How to Translate and Localize LibreOffice

LibreOffice is used by millions worldwide, and its availability in over a hundred languages is made possible through dedicated volunteer contributors. This article outlines the step-by-step process for getting involved in the LibreOffice localization (l10n) and translation community, explaining the primary translation platform, the types of content available for translation, quality standards, and how to connect with language teams.

Understanding the Translation Platform

LibreOffice uses an online platform called Weblate to manage the translation of its user interface and help documentation. Weblate allows contributors to translate strings directly in a web browser without needing to download specialized software or edit raw code files.

Steps to Get Started

1. Create an Account: Visit the official LibreOffice Weblate portal and register a free account. You can sign up using an email address or link an existing third-party authentication provider.
2. Select Your Language: Navigate to the languages section and locate your native or target language. Each language dashboard displays translation progress, remaining untranslated strings, and strings requiring review.
3. Choose a Component: Focus on specific parts of the software. The two primary areas are:
   • User Interface (UI): Menus, dialog boxes, tooltips, and buttons.
   • Help Content: In-depth documentation, guides, and extended help texts.
4. Submit Translations or Suggestions: Depending on your account level, you can submit direct translations or propose suggestions for existing translators and language team coordinators to review.

Translation Best Practices

• Maintain Consistency: Follow established glossaries and existing terminology to ensure consistent phrasing across the entire application.
• Preserve Variables and Markup: Do not translate technical placeholders, variables (such as %1 or $variable), shortcuts (marked with ~), or XML/HTML tags embedded within the text.
• Understand Context: Use the provided context comments and screenshots within Weblate to understand where a string appears in the interface before translating it.

Requesting a New Language

If your language is not currently available on the platform, you can request its addition by reaching out to the LibreOffice Localization team. Adding a new language requires establishing a translation team and providing standard language codes (such as ISO codes).

Connecting with the Community

Volunteers are encouraged to join the official LibreOffice Localization mailing list and community chat channels. Communicating with language leads helps avoid duplicate work, resolves terminology questions, and coordinates review cycles before major software releases.