Meet DeepL: How we launched DeepL for Arabic speakers

At DeepL, breaking down language barriers is at the core of everything we do. Last year, we launched Arabic on DeepL Translator, adding the world's fifth most spoken language and one of the languages most requested by our users. Since that launch, we have also made the DeepL interface itself available in Arabic, ensuring that our platform is fully accessible to the millions of people who use the language worldwide. It’s already helping to make a big difference. At the end of last year, we surveyed professionals in Saudi Arabia and the UAE and found that 84% were using AI translation tools. Launching DeepL in Arabic was no small feat, as it involved navigating the unique challenges of integrating Arabic—our first right-to-left (RTL) language. The project demonstrated the collaborative spirit that fuels innovation across our teams.

To dive deeper into this journey, we spoke with Ben McCash, Project Manager for Localization, and Tala Zgheib, Language Specialist, about the challenges, highlights, and impact of bringing Arabic to DeepL.

Meet Ben and Tala

Ben: Hi, I’m Ben. I’m originally from Leeds, UK, and now based in Berlin. I joined DeepL in 2023 as a Project Manager for Localization. My role is to make our DeepL products and content, including our main interface, accessible in as many languages as possible. This involves bridging the gap between our localization experts and teams like Product and Legal to ensure that DeepL’s tools meet the needs of users around the world.

Tala: I’m Tala, a translator from Lebanon. I started my journey at DeepL in January 2024 as a Language and Localization Specialist, supporting both the Localization and Language teams. In August, I transitioned to a dedicated role as a Language Specialist within the Research department.

How did you approach the challenge of launching DeepL in Arabic?

Ben: Expanding into new markets has always been a key focus for us, and ensuring our product is accessible in local languages is an important part of that. With Arabic, the potential impact was massive—we’d be opening the door for people in 22 countries to use our tools in their native language.

That said, integrating Arabic came with unique challenges. As our first right-to-left language, it required us to rethink the way our website and interface worked, from text direction to menu layouts. After successfully launching Arabic for DeepL Translator, we felt confident about tackling a fully localized Arabic product. Tala and I worked together to plan out priorities, translating a huge volume of content. Tala powered through some of the largest word counts I’ve ever seen, making it possible to meet our quality standards.

As always with any project, there were unexpected twists and turns along the way. But in the end, it was an incredibly rewarding experience and a significant step forward for our users in Arabic-speaking countries.

How is Arabic different to other languages that DeepL has added?

Tala: Arabic brought some unique challenges. Unlike Latin-based languages, Arabic uses a distinct right-to-left script, which meant the teams involved had to familiarize themselves with a completely different set of characters and rules for text direction. It was a learning curve for everyone, but we approached it as a team.

How important was collaboration for the success of this project?

Ben: Tala deserves most of the credit here; her attention to detail and commitment to quality helped us set a high bar. Adding new languages to the user interface is usually a well-defined process for us, but Arabic required much more problem-solving.

For example, we had to flip icons, adjust menu layouts, and modify text direction arrows—all before we could even see a draft version of the interface. This project was a true team effort, involving designers, developers, product managers, research scientists, and localization specialists.

We took a pair-programming approach, often involving Tala at the technical level, to ensure everything was accurate. Teams regularly shared insights and workarounds, and solutions from one team often helped others avoid extra work. It was a great example of DeepL’s collaborative and open culture in action.

What impact will launching DeepL in Arabic have?

Tala: Arabic is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world and a key language for diplomacy, business, and everyday communication. DeepL’s launch in Arabic has facilitated connections between global partners, negotiators, diplomats, and everyday users.

Arabic speakers have long needed a high-quality linguistic tool, and DeepL’s reliable, accurate translations will meet that need. This launch is a major step forward in fostering communication between Arabic speakers and the rest of the world.

What were your favorite moments during the project?

Ben: Early in the project, we noticed that some big-name platforms had localized their websites for Arabic but made major mistakes. That motivated us to get everything right—from inverting checkmarks to adjusting HTML tags and menu locations.

I’ll never forget our first discussions about how “straightforward” the project would be. Tala’s face when we realized the complexity still makes me smile!

What’s most exciting about this launch?

Tala: Long before joining DeepL, I admired the platform’s translation quality and always wished it would support Arabic. To now be part of the team that made it happen is a milestone in my career. I’m excited to see Arabic speakers around the world benefit from DeepL in their daily lives.

Does this pave the way for future language additions and innovations?

Ben: The work we did on Arabic has set a strong foundation for adding other right-to-left languages to our interface in the future. Tackling such an ambitious project while maintaining our high quality standards was a huge win, and it gives me confidence for future innovations.

This project showed how DeepL’s values and cross-functional collaboration can turn big challenges into successful outcomes.

Which three words would you use to describe this project?

Ben: Immense, exciting, rewarding. Tala: Challenging, rewarding, exciting. This project was all of those things and more. It pushed us to learn, adapt, and deliver something we’re incredibly proud of. We hope Arabic speakers around the world enjoy using DeepL as much as we enjoyed making it happen.

Launching Arabic within the DeepL platform was a powerful step toward breaking down language barriers and connecting the world. This achievement, made possible by the dedication of our team, including Ben and Tala, allows millions of Arabic speakers to experience DeepL’s high-quality translations. Head to our translation page to try it out for yourself!

If you’re passionate about innovation and inclusivity and want to help shape a future where language brings us closer together, explore our career opportunities and join the journey.