Hebrew Translation Notes

Hebrew (he) Translation Notes

Core Terminology

Secret: סוד (masculine) - Appropriate for professional contexts

Password vs Passphrase:

• Password: סיסמה - for account authentication (feminine)
• Passphrase: ביטוי סיסמה - for secret protection

Burn: מחיקה סופית (permanent deletion)

Key Points

• Right-to-left (RTL) layout essential
• Modern Hebrew without vowel points (niqqud)
• Gender agreement (masculine/feminine)
• Gershayim (״) for Hebrew acronyms
• Masculine singular imperative for buttons (standard in Hebrew UI)
• דוא״ל for email (with gershayim)

Translation Guidelines

Consistency

• Use the same translation for a term throughout the application
• Maintain standardized terminology from the glossary
• Key distinctions to preserve:
  • סיסמה for account passwords
  • ביטוי סיסמה for secret protection
  • סוד as the core concept

Context Awareness

• Consider how the term is used in the application
• Account for surrounding UI elements and user flow
• Ensure translations make sense in their specific context

Technical Accuracy

• Security-related terms must be translated accurately
• Prioritize precision over localization for technical terminology
• Use established Hebrew technical vocabulary

Voice and Tone

• Use masculine singular imperative for buttons (standard in Hebrew UI)
• Maintain professional but approachable language
• Ensure consistency in formality level across all interfaces

Hebrew Language Specifics

Right-to-Left (RTL) Layout

• Hebrew is written from right to left
• UI elements should be mirrored appropriately
• Numbers and Latin script remain LTR within RTL text
• Pay special attention to interface layout requirements
• Mixed content (Hebrew + numbers/Latin) requires careful handling

Modern Hebrew Without Niqqud

• Do not use vowel points (niqqud) except in very special cases
• Modern Hebrew text is written without diacritical marks
• Example: סוד (correct), not סוֹד (with niqqud - avoid)
• Vowel points are only for religious texts, poetry, or children’s books
• Always write unvocalized text: סוד, סיסמה, הצפנה

Gender Agreement

• Hebrew has masculine and feminine genders
• Ensure adjectives and verbs agree with noun gender
• Important gender assignments:
  • סוד (masculine)
  • סיסמה (feminine)
  • הצפנה (feminine)
  • קישור (masculine)
• Examples:
  • הסוד נוצר (masculine - the secret was created)
  • הסיסמה נוצרה (feminine - the password was created)

Plural Forms

• Use appropriate plural forms
• Examples:
  • סוד/סודות (secret/secrets)
  • קישור/קישורים (link/links)
  • שעה/שעות (hour/hours)

Gershayim and Geresh

• Use gershayim (״) for Hebrew acronyms: דוא״ל, צה״ל
• Use geresh (׳) for single-letter abbreviations
• These are proper Hebrew punctuation marks
• Never use regular quotation marks for this purpose
• Example: דוא״ל (email) - short for דואר אלקטרוני

Common Translation Patterns

User Instructions

Use masculine singular imperative forms (standard in Hebrew UI)

Status Descriptions

Use passive voice or past participles with correct gender agreement

Help Text and Descriptions

Use declarative sentences with appropriate formality

Error Messages

Use clear, direct language with professional tone

Special Considerations

The Term “Secret”

• Fundamental to the application - translate consistently as סוד
• Masculine gender
• Appropriate for professional contexts
• Emphasizes the confidential nature of the shared item

Password vs. Passphrase

Critical distinction:

• סיסמה - for user account login credentials (feminine)
• ביטוי סיסמה - for protecting individual secrets

This distinction must be maintained throughout the application to avoid confusion.

The Term “Burn”

• Translated as מחיקה סופית (permanent deletion)
• More natural in digital Hebrew context than literal translation
• Clearly conveys permanent deletion concept

UI Element Conventions

• Follow platform conventions for Hebrew interfaces
• Use standard Hebrew terminology for common UI elements
• Maintain consistency with other Hebrew applications
• Buttons use masculine singular imperative as standard

Technical Security Terms

• Prioritize accuracy over casual localization
• Use established Hebrew technical vocabulary
• Examples:
  • הצפנה (encryption)
  • מוצפן (encrypted)
  • אימות (verification/authentication)
  • אבטחה (security)