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Guidance with Arabic translation of a date-time span
Thread poster: zoodal
zoodal
zoodal
Australia
Local time: 11:04
Mar 21, 2016

Hello,

I am a computer programmer with no real translation skills or background.

I am preparing a computer file for translation and we (in our office) have had a question about how the translated following date time span will be displayed in the Arabic text:

(3 years, 2 months)

(1 year)

(10 months)

This may seem like a simple request, but we have several suggestions in our office (dates before numbers or numbers befor... See more
Hello,

I am a computer programmer with no real translation skills or background.

I am preparing a computer file for translation and we (in our office) have had a question about how the translated following date time span will be displayed in the Arabic text:

(3 years, 2 months)

(1 year)

(10 months)

This may seem like a simple request, but we have several suggestions in our office (dates before numbers or numbers before dates and do we include the comma separating the years and months) and I would like to have a definitive answer before I commit the computer code to the required format.

Many Thanks. ▲ Collapse
 
Morano El-Kholy
Morano El-Kholy  Identity Verified
Egypt
Local time: 03:04
Member (2011)
English to Arabic
+ ...
Here what you can do.... Mar 22, 2016

Dear 6233114

You can put the numbers before the dates and the Arabic letter "و" instead of the English Comma.
******************
(3 years, 2 months) = ثلاث سنوات وشهرين or ثلاثة أعوام وشهرين

(1 year) = سنة واحدة or عام واحد


(10 months) = عشرة أشهر or عشرة شهور


Kind regards.
 
zoodal
zoodal
Australia
Local time: 11:04
TOPIC STARTER
What about using European numerals in Arabic text? Mar 22, 2016

Thanks for your reply.

In the Arabic written language is it normal / usual to use European numerals with Arabic text, such as the following translation:

3 years 2 month = 3 سنوات 2 شهور

I have seen this in use and would like to know if it is a wide-spread practice?
 
Morano El-Kholy
Morano El-Kholy  Identity Verified
Egypt
Local time: 03:04
Member (2011)
English to Arabic
+ ...
Keep the Arabic numerals. Mar 23, 2016

Yes, this is really in use: I mean inserting the European numbers but the order in which you wrote them is definitely not Arabic.

If you can write the European numbers preceding the dates (years/months) and linked by "و" then this will be fine.

*It is much better to keep and insert the Arabic numerals instead of the European ones.

Kind regards.
 


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Guidance with Arabic translation of a date-time span







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