Translating into Arabic: challenges and opportunities

traduzioni verso l'arabo

More than 450 million people in the world speak Arabic, with 274 million speaking modern Arabic.  Being able to reach out to such a broad spectrum of people could be amazingly beneficial for your business, especially in view of the significant increase in the buying power that some countries and communities of emigrants hold. Let’s have a look at the most common variations of Arabic and the main sectors of interest.

Arabic: dialects and main differences

Arabic is one of the oldest languages in the world and has undergone a number of changes throughout the centuries. Classical Arabic – which is used in sacred texts – has seen a lot of variation: modern standard Arabic and a number of dialects in countries where Arabic is spoken. Modern Standard Arabic is the official language of the countries that are part of the League of Arab States. In short, it is considered the purest form and is spoken, understood and accepted in most Arab-speaking countries. Over the centuries and with the diffusion of Arabic across the regions comprising the Arabic peninsula, several dialects have developed. The most commonly spoken are:    

  • Egyptian Arabic, which is deemed to be eloquent and is used in official capacities and in literature, as well as on TV and in films;
  • Moroccan Arabic, which was strongly influenced by the Berber languages;
  • Levantine, which is the closest to classical Arabic, spoken in Lebanon, Syria and Jordan;
  • Maghrebi, which is spoken in the Maghreb area and has been exposed to many different influences due to the number of invasions affecting the area;
  • Tunisian and Libyan Arabic, which were influenced by Italian due to their geographical proximity and their historic links throughout time.

Arabic has had an influence on other countries too, mixing together with other types of languages (the so called non-Semitic languages) that do not adopt the Arabic alphabet (or its evolution), such as Urdu in Pakistan, Farsi in Iran and Jawi in Malaysia. Moreover, due to its widespread diffusion in numerous countries, Arabic has a variant, called standard Arabic, as a common language for speakers of different forms of Arabic so they may communicate with one another.   

Now let’s find out which economic areas are of most interest to the Arab public.

Translating into Arabic: strategic sectors

Let’s discover the main sectors for translation into the Arabic language.

Wine. Islam prohibits alcohol and in some countries it is practically never consumed, however some regions, such as the Mediterranean, have seen a rising interest in wine over the last few years.  Translating into Arabic for this sector allows you to reach out to a broader market and could lead to new business opportunities.

Olive oil. Arab countries in the Mediterranean play a key role when it comes to the consumption of olive oil, with Egypt and Algeria being the main consumers in the area and Morocco and Tunisia the main producers. Two Middle Eastern countries, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, have both seen a significant increase in investments in the olive oil sector.

Migration. More than 274 million people speak Modern Arabic, and 240 are mother tongue speakers. In this context, there are many, many people who live and work abroad who need to translate and legalize official, personal and/or company documents. 

Human rights. Globally there are many humanitarian associations that want to spread the message of justice, peace and inclusion. Translating institutional videos, communications campaigns and press releases into Arabic would increase the target recipients across all corners of the world.

Luxury goods. As mentioned, some Arab-speaking countries are experiencing important economic growth and development and that has led to an increased interest in high-value products and goods. Marketing your products using the language of potential purchasers is a sure way to attract greater interest and raise brand awareness.

Food. Western cuisine is loved by everyone, including in Arab countries. Being able to sell your products to this market, directly reaching buyers will undoubtedly increase the volume of exportations and the presence on the market of a public who are becoming increasingly more sophisticated and interested in Western food produce.

Why Traducendo is the best choice for translating into Arabic

As we have seen, Arabic has a number of forms and dialects. Using a trusted translation agency such as Traducendo Ltd ensures your content is effective, accurate and will be understood irrespective of the cultural differences between the target countries. Do you want to make sure your translations in Arabic are in safe hands? Contact us for a quote.

Would you like us to contact you to discuss your project and answer your queries?

Enter your details and our team will be in touch as soon as possible. Note that this could be from our WhatsApp number +356 7922 2886, from our phone number +39 351 73 66 493 or via email traducendo@traducendo.net.