Translating a WordPress Theme: Step-by-Step Guide
Introduction
One of the many strengths of WordPress lies in its global reach and versatility across multiple languages. If you’re aiming to cater to a diverse audience or localize your site for a particular region, translating your WordPress theme is paramount. Here’s a comprehensive guide to walk you through the process step-by-step.
1. Preparation
Before diving in, it’s important to ensure you have the right tools and environment set up:
a. Choose a Translatable Theme: Ensure your theme is “translation-ready”. This means it supports internationalization and can be easily translated into other languages.
b. Tools Needed: Download and install a text editor (like Notepad++ or Sublime Text) and Poedit, a popular translation software.
2. Find the Theme’s Language Files
a. Navigate to Your Theme Directory: Typically, it’s in wp-content/themes/your-theme-name/.
b. Look for the Languages Folder: Inside, you should find .pot (Portable Object Template) files, which are templates for translations.
3. Create a New Translation
a. Open Poedit and choose “Create new translation.”
b. Select the Theme’s .pot File: This will serve as the base for your translation.
c. Choose Language: Specify the language into which you want to translate.
4. Start Translating
In Poedit:
a. Source Text: On the left, you’ll see the source text from the .pot file.
b. Translation Column: On the right, input the corresponding translation.
c. Save Your Work Regularly: When saving, Poedit will create two files: .po (Portable Object) and .mo (Machine Object). Ensure you keep both.
5. Naming the Translation Files Correctly
The files should be named based on the language code (e.g., es_ES for Spanish, fr_FR for French). If translating a theme named “MyTheme” into Spanish, the files should be named MyTheme-es_ES.po and MyTheme-es_ES.mo.
6. Upload the Translation Files
a. Connect to Your Website using an FTP client.
b. Navigate to the Theme’s Languages Directory (wp-content/themes/your-theme-name/languages/).
c. Upload Both .po and .mo Files to this directory.
7. Configure WordPress to Use the Translations
a. Go to WordPress Dashboard.
b. Navigate to Settings > General.
c. Set the ‘Site Language’ to the language you’ve translated your theme into.
d. Save Changes.
8. Test the Translations
a. Visit Your Website: Ensure that the translated strings are displaying correctly.
b. Check for Consistency: Ensure the translations fit the context and the design. Adjust if any translations are too long or don’t fit well.
9. Updating Translations
Over time, the theme may receive updates, and new strings might be added:
a. Open Your .po File in Poedit.
b. Click on “Update” to fetch any new strings from the .pot file.
c. Translate the New Strings and save.
Conclusion
Translating a WordPress theme might seem daunting initially, but with the right tools and a systematic approach, it’s straightforward. Localizing your theme not only enhances user experience but also broadens your site’s reach and accessibility. So, take the plunge and make your WordPress site truly global.