Urdu (Pakistan) style guide¶

Voice¶

Three principles: warm and relaxed; crisp and clear; ready to lend a hand.
Write for scanning first, reading second. Make it simple above all.
Keep the audience in mind. Use technical terms for technical audiences. Use common words and phrases for consumers.
Write short, easy-to-read sentences.
Avoid the passive voice. It is hard to read and understand quickly.
Be pleasant. Make explanations individualized and enjoyable to read.
Avoid slang. Be careful with colloquialisms. A conversational tone is fine, but stay professional.
Avoid overusing company, brand or product names and logos. Refer to names correctly.
Avoid the corporate we, such as We’re proud to introduce… or We want you to know. Keep the focus on you, the reader.
Choose words and grammatical structures that reflect the style of the source. Consider the needs of the audience and the intent of the text.
Keep the general style clear, friendly and concise. Use language that resembles everyday conversation, not formal technical language.
Non-standard translations are allowed where they stay true to the intent of the source.
Do not translate literally. Consider the intent and what the customer needs to know to complete the task.

Word choice¶

Use approved terminology for key terms, technical terms, and product names.
Prefer short, simple, everyday words. Short words save screen space and read faster.
App: use app instead of application or program.
Pick, choose: use pick in fun, less formal, light-weight situations (pick a color, not choose a color). Use choose for more formal situations. Do not use select unless the UI requires it.
Drive: use for any drive type (hard drive, drive, external hard drive). Use a specific drive type if necessary.
Get: fine as a synonym for obtain or come into possession of. Avoid it for other general meanings.
Info: use in most situations unless information fits the context better. Use info when you point the reader elsewhere (for more info, see <link>).
PC: use for personal computing devices. Use computer for situations about PCs and Macs.
You: address the user as you, directly or indirectly, with first- and second-person pronouns. Avoid third-person references such as user. They sound formal and impersonal.
Urdu forms no abbreviations or acronyms productively. Unlike English, Urdu does not use short word forms. Transliterate any source abbreviation or acronym, or give the Urdu equivalents of the words it stands for.
en Info -> ur معلومات
en App -> ur ایپ
en PC -> ur PC

Words and phrases to avoid¶

These English words add formality without meaning. Use the preferred equivalent.
Achieve -> Do
As well as -> Also, too
Attempt -> Try
Configure -> Set up
Encounter -> Meet
Execute -> Run
Halt -> Stop
Have an opportunity -> Can
However -> But
Give/provide guidance, give/provide information -> Help
In addition -> Also
In conjunction with -> With
Locate -> Find
Make a recommendation -> Recommend
Modify -> Change
Navigate -> Go
Obtain -> Get
Perform -> Do
Purchase -> Buy
Refer to -> See
Resolve -> Fix
Subsequent -> Next
Suitable -> Works well
Terminate -> End
Toggle -> Switch
Utilize -> Use
Avoid these Urdu words and phrases. Their tone is too formal. Use the modern equivalent.
en Most of verb endings: classic کیجئے -> modern کریں
en Go: classic تشریف لے جائیے -> modern جائیں
en Install: classic تنصیب فرمائیے -> modern تنصیب کریں/نصب کریں
en If you don’t mind: classic اگر طبع نازک پر گراں نہ گزرے -> modern اگر آپ کو برا نہ لگے
en Note: classic ملاحظہ فرمائیے -> modern نوٹ
en Make use: classic متففع ہوں -> modern استعمال کریں
en Follow advice: classic پند و نصائح پر عمل کیجئے -> modern نصیحت پر عمل کریں
en Important information: classic گراں قدر معلومات -> modern اہم معلومات
en Too much: classic بدرجہ اتم -> modern بہت زیادہ

Sample voice text¶

Address the user to take action: en The password isn’t correct, so please try again. Passwords are case-sensitive. -> ur پاس ورڈ درست نہیں ہے، اس لیے دوبارہ کوشش کریں۔ پاس ورڈز حرفی شکل شناس ہیں۔ Give a short, friendly message with the action to try again.
en This product key didn’t work. Please check it and try again. -> ur یہ کلید مصنوعہ کارآمد نہیں۔ اس کی پڑتال کریں اور دوبارہ کوشش کریں Ask casually and politely.
en All ready to go -> ur آغاز کے لیے سب کچھ تیار ہے Casual and short, tells the user setup is complete.
en Would you like to continue? -> ur کیا آپ جاری رکھنا چاہیں گے؟ Second-person pronoun, politely asking.
en Give your PC a name—any name you want. If you want to change the background color, turn high contrast off in PC settings. -> ur اپنے PC کو نام دیں — جو چاہیں نام دیں۔ اگر آپ پس منظر کا رنگ تبدیل کرنا چاہتے ہیں تو PC سیٹنگ میں اعلی چمک کو بند کریں۔ Address the user directly with the second-person pronoun.
Promoting a feature: en Picture password is a new way to help you protect your touchscreen PC. You choose the picture—and the gestures you use with it—to create a password that’s uniquely yours. -> ur تصویری پاس ورڈ آپ کے ٹچ سکرین PC کو محفوظ رکھنے میں آپ کی مدد کرنے کا نیا طریقہ ہے۔ آپ ایسا پاس ورڈ تخلیق کرنے کے لیے جو انفرادی طور پر آپ کا ہے تصویر – اور وہ اشارے جو آپ اس کے ساتھ استعمال کرتے ہیں – کا انتخاب کرتے ہیں۔ The em dash emphasizes the specific requirements to enable the feature.
en Let apps give you personalized content based on your PC’s location, name, account picture, and other domain info. -> ur ایپس کو اپنے PCکے مقام، نام، اکاؤنٹ کی تصویر، اور دیگر ڈومین کی معلومات پر منحصر ذاتی بنایا گیا مواد آپ کو دینے دیں۔ Depending on context add familiarity with everyday words such as PC.
Providing how-to guidelines: en To go back and save your work, click Cancel and finish what you need to. -> ur واپس جانے اور اپنا کام محفوظ کرنے کے لیے منسوخ کریں پر کلک کریں اور اپنی ضرورت کے کام ختم کریں۔ Short, clear action, second-person pronoun.
en To confirm your current picture password, just watch the replay and trace the example gestures shown on your picture. -> ur اپنے موجودہ تصویری پاس ورڈ کی تصدیق کرنے کے لیے صرف دوبارہ چلا کر دیکھیں اور اپنی تصویر پر دکھائے گئے مثالی اشاروں کا سراغ لگائیں۔ Simple and natural. Tell the user only what they need to decide.
en It’s time to enter the product key. When you connect to the Internet, we’ll activate Windows for you. -> ur یہ مصنوعہ کلید درج کرنے کا وقت ہے۔ آپ کے انٹرنیٹ سے جڑے ہونے پر ہم Windows کو آپ کے لیے فعال کردیں گے۔ Speak directly and naturally.
Explanatory text and providing support: en The updates are installed, but Windows Setup needs to restart for them to work. After it restarts, we’ll keep going from where we left off. -> ur اپ ڈیٹس کی تنصیب ہو گئی ہے لیکن ان کے کام کرنے کے لیے Windows سیٹ اپ کو دوبارہ شروع کرنے کی ضرورت ہے۔ اس کے دوبارہ شروع ہونے پر ہم وہیں سے جاری رکھیں گے جہاں ہم نے چھوڑا تھا۔ Natural, reassuring. we gives a more personal feel.
en If you restart now, you and any other people using this PC could lose unsaved work. -> ur اگر آپ ابھی دوبارہ شروع کرتے ہیں تو آپ اور کوئی اور لوگ جو اس PC کا استعمال کر رہے ہیں غیر محفوظ شدہ کام کھو سکتے ہیں۔ Clear and natural, tells the user what will happen.
en This document will be automatically moved to the right library and folder after you correct invalid or missing properties. -> ur غلط یا ناموجود خواص درست کرنے کے بعد اس دستاویز کو خودکار طور پر دائيں لائبریری اور فولڈر میں منتقل کردیا جائے گا Informative and direct about the action.
en Something bad happened! Unable to locate downloaded files to create your bootable USB flash drive. -> ur کچھ غلط ہو گیا! آپ کی بوٹ ایبل USB فلیش ڈرائیو بنانے کے لیے ڈاؤن لوڈ کردہ فائلیں نہیں مل رہیں۔ Short sentences, no complexity.

Inclusive language¶

Comply with local language laws.
Use plain language. Use straightforward, concrete, familiar words. Prefer a two-syllable word over a three-syllable word, and several clear words over one complicated term.
Name no politically disputed cities, countries or regions in examples. In examples that refer to several regions use equivalent references. Never mix countries with states or continents.
Represent diverse perspectives and circumstances in text and images. Show a variety of people in a wide variety of professions, educational settings, locales and economic settings.
Never generalize or stereotype people by region, culture, age or gender, even with a positive stereotype. When representing job roles choose names that reflect a variety of gender identities and cultural backgrounds.
Never use profane or derogatory terms.
Never use slang that could be cultural appropriation.
Never use terms that carry unconscious racial bias, or terms tied to military actions, politics, or controversial historical events and eras.
en master/slave -> primary/subordinate; ur آقا/غلام -> بنیادی/ماتحت
en demilitarized zone (DMZ) -> perimeter network; ur غیر فوجی علاقہ (DMZ ) -> بنیادی نیٹ ورک
en hang -> stop responding; ur لٹکانا -> عمل رک جانا
en guru -> expert; ur گرو -> ماہر
en pow wow -> meeting; ur اجتماع -> میٹنگ
en guys; ladies and gentlemen -> colleagues; everyone; all; ur لڑکے؛ خواتین و حضرات -> ساتھیوں؛ ہر کوئی؛ سب
en brown bag session -> lunch and learn; learning session; ur براؤن بیگ سیشن -> لانچ کریں اور سیکھیں؛ سیکھنے کا سیشن
en mother or father -> parent; ur والدہ یا والد -> والدین

Avoid gender bias¶

Use gender-neutral alternatives for common terms. Avoid compounds containing gender-specific terms such as مذکر، مؤنث.
Use a respectful tone and avoid a specific gender. Use a common noun instead of differentiating male and female.
میں سمجھ گئی! -> مجھے سمجھ آ گئی!
میں معذرت چاہتی ہوں! -> میں معذرت خواہ ہوں!
میں آپ سے دوستی کرنا چاہتی ہوں! -> ہم آپ سے دوستی کرنا چاہتے ہیں!
میں پڑھنا چاہتی ہوں! -> ہم پڑھنا چاہتے ہیں!
وہ مکان تبدیل کر چکی ہے! -> اس نے اپنا مکان تبدیل کرلیا!
سب مرد و خواتین کا شکریہ! -> آپ سب کا شکریہ!
For generalization use plural noun forms, for example طلباء، افراد، لوگ.
Never use gendered pronouns such as مرد، عورت، لڑکا، لڑکی in generic references. Instead rewrite to the second or third person (آپ یا کوئی), rewrite with a plural noun and pronoun, or refer to a person's role (قاری، گاہک، یا کلائنٹ) or use خالد یا شخص.
en A user with the appropriate rights can set other users' passwords., not If the user has the appropriate rights, he can set other users' passwords.; ur مناسب حقوق کے حامل صارف کو دیگر صارف کے پاس ورڈز سیٹ کرنے کا اختیار ہے۔, not اگر خالد کے پاس مناسب حقوق ہیں تو وہ دوسرے صارفین کا پاس ورڈز سیٹ کر سکتا ہے۔
en Developers need access to servers in their development environments, but they don't need access to the servers in Azure., not A developer needs access to servers in his development environment, but he doesn't need access to the servers in Azure.; ur ڈو یلپرز کو اپنے ترقیاتی ماحول میں سرورز تک رسائی لازمی ہے، لیکن انہیں Azure میں سرورز تک رسائی ضروری نہیں ہے۔, not ایک ڈو یلپر کو اپنے ترقیاتی ماحول میں سرورز تک رسائی ضروری ہے، لیکن اسے Azure میں سرورز تک رسائی کی ضرورت نہیں ہے۔
en When the author opens the document …., not When the author opens her document ….; ur جب مصنف دستاویز کھولتا ہے …., not جب مصنفہ اپنی دستاویز کھولتی ہے.…
en To call someone, select the person's name, select Make a phone call, and then choose the number you'd like to dial., not To call someone, select his name, select Make a phone call, and then select his number.; ur کسی کو کال کرنے کے لیے، شخص کا نام منتخب کریں، فون کال کریں کو منتخب کریں، اور پھر جو نمبر ڈائل کرنا چاہتے ہیں وہ نمبر منتخب کریں۔, not کسی کو کال کرنے کے لیے، اس کا نام منتخب کریں، فون کال کریں کو منتخب کریں، اور پھر اس کا نمبر منتخب کریں۔

Accessibility¶

Focus on people, not disabilities. Never use words that imply pity, such as ٹوٹے ہوئے اعضاء/اندھا/بہرا/لنگڑا or تکلیف دہ/بیمار.
Do not mention a disability unless it is relevant.
en handicapped -> person with a disability; ur معذور -> معذور شخص
en normal person; healthy person -> person without a disability; ur عام آدمی؛ صحت مند شحص -> غیر معذور شخص
Use generic verbs that apply to all input methods and devices. In procedures avoid verbs that make no sense with alternative input methods.
en Click -> Select; ur کلک کریں -> منتخب کریں
Keep paragraphs short and sentence structure simple. Aim for one verb per sentence. Read text aloud and imagine a screen reader speaking it.
Spell out words like اور، مزید، اور کے بارے میں. Screen readers can misread special characters such as &, +, ~.

Acronyms¶

An acronym is made of the initial letters of the major parts of a compound term: WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get), DNS (Domain Name Server), HTML (Hypertext Markup Language).
Acronyms are not common in Urdu. Some western acronyms are transliterated: OPEC is spelled and pronounced in Urdu as اوپیک.
If an acronym is not well known or is hard to understand in English, keep it in English and follow it with the full-form translation. RAM stays as is, followed by ر يم in parentheses. This introduces the term and gives the user time to get familiar with it.
Keep acronyms denoting measurements as is, with no translation in parentheses: b (Bit), B (Byte), KB (Kilobyte), MB (Megabyte), GB (Gigabyte). They are familiar and are normally used with digits, so a parenthetical translation looks awkward.
Leave a non-breaking space (CTRL+SHIFT+SPACE) between the number and the measurement.
10KB: incorrect (10KBکے بی), correct 10 KB
48MB: incorrect 48MB(ایم بی), correct 48 MB
Some acronyms stay in English and are neither translated nor transliterated, because the acronym is so well established as an English word that it is standardized, or because transliterating it would give an unacceptable Urdu word.
Presenting an acronym fully in English in documentation, followed by its full English spelling, is acceptable: ANSI (American National Standards Institute)
For an acronym in software UI such as dialogs and menus, consider spacing constraints. Where space does not permit the full form, use the English acronym alone: ANSI

Adjectives¶

Use general wording rules. Adjectives count as nouns.
Handle possessive adjectives generally. English uses possessives frequently.
en Your device needs to communicate with Microsoft servers to set up your account. -> ur آپ کے آلہ کو آپ کا اکاؤنٹ سیٹ اپ کرنے کے لیے Microsoft سرور کے ساتھ بات چیت کرنے کی ضرورت ہے۔

Conjunctions¶

Conjunctions convey an informal, casual tone and style. Starting a sentence with a conjunction conveys an informal tone.
en old: As <product> gains features, there is a risk that older content may not display correctly. en new: But because of these features older content may not display correctly.
en As <product> gains features, there is a risk that older content may not display correctly: old ur جیسے جیسے <product> میں نئی خصوصیات شامل کی جاتی ہیں، اس بات کا قوی امکان ہوتا ہے کہ پرانے مشمولات بہتر طور پر ڈسپلے نہیں ہوں گے۔, new ur جیسا <product> خصوصیات کو حاصل کرئے گی تو خدشہ ہے کہ پرانے مشمولات بہتر انداز میں ڈسپلے نہیں ہوں گے۔
en Since this task is complete, its reminder has been turned off.: old ur یہ کام مکمل ہے اس لئے یاد دہانی آف کردی گئی ہے۔, new ur چونکہ یہ کام مکمل ہے لہذا یاد دہانی بند کردی گئی ہے
en Some options have been abandoned, as the users were facing problems because of them.: old ur کچھ اختیارات کو ترک کر دیا گیا ہے، کیوںکہ صارفین کو ان کی وجہ سے مشکلات کا سامنا تھا۔, new ur چونکہ کچھ اختیارات کی وجہ سے صارفین کو مشکلات کا سامنا تھا، اس وجہ سے انھیں ترک کر دیا گیا ہے۔

Gender¶

Two genders: masculine مذکر and feminine موٴنث.
Add ی for the feminine after a masculine name. Other styles also exist.
A word ending in "aa" is commonly masculine. A word ending in "ee" is commonly feminine.
Masculine دادا -> feminine دادی
Masculine نانا -> feminine نانی
Masculine شیر -> feminine شیرنی
Masculine شہزادہ -> feminine شہزادی
Urdu is a creole formed from Arabic, Persian and Turkish, and keeps borrowing from English, so there are many exceptions.
Masculine شوہر -> feminine بیوی
Masculine خالد -> feminine خالدہ
Masculine صاحب -> feminine صاحبہ
Masculine خالو -> feminine خالہ

Localizing colloquialism, idioms, and metaphors¶

Do not replace a source colloquialism with an Urdu colloquialism unless it is a perfect and natural fit for the context.
Translate the intended meaning rather than the literal colloquialism, but only where the colloquialism's meaning is integral to the text and cannot be omitted.
Omit the colloquialism where it can go without affecting the meaning.

Nouns¶

Integrate English loan words into the noun class system. Check motivation (formal features that allow straightforward integration), analogy (an equivalent Urdu term), and frequency (the class used most often in other technical documentation).
en Delete it from server -> ur اسے سرور سے حذف کریں۔
en Enter a password to log into the server -> ur سرور میں داخل ہونے کے لیے فائل نام داخل کریں
en DNS cannot resolve the server IP address -> ur DNS سرور IPپتا حل نہیں کر سکتا۔
en Verify the name of the server’s certificate -> ur سرور تصدیق نامہ کے نام کی تصدیق کریں۔
Loan words inflect for number: en Clients -> ur گاہک; en Websites -> ur ویب سائٹیں; en Downloads -> ur ڈاؤن لوڈ; en Proxys -> ur پراکسی; en Administrators -> ur منتظم
Nouns do not inflect and are never pluralized after a plural number: book, software, tools
Singulars are also used as plurals. Plural forms ات, ایں and وں give اخبارات، اخباریں and اخباروں.

Prepositions¶

Use prepositions correctly. Do not omit them or change the word order under English influence.
en service request -> ur سروس کی درخواست

Pronouns¶

Use these pronouns: وہ، تو، تم، آپ، میں، ہم
en she is working in Microsoft Company -> ur وہ Microsoft کمپنی میں کام کر رہی ہے

Punctuation¶

Use the small dash ۔ at the end of a sentence. Urdu does not use a full stop.
Example: مسل کھولنے کے لیے پاس ورڈ داخل کر یں۔
Bulleted lists work as in English. Put the bullet symbol, usually •, at the start of the line, then a space or tab, then the Urdu sentence.
Use the Urdu comma ، to separate words and to bring pauses into sentences. Example: احمد، محمود، قاسم
Use a colon to show a following list or names in order. Example: مندرجہ ذیل کریں:
Never use a colon in the middle of a sentence when the verb still comes at the end. en to get more information, please refer to this address: www.microsoft.com -> ur مزید معلومات حاصل کرنے کے لیے، براہ کرم اس پتے پر رجوع کریں: www.microsoft.com
En dash: use as a minus sign, usually with a number. en –359 -> ur -۹۵۳
En dash in number ranges, such as page numbers, with no spaces around it. Replace it with تا in Urdu. A dash is usually unnecessary. en 8 am–6 pm: not 8 ب.د-6 ق.د, use 8 ب.د تا 6 ق.د
Em dash: use only to emphasize an isolated element or introduce a non-essential element. The em dash does not apply to Urdu.
Ellipses: follow English. No set rules exist. They are rarely used in Urdu text.
US English uses a period as the decimal separator, many other languages a comma. In Urdu use the character Hamza ء if Urdu digits are used in the Urdu text, or a period if English digits are used. Never use a space for this. A space separates the numeral from the abbreviation.
In paper sizes keep the decimal separator and the abbreviation in for inches. The sizes are US norms.
en 5.25 cm -> ur 5.25 سینٹی میٹر
en 5 x 7.2 inches -> ur 5 x 7.2 انچز
en Letter Landscape 11 x 8.5 in -> ur Letterافقی x 8.5 in11
Quotation marks: US source strings may surround software references with English quotation marks. Follow that in Urdu. Example: "قائد اعظم نے ایک پیغام دیا۔ "ایمان، اتحاد، تنظیم۔
Parentheses: no space between the parentheses and the text inside them.
Examples: وہ اختيار منتخب کر يں جو يہ موثر طريقے سے بتائے کہ آپ کمپيوٹر کيوں بند (Shutdown) کرنا چاہتے ہيں۔, مزید معلومات کے لئے (0800 000000) ڈائل کر یں۔

Sentence fragments¶

Use sentence fragments to convey a conversational tone. They are short and to the point.
en long form Use the following steps. -> en fragment Here’s how
Shorten long phrases and present them comprehensively. Screen space on a computer or mobile is limited, so present long sentences short and concise where possible.
en Use the following steps: long ur مندرجہ ذیل اقدامات پر عمل کریں, fragment ur ایسا کریں
en Add new users to your computer: long ur اپنے کمپیوٹر پر نئے صارفین کو شامل کر یں, fragment ur کمپیوٹر پر نئے صارفین شامل کریں
en Provided that: long ur شرط یہ ہے کہ, fragment ur بشرطیکہ
en Including: long ur جس/جن میں شامل ہے, fragment ur بشمول, not recommended for a highly informal setting

Verbs¶

Use simple tenses. The simple present is easiest to understand.
Avoid the future tense unless you describe something that will really happen and the simple present does not apply.
Use the simple past to describe events that have already happened.
Translate verbs in error messages consistently. If it is grammatical to omit the predicate be, you may omit it in error messages, but stay consistent across all error messages. Be concise without changing the meaning of the source string.
en The document is too large. / Document too large. -> ur دستاویز بہت بڑی ہے۔ / بہت بڑی دستاویز Be consistent in your usage of the verb to be.
en Access was denied. / Access denied. -> ur رسائی سے انکار کیا گیا تھا۔ / رسائی سے انکار۔ In complete sentences use verbs and the same tense as in the source string.
en The file '%s' is an unknown graphics format. -> ur فائل '%s' نامعلوم گرافکی وضع میں ہے۔ Rephrase is with have if necessary.
en The application may attempt to convert the graphic. -> ur ہو سکتا ہے ایپلی کیشن گرافک کو بدلنے کی کوشش کرئے may + verb can be rephrased as verb + possibly.
en A problem occurred while trying to connect to the network share "%1!s!" -> ur نیٹ ورک حصہ داری "%s!1!" سے جڑنے کے دوران ایک مسئلے کا سامنا ہوا Shorten and rephrase to A problem occurred while connecting to the network share "%1!s!".
en The following error occurred: "%1!s!" (error #%2!lx!) -> ur درج ذیل نقص واقع ہوا ہے: "%s!1!" (نقص #%lx!2!) Shorten where possible, for example Error: "%1!s!" (error #%2!lx!).
en An unknown error has occurred./ No error occurred. -> ur ایک نامعلوم نقص واقع ہوا ہے۔/ کوئی نقص واقع نہیں ہوا۔ Shorten where possible, for example Unknown error. / No error.
Translate an English gerund for a continuous operation into Urdu.

Localization considerations¶

Adapt the translated text to the local language, customs and standards.
Make the product read as if originally written in Urdu, with idiomatic syntax and terminology, while keeping terminology consistent.

Accessibility options¶

Accessibility options and programs make the computer usable by people with cognitive, hearing, physical or visual disabilities.
Hardware and software components give a flexible, customizable user interface, alternative input and output methods, and greater exposure of screen elements.
Some accessible products and services may not be available in Urdu-speaking markets. Double-check with the appropriate resources.

Applications, products, and features¶

Application and product names are often trademarked and rarely translated. Feature names are sometimes trademarked too, for example IntelliSense™.
Version numbers always contain a period, for example Version 4.2.
Never replace the period with a dash.
en Version 4.2 -> ur ورژن 4.2
Version numbers are usually part of version strings, but are technically not the same. Product, feature and component names often sit in version strings as they appear in the software.
Always translate version strings that contain copyright information.

Software considerations¶

Translate all menus, menu items, commands, buttons and check boxes consistently.

Error messages¶

An error message informs the user of an error that must be corrected for the program to keep running. It can prompt an action or report an error that requires rebooting the computer.
Apply the voice principles so the target reads natural and empathetic, not robot-like.
en Something went wrong. -> ur کچھ غلط ہو گیا
en Not enough memory to process this command. -> ur ناکافی ہے اس حکم پر عمل کاری کے لیے میموری
Use consistent terminology and language style. Do not just translate as the source appears.
Use these target phrases for the standard phrases below. Other wording is allowed where it works better in context.
Use the present tense in the translations.
en Cannot …, Could not … -> ur نہیں کر سکتا..., نہیں کر سکا... Examples: فائل نہیں کھول سکتا... (present), فائل نہیں کھول سکا... (past)
en Failed to …, Failure of … -> ur ناکام ہو گیا بطرف..., ناکام از...
en Cannot find …, Could not find …, Unable to find …, Unable to locate … -> ur ڈھونڈ نہیں سکتا..., ڈھونڈ نہیں سکا..., ڈھونڈنے میں نااہل..., تلاش کرنے میں نااہل... Examples: فائل ڈھونڈ نہیں سکتا... (present), فائل ڈھونڈ نہیں سکا... (past), فائل ڈھونڈنے میں نااہل..., فائل تلاش کرنے میں نااہل...
en Not enough memory, Insufficient memory, There is not enough memory, There is not enough memory available -> ur کافی میموری نہیں ہے, ناکافی میموری, کافی میموری موجود نہیں ہے, کافی میموری دستیاب نہیں ہے
en ... is not available, ... is unavailable -> ur ...دستیاب نہیں ہے, ...دستیاب نہیں ہے
Find out what will replace a placeholder so the sentence stays grammatical.
%d, %ld, %u, %lu mean <number>. %c means <letter>. %s means <string>.
"Checking Web %1!d! of %2!d!" means "Checking Web <number> of <number>."
INI file "%1!-.200s!" section means INI file "<string>" section.
Follow the same procedure for Urdu.

Keys¶

Write key names, arrow keys, function keys and numeric keys in normal text, not small caps.
Alt -> Alt
Backspace -> Backspace
Break -> Break
Caps Lock -> Caps Lock
Ctrl -> Control
Delete -> Delete
Down Arrow -> نیچے تیر
End -> End
Enter -> Enter
Esc -> Esc
Home -> Home
Insert -> Insert
Left Arrow -> بایاں تیر
Num Lock -> Num Lock
Page Down -> Page Down
Page Up -> Page Up
Pause -> Pause
Right Arrow -> دایاں تیر
Scroll Lock -> Scroll Lock
Shift -> Shift
Spacebar -> فاضل
Tab -> Tab
Up Arrow -> تیر اوپر
Windows key -> Windows کليد
Menu Key -> مينيو کليد
Print Screen -> Print Screen

Keyboard shortcuts¶

Keyboard shortcuts are the underlined or highlighted letters in menu options, commands or dialog boxes. They help the user perform tasks faster.
Slim characters (I, l, t, r, f) as keyboard shortcuts: yes.
Characters with downstrokes (g, j, y, p, q) as keyboard shortcuts: no.
Extended characters as keyboard shortcuts: no.
An additional letter in brackets after the item name: yes.
Urdu characters join together, so a shortcut on a slim character may not be visible. Use it only where the character stands alone.
These characters are not the first choice when other characters are available.
A number in brackets after the item name: yes.
A punctuation sign in brackets after the item name: yes.
Duplicate keyboard shortcuts when no other character is available: no.
No keyboard shortcut when no characters are left, minor options only: yes.
Avoid characters produced with more than one key stroke, that is with Shift plus another key, as keyboard shortcuts: آ، ژ، ء
access key: a subtype of keyboard shortcut. A letter or number the user types to access UI controls that have text labels. Access keys are assigned to top-level controls so the user can move through the UI quickly. Example: F in Alt+F. In UI localization: H&ome. Most access keys are used with the Alt key.
key tip: the letter or number that appears in the ribbon when Alt is pressed. In UI localization it is the last character after the ` character. Example: HomeH`
shortcut key: a subtype of keyboard shortcut. A key the user types to perform a common action without going through the UI. Not available for every command. Examples: Ctrl+N, Ctrl+V. Most shortcut keys are used with the Ctrl key. Ctrl+letter combinations and function keys F1 through F12 are usually the best choices.

English pronunciation¶

Pronounce English terms and product names left unlocalized the English way.
Where Urdu has an established pronunciation for a common term such as server, use the local pronunciation.
Adapt the pronunciation to the Urdu phonetic system if the original sounds very awkward.
Pronounce English words with a US English accent. Keep consistency with US English. Never use other accents such as UK.
SecurID -> [sı’kjuər aı di:], ِسکیور آی ڈی
.NET -> [dot net], ڈاٹ نیٹ
Skype -> [skaip]. Product names are always pronounced the way they are pronounced in the source language.
Pronounce English words and acronyms in Urdu the same way as in English.
Leave out http://. Read the rest of the URL entirely.
Pronounce www as WWW.
Omit the dot, or read it out. If read out, pronounce it the English way.
Most punctuation marks are implied by the sound of voice: ? ! : ; ,
An en dash (–) emphasizes an isolated element. Pronounce it as a comma, a short pause.
Pronounce special characters such as / \ ˘ < > + - using the approved English translations.

Tone¶

Match the tone to the target audience. Use a more informal, playful and inspiring tone for consumer products and games. Use a formal, informative and factual tone in technical texts.

Local usage¶

Use the established Urdu glossary and verify recurring terms across components. Keep placeholders and protected identifiers intact; review their placement with the surrounding right-to-left sentence.