Published 7 October 2026
English–Arabic business translation: brief for the right result
How to prepare legal, financial, marketing and digital content for a translation that fits its purpose.
Tell the translator who will read it
An internal report, a signed agreement and a public website need different decisions. State the audience, country, purpose and expected action. Identify the source language and the required language direction. For Arabic content, clarify whether the brief calls for Modern Standard Arabic or a particular voice, rather than assuming one style suits every audience.
Share the terminology before work begins
Provide approved company names, product names, a glossary and earlier approved translations where available. Mark terms that should remain in the original language. For financial or legal material, identify any references the translation must follow and explain abbreviations. Raise unclear passages with the document owner; polished wording should not conceal uncertainty in the source.
Plan for the format as well as the words
For websites and software, share screenshots, character limits and where each text appears. Arabic changes reading direction, so buttons, punctuation, mixed-language strings and numbers need attention in their actual layout. Agree whether the project includes translation only, review, formatting or a final check in the published design. For reports, include editable tables and distinguish the final version from working drafts.
Know the experience behind the work
At SDL, part of RWS Group, from 2018 to April 2024, Odette translated and reviewed legal, financial, IT and marketing content between English and Arabic. Her CV names project experience with organizations including Goldman Sachs, HSBC, LinkedIn and Amazon through that role. These are professional project references, not endorsements or a claim that each organization is a direct client of her independent office.
Define a clear handover
Agree the deliverables, deadline, reference material and revision scope before starting. Nominate one person to consolidate feedback. When the source changes, identify the new passages and version so the final translation stays consistent. A concise brief makes a precise quote and a smoother review possible.