Video subtitling and localization in Arabic: a beginner's guide
Video is one of the strongest formats for reaching new audiences, and most viewers watch on mobile, often without sound. Good subtitles make the difference.
Subtitles, captions or dubbing
- Subtitles translate speech into another language.
- Captions show the speech in the same language, useful for sound-off viewing and accessibility.
- Dubbing and voice-over replace the audio, which costs more but suits some audiences.
Rules that make Arabic subtitles readable
- Keep each subtitle to one or two short lines.
- Match the reading speed: viewers must finish before the next line.
- Break lines at natural phrase boundaries.
- Use right-to-left punctuation and numbers correctly.
- Place text where it does not cover important visuals.
- Keep terminology consistent across a series.
What to send us
- The video or the script and timecodes
- Source and target languages
- Terminology and brand names that must stay unchanged
- The platform: social media, website, training portal or TV
Tip
Translate on-screen text, titles and calls to action as well, not only the speech.
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