--- name: kobo-translation description: "Translation and localization guidelines for KoboToolbox content in French, Spanish, and Arabic. Use when translating KoboToolbox materials including: (1) Academy courses and educational content, (2) User interface text and documentation, (3) Support articles, (4) Marketing materials, (5) Form building terminology, or (6) XLSForm technical terms. Covers tone, pronouns (tú/usted, tu/vous), gender-inclusive language, and official translations for brand terms and UI elements." --- # KoboToolbox Translation & Localization ## Overview Translate KoboToolbox content in French, Spanish, and Arabic with consistent terminology, appropriate tone, and cultural adaptation. **📹 For Video Subtitles/Transcripts:** If you're translating SRT subtitle files, use the **[kobo-translation-srt](../kobo-translation-srt/SKILL.md)** skill extension which includes all base rules plus subtitle-specific guidelines for character limits, spoken language, and chunked translation. **Translation approach:** For **NEW FILES** (full translation): - Translate the complete source document provided - Use consistent terminology for reliable, repeatable translations - Follow all guidelines in this skill document For **UPDATES** (diff-based translation): - You will receive ONLY the changed content from the source document - Translate ONLY what is provided between the markers - Do NOT translate anything outside the markers - Do NOT add explanations or extra content - Output ONLY the translated version of the diff content - The system will automatically merge your translation with the existing translated file **Why diff-based?** LLMs are non-deterministic, so re-translating an entire document produces slightly different results each time, creating "translation noise" in git diffs. By translating only actual changes, we preserve manual reviewer improvements and reduce unnecessary churn. ## 🚨 CRITICAL: Pre-Translation Checklist **BEFORE starting translation, read these reference files:** 1. **[brand-terminology.md](references/brand-terminology.md)** - For server names, Question Library, Formbuilder, and ALL brand terms 2. **[ui-terminology.md](references/ui-terminology.md)** - For button names, tabs, and capitalization rules **Common mistakes to avoid:** - ❌ Translating server names incorrectly (missing articles or adding extra words) - ❌ Not including English term on first reference for Formbuilder - ❌ Missing capital article for "Question Library" / "La bibliothèque de questions" / "La biblioteca de preguntas" - ❌ Not capitalizing UI terms like "Brouillon" / "Borrador" - ❌ Using "de" article when it shouldn't be there in French data management terms ## Quick Reference **Translation types:** - **OFFICIAL** - Must use EXACT translation character-for-character (brand terms, UI elements, XLSForm terms) - **Preferred** - Can adapt for context (general terminology, course content) **Key principles:** - **ALWAYS check brand-terminology.md FIRST** before translating any brand-related terms - Prioritize localization over literal translation - Use gender-inclusive language - Maintain consistency with KoboToolbox UI - Apply appropriate formality level (vous/tu, usted/tú) ## Common Translation Pitfalls ### ⚠️ Brand Terms - Most Frequent Errors | ❌ WRONG | ✅ CORRECT | Notes | |---------|-----------|-------| | **Spanish:** Servidor Global de KoboToolbox | **Servidor Global** | Do NOT add "de KoboToolbox" | | **Spanish:** Servidor de la Unión Europea | **Servidor con sede en la Unión Europea** | Use full official name | | **French:** serveur KoboToolbox mondial | **Le serveur KoboToolbox mondial** | Must include definite article "Le" (capitalized) | | **French:** serveur Union européenne | **Le serveur KoboToolbox Union européenne** | Include article AND "KoboToolbox" | | **Spanish:** la biblioteca de preguntas | **La biblioteca de preguntas** | Capital "L" for brand feature | | **French:** la bibliothèque de questions | **La bibliothèque de questions** | Capital "L" for brand feature | ### ⚠️ First Reference Rule - Frequently Missed **Formbuilder MUST include English on first reference:** | Language | First Reference | Subsequent Uses | |----------|----------------|-----------------| | Spanish | editor de formularios de KoboToolbox (Formbuilder) | editor de formularios | | French | l'interface de création de formulaires KoboToolbox (KoboToolbox Formbuilder) | interface de création de formulaires | ### ⚠️ UI Capitalization - Often Forgotten | Term | ❌ Wrong | ✅ Correct | |------|---------|-----------| | Draft (FR) | formulaire brouillon | formulaire Brouillon | | Draft (ES) | borrador | Borrador (when in UI context) | ### ⚠️ French Article Usage | Concept | ❌ Wrong | ✅ Correct | Rule | |---------|---------|-----------|------| | Data management | gestion de données | gestion de données | NO article for general concept | | Managing your data | gérer vos données | gérer vos données | ✓ Correct | | Projects and data section title | Gestion de projets et de données | Gestion de projets et données | NO "de" before "données" in compound titles | ## Translation Workflow ### Step 0: MANDATORY First Step **🔴 STOP! Before translating anything:** 1. Identify all brand terms in the source text (KoboToolbox, servers, Question Library, Formbuilder, etc.) 2. Open **brand-terminology.md** and verify EXACT translations 3. Check **ui-terminology.md** for any UI elements (buttons, tabs, page names) 4. Note any terms requiring "English + translation" on first reference ### Step 1: Identify Content Type **Formal communications** (server announcements, formal emails): - French: Use "vous", addressee "Cher utilisateur, Chère utilisatrice" - Spanish: Use "usted", addressee "Estimado usuario/a" **User Interface**: - French: Use formal "vous" and "votre" - Spanish: Use informal "tú" **Courses and educational content** (INCLUDES SUPPORT ARTICLES): - French: Use formal "vous" (even for individuals) - Spanish: Use informal "tú", "ustedes" for plural - Examples: - FR: "Les utilisatrices et utilisateurs débutant(e)s" - ES: "Se te dirigirá" (neutral, not "serás dirigido/a") **Support articles**: - French: Use formal "vous" - Spanish: Use informal "tú" - Apply gender-inclusive language throughout **Informal communications** (social media, blogs): - Context-dependent - Generally use "vous"/"usted" for semi-formal - May use "tu"/"tú" for very informal contexts **Video subtitles/transcripts (SRT files):** - **Use the [kobo-translation-srt](../kobo-translation-srt/SKILL.md) skill extension** - All base rules apply PLUS subtitle-specific adaptations - Key differences: - XLSForm terms: English only (no translations due to character limits) - Character limits: 35-42 characters per line ideal, 50 max - Natural spoken language (more conversational than written) - Chunked translation approach to preserve context - Same formality levels as educational content (vous/tú) ### Step 2: Check Terminology Category **🚨 Brand and product terms** → See [brand-terminology.md](references/brand-terminology.md) - **OFFICIAL translations must be used EXACTLY** (KoboToolbox, Academy, User Plans, servers, Question Library, etc.) - **Pay special attention to:** - Server names (require articles in French, specific wording in both languages) - Question Library (requires capital article in both languages) - Formbuilder (requires English + translation on first reference) - KoboCollect app name format **Form building and XLSForm** → See [form-building-terms.md](references/form-building-terms.md) - Many terms must include English + translation in parentheses - Video subtitles: English only (character limits) - Examples: list_name (nom de la liste), cascading select (Sélection en cascade) **Question types and appearances** → See [question-types.md](references/question-types.md) - Question appearances in written content: English + translation - Example: "vertical, picker (sélecteur), rating (notation)" **UI terminology** → See [ui-terminology.md](references/ui-terminology.md) - **OFFICIAL translations, capitalize per UI** - Common UI terms: FORMULAIRE/FORMULARIO, DONNÉES/DATOS, Brouillon/Borrador - Flag any needed corrections in tracker **Data collection terms** → See [data-collection-terms.md](references/data-collection-terms.md) - Preferred translations, adapt for context - Special rules for management, submissions, data collection **Documentation website terms** → See [documentation-terminology.md](references/documentation-terminology.md) - Preferred translations for Help Center content - Support articles, Getting started patterns, UI element descriptions **Course and learning platform** → See [course-terminology.md](references/course-terminology.md) - Preferred translations - Context-specific adaptations allowed ### Step 3: Apply Gender-Inclusive Language **French:** - Use parenthetical markers: "utilisateur(rice)s", "débutant(e)s" - Use double forms: "Les utilisatrices et utilisateurs" - Course subtitles: "Vous serez redirigé(e)" **Spanish:** - **Strongly prefer neutral constructions:** "Se te dirigirá" instead of "serás dirigido/a" - **Use double forms for nouns:** "los/as usuarios/as", "las/os participantes" - When no neutral option exists, use masculine: "los usuarios" - **Apply throughout:** Every mention of users/people should be inclusive **Arabic:** [To be specified based on project needs] ### Step 4: Handle Technical Terms **XLSForm and form building terms that must stay in English:** - Written content: English followed by translation in parentheses on first use - Video subtitles: English only - Examples: - list_name (nom de la liste) - XML values (valeurs XML) - data column name (nom du champ) **Cascading select components:** Always include English + translation approach: ``` "Pour chaque liste d'options, remplissez la colonne list_name (nom de la liste)." ``` ## Core Translation Principles **Localization over literal translation:** - Adapt idioms and expressions naturally - Maintain technical accuracy - Ensure clarity for new users **Consistency:** - Use same term for same concept throughout - Align with KoboToolbox UI terminology - Flag UI terminology corrections in tracker **Formatting:** - Maintain spacing, paragraphs, structure when possible - Use concise sentences - Follow target language punctuation conventions - Avoid slang: "gonna" → "going to" - **Convert HTML heading tags to markdown format:** `

` → `##`, `

` → `###`, etc. - Preserve all other HTML tags and attributes (iframe, section, etc.) - Keep markdown link syntax intact - Don't translate image paths or URLs **Acronyms:** - First use: Full translation followed by acronym in parentheses - If no common translated acronym exists, use English acronym - Example FR: "l'Agence des Nations Unies pour les réfugiés (HCNUR)" - Example ES: "Agencia de las Naciones Unidas para los refugiados (ACNUR)" **Plain language:** - Technical content must be beginner-friendly - Avoid unnecessary jargon - Prioritize clarity **Natural language flow:** - Don't force English sentence structure - Adapt word order to target language conventions - Use natural expressions, not literal translations ## Common Translation Patterns ### HTML and Markdown Elements **Preserve HTML structure:** - Keep all HTML tags intact EXCEPT heading tags: `