Arabic translation services
العربيةLEXIGO provides NAATI certified Arabic translation for individuals, government, health and legal clients across Australia. We translate Arabic to English and English to Arabic in Modern Standard Arabic or the dialect your audience reads, with right-to-left typesetting handled in-house. Certified translations are accepted by the Department of Home Affairs, state road authorities, courts and universities.
Arabic is a Semitic language spoken by over 420 million people across 26 countries stretching from Morocco to the Arabian Gulf. As the liturgical language of Islam and one of the six official languages of the United Nations, Arabic holds profound cultural, religious, and diplomatic significance worldwide.
In Australia, Arabic is the second most commonly spoken language other than English, with 367,159 speakers recorded in the 2021 Census. Arabic-speaking communities are particularly concentrated in western Sydney, Melbourne's northern suburbs, and parts of southeast Queensland. These communities have deep roots in Australia, with Lebanese migration dating back to the 1880s, supplemented by waves from Iraq, Syria, Egypt, Sudan, and other Arabic-speaking nations.
Arabic encompasses a wide spectrum of varieties. Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) serves as the formal written language across all Arabic-speaking countries and is used in media, education, government, and literature. However, spoken Arabic varies dramatically by region — Egyptian, Levantine, Gulf, and Maghrebi dialects can differ as much from each other as French differs from Spanish. In Australia, Lebanese and Iraqi Arabic are the most commonly spoken dialects.
The Arabic script is written right-to-left and uses a cursive system where letters change form depending on their position within a word. This creates fundamental technical requirements for any digital or print content — from website layouts that must support RTL text direction to document designs that mirror Western conventions.
Arabic's significance in Australia extends beyond community communications. Government services, healthcare providers, legal systems, and educational institutions all need Arabic translation to meet their obligations to Arabic-speaking Australians. The language is also increasingly important in trade and diplomatic contexts given Australia's growing economic relationships with Gulf states.
For multicultural communications, Arabic represents a priority language that demands both linguistic precision and deep cultural sensitivity. The diversity within Arabic-speaking communities — spanning multiple nationalities, religious traditions, and generational experiences — means that effective communication requires understanding these nuances rather than treating Arabic speakers as a monolithic group.
What makes Arabic translation different?
Right-to-Left (RTL) Layout
Arabic text reads right-to-left, requiring complete layout mirroring for documents, websites, and applications. Navigation menus, image placement, tables, and even progress bars should be reversed. Bidirectional text handling becomes complex when Arabic and English appear together, as numbers and embedded English words read left-to-right within the RTL flow.
Script Complexity
Arabic letters take different forms depending on their position in a word (initial, medial, final, or isolated). Proper rendering requires fonts and systems that support contextual shaping. Diacritical marks (harakat) are sometimes needed for clarity, particularly in educational, religious, or legal content where ambiguity could cause misunderstanding.
Dialect vs Modern Standard Arabic
Choosing between MSA and a specific dialect is a critical decision. Formal communications, legal documents, and government materials should use MSA. Community engagement, social media, and conversational marketing may benefit from dialect to feel more authentic and relatable. For Australian Arabic communities, Lebanese or Iraqi dialect considerations may apply.
Text Expansion
Arabic text is typically 20-25% longer than equivalent English content. This expansion must be factored into design layouts, particularly for constrained spaces like buttons, menus, forms, and signage. The cursive nature of the script also means minimum font sizes need to be larger than English to remain legible.
Cultural Sensitivity
Arabic-speaking communities in Australia are religiously and culturally diverse — encompassing Muslim, Christian, Druze, and secular communities from many different countries. Imagery, references, and tone should be carefully considered to avoid assumptions about religious practice or cultural norms. Gender-specific language in Arabic (verbs, adjectives, and pronouns are gendered) requires clarity about the intended audience.
NAATI Certification
NAATI certified Arabic translators are well-supplied in Australia across all certification levels. Specialised medical and legal translators are available, reflecting the established nature of Arabic language services in Australia.
What are common Arabic phrases?
| English | Arabic | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Hello | السلام عليكم | As-salāmu ʿalaykum |
| Thank you | شكراً | Shukran |
| Please | من فضلك | Min faḍlak (m) / faḍlik (f) |
| Sorry | آسف | Āsif (m) / Āsifa (f) |
| Goodbye | مع السلامة | Maʿa as-salāma |
| Good morning | صباح الخير | Ṣabāḥ al-khayr |
| How are you? | كيف حالك؟ | Kayfa ḥālak? (m) / ḥālik? (f) |
| Yes | نعم | Naʿam |
| No | لا | Lā |
| اسمي…… | My name is... | Ismī... |
Arabic greetings carry religious and cultural significance. 'As-salāmu ʿalaykum' (peace be upon you) is universal across Arabic-speaking communities and is appropriate in both formal and casual settings. The response is 'Wa ʿalaykum as-salām'. Many Arabic phrases are gendered, with different endings for male and female speakers or listeners. In Australia, the Arabic-speaking community includes speakers from Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, Egypt, and Sudan, each with distinct dialects. Modern Standard Arabic is used for formal written communication, but spoken dialects vary significantly.
Explore where Arabic-speaking communities live across Australia on our interactive Language Map, or learn more about professional translation services for Arabic.
Frequently asked questions about Arabic translation
Is a NAATI certified Arabic translation accepted by the Department of Home Affairs?
Yes. Home Affairs requires any non-English document lodged in Australia to be translated by a NAATI certified translator. LEXIGO's Arabic translations carry the translator's NAATI stamp and certification statement, and they're also accepted by state road authorities, courts, universities and AHPRA.
Which Arabic variety will my content be translated into?
Modern Standard Arabic is the default for documents, government and health content because it's read in every Arabic-speaking country. For campaigns aimed at one community, such as Lebanese or Sudanese Australians, we brief a translator from that background. Tell us the audience and we'll recommend the register.
Do you handle right-to-left layout for Arabic documents?
Yes. Arabic runs right to left, while numbers, dates and any embedded English run left to right inside it. Our desktop publishing team typesets translated files in InDesign, Word and PowerPoint so the layout mirrors the English original and the text doesn't break.
How much does Arabic translation cost?
NAATI certified translation of personal documents starts from $69 per page. Longer documents, marketing content and campaigns are quoted on word count, subject matter and turnaround. Upload your file for a free quote.
Where are Australia's Arabic-speaking communities?
The 2021 Census recorded 367,159 people speaking Arabic at home. The largest concentrations are in western Sydney, including Bankstown, Lakemba and Auburn, and in Melbourne's north around Broadmeadows and Coburg, with growing communities in Brisbane's southern suburbs.