Designing in two languages at once

Most bilingual websites are designed in English, then the Arabic is poured in at the end. It shows: cramped headlines, icons mirrored that shouldn't be, and buttons that suddenly wrap onto two lines.

Two languages, one grid

We sketch every layout with both languages side by side. Arabic headlines tend to run shorter but taller, so line heights, spacing and image crops get decided for both at once.

If the Arabic version feels like a translation, the design isn't finished.

It takes a little longer at the start and saves weeks at the end. And the people reading in Arabic, most of our audience, notice the difference immediately.