on screen, allowing you to select an attribute (see

the screenshot below). Once you select the attribute you need, it will be

added to the token and you can continue translating.

This screenshot shows three attributes available for Romanian. The last item

on the list is just the token itself. Attributes may vary from language to

language.

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Using an attribute for a token that will be replaced by a name

Some tokens clearly indicate that they will be replaced by peoples’ names,

such as: {name}, {user}, {owner}, {owner name}. For some languages and some

translations, dative or genitive concordance might be needed for the names

that replace these tokens.

Example: {name} likes a photo.

If the name that will replace {name} needs to be displayed not in the

nominative case, but in dative case, you can edit the token and add the

attribute related to the dative case. The edited token will look approximately

like this:

{name # Case: dative} likes a photo.

After you add the attribute, the attribute will activate an automated

replacement function that changes person’s name before displaying it on

screen.

Using an attribute for a token that will be replaced by a noun

or a phrase

Some tokens will be replaced by the translation of the exact word or phrase

found inside the token. (You can learn more about this in section “The

equality sign ‘=’ in tokens”.)

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Example: The {=photo} has been deleted.

In the example above, for some languages, the definite article “The” translates

into a suffix added to the word “photo”. This means that the translation itself

needs to reflect this definite article. Adding an attribute will do nothing to

that kind of token. This means there should be another string, “photo”, that

needs to be translated and for which the definite article attribute is specified.

You can see this other string in the screenshot below. Circled in red is the

type of attribute requested. Translated into English, it reads “Form: definite

article”.

The word entered as a translation for this string will be used to replace

{=photo # Definite article} token used in the example above, when the string

is shown on screen.

Special characters before tokens

When working with tokens you can place one of two characters, caret “^” or

underscore “_”, right before the first curly brace:

• The character “^” will help get the first letter of the word or phrase

that replaces the token into an upper case letter

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• The character “_” will help change the word or phrase that replaces

the token to lower case

Example: You posted this in {month}.

In this string {month} will be replaced by the name of a month. If you would

like to make sure that the first letter of the name of the month is lowercase,

insert the “_” character before it

You posted this in _{month}.

Or to ensure that it’s uppercase, use “^”

You posted this in ^{month}.

Inline translations

When a language is still new on Facebook and few strings are translated we

recommend using inline translations so that you can view strings you are

translating in context. To turn on inline translations, go to the bottom of a

Facebook page and look for the globe icon in the bottom right corner. Click

the icon and select Turn on inline translating.

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With inline translations turned on, strings that do not yet have an approved

translation will be underlined by red. In the first example below no translation

has been submitted yet, so the string is displayed in English. If you right-click

on the underlined string, the translation dialog appears and you can type in

your translation. In the second example there is already a translation available.

If you right-click on the underlined string you will be able to vote for the

available translations or submit a new one.

Strings that are not underlined are either approved already or are not

supported by the inline translation feature. If you find a mistake in a string

you are not able to edit, please file a ticket here.

Voting with the app

If you have a preference for voting, select Vote at the top of the page or go

directly to https://www.facebook.com/?sk=translations&view=voting.


https://www.facebook.com/?sk=translations&view=voting

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Otherwise you will be presented with a mix of strings requiring votes and

translations.

You will be presented with a list of strings that already have translations. You

will see the source English string followed by a short description that gives

some context on how the string is displayed. To vote for the best translation,

click the checkmark next to that translation. If you find a bad translation, click

the “x”. Only click the “x” if the translation is incorrect or offensive, not

merely if it contains some mistakes.

Only the top 5 translations are displayed. If a string has more than 5

translations, you can review them by clicking on the {count} More link.

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If none of the translations are accurate and you’d like to provide a new one,

click + New translation and type the correct translation. You can also copy

and edit an existing translation by clicking on it.

Once a translation receives enough votes to be approved, it no longer

appears in the translation app.

Thank you for your contributions to Facebook translations. We hope you have

fun and enjoy using the site in the language you are translating into!

proposal penting

Food

translation app feedback

translation community

translation activity

variations applicable

multiple variations

attributes applicable

main areas

useful links