Looking for expert Arabic translation services? Since 2003, Green Crescent has been providing professional translation services between English and Arabic to clients worldwide. We cater to diverse industries, including legal, technical, marketing, and business sectors. Our team guarantees accurate, high-quality translations to meet all your Arabic language needs. Get a fast, free Arabic translation quote today!
Our Comprehensive Arabic Translation Services
Green Crescent’s team of experienced Arabic translators includes subject matter experts across various industries. We specialize in translations that are adapted to all major Arabic dialects, including:
- Modern Standard Arabic (MSA)
- Gulf Arabic (Saudi, Emirati, Qatari, etc.)
- Levantine Arabic (Lebanese, Syrian, Jordanian, Palestinian)
- Egyptian Arabic
- Maghrebi Arabic (Moroccan, Algerian, Tunisian)
- Sudanese Arabic
- Iraqi Arabic
We offer expert translation services for both English to Arabic and Arabic to English translations, ensuring precision and cultural relevance across regions.
Simple Translation
Our simple translations in the English/Arabic language pair are designed for basic communication needs. These translations are completed by a single Arabic translator without the involvement of an editor or proofreader, and therefore should not be considered final or polished work for most professional or formal use cases. While they are typically of high quality, simple translations are essentially "rough drafts" that do not go through additional editing, proofreading, or other quality control processes. These translations are ideal for personal letters, informal communications, initial drafts that will later be revised, or for situations where you need to quickly understand the general meaning or "gist" of an Arabic text.
Standard Translation (TEP)
Our Standard Arabic Translation service is designed to provide high-quality translations for everyday use, including business correspondence, websites, reports, presentations, and similar content. This service includes translation, editing, and proofreading (TEP) to ensure the highest level of accuracy and clarity in your Arabic communications.
Organization Critical Translation (TEP+)
Our Organization Critical Arabic Translation service is designed for situations where perfection is essential. This option is recommended for texts intended for large-scale printing, technical documents, legal contracts and patents, medical documents, or any case where an error could be critical or costly. Each translated line is reviewed by a minimum of three linguists, with multiple rounds of proofreading. Subject matter experts (SMEs) may be involved as needed throughout the Arabic translation, editing, and proofreading (TEP) process.
Bilingual editing
Bilingual Editing for Arabic Translation is the process of editing a translated text by comparing both the source and target texts in the English/Arabic language pair. The editor, fluent in the source language and a native speaker of Arabic, ensures that the translation is accurate, consistent, and faithful to the source text while also maintaining clarity and fluency in Arabic. This step occurs after the initial translation in our TEP (Translation, Editing, Proofreading) Organization Critical and Standard Translation services. We also offer this service as a standalone option for translations completed by individuals or organizations not affiliated with Green Crescent.
Proofreading
With each additional round of editing and proofreading, the error rate of a document approaches the perfection horizon. Our proofreading service for English to Arabic and Arabic to English translations involves reviewing a single-language text to identify and correct surface-level errors, such as spelling mistakes, grammar issues, punctuation errors, and formatting inconsistencies. This step is the final phase in our TEP (Translation, Editing, Proofreading) Organization Critical and Standard translation services. We also offer proofreading as a standalone service for translations completed by individuals or organizations not affiliated with Green Crescent.
Legal Translation
Green Crescent's elite team of linguists, each with subject matter expertise in specialized legal fields, is ready to assist you with the translation of a wide range of judicial, administrative, and private legal documents between Arabic and English. Nearly all countries recognize that submitting documents for translation does not compromise attorney-client privilege. Furthermore, we can implement enhanced security measures to ensure strict confidentiality upon request.
Technical Translation
Technical translations involve any text that features specialized vocabulary or language registers, necessitating additional research and terminology verification. Common technical subject matter includes legal, medical, scientific, engineering, and IT topics, but any text that utilizes industry-specific terminology or neologisms may be considered technical in nature. These translations cannot be executed by generalists alone; they require the expertise of linguists with in-depth knowledge of the relevant technical field in both Arabic and English.
Medical Translation
Green Crescent has established protocols to ensure compliance with international privacy regulations, which you can learn more about here. Our Arabic medical translations are treated as "organization critical," unless otherwise specified, and we are committed to implementing the necessary digital security measures and legal safeguards for every project subject to such requirements. Our team of skilled linguists, specialized in medical terminology, ensures that your translations are both accurate and secure.
Localization
Our translation services are tailored for specific target markets that require non-standard varieties or dialects of the Arabic language. Green Crescent is equipped to accommodate requests for localized Arabic translation, ensuring that your content resonates with the intended audience. For example, we offer translations in regional dialects such as "Gulf Arabic," "Levantine Arabic," "Egyptian Arabic," and "Maghrebi Arabic." Our experienced linguists are well-versed in the nuances of these dialects, allowing us to provide translations that are not only accurate but also culturally relevant and engaging. By focusing on the unique linguistic characteristics of each Arabic dialect, we help you effectively connect with your audience and enhance the impact of your message.
Website, App, and Software Localization for Arabic
At Green Crescent, we leverage our extensive experience in software development to provide specialized Arabic localization services. We excel in adapting your website, app, or software’s content, design, and functionality for Arabic-speaking audiences. Whether you need a fully multilingual solution or specific adaptations for Arabic, our services encompass translating text, adjusting images, and modifying layouts. We also adapt and program code for both mobile and desktop applications, ensuring that your app functions seamlessly across Arabic-speaking regions while adhering to platform-specific guidelines. Let us help you create an engaging and culturally relevant experience for your Arabic-speaking users.
Back-translation
Back-translation is often a crucial component of the quality control process, particularly when translating highly technical documents or for critical translations in the Arabic/English language pair where an error could have significant consequences. This process involves an independent linguist translating a previously translated text back into its original source language—either Arabic or English—without reference to the original document. The resulting text is then compared to the original translation to verify its intelligibility, accuracy, and suitability for its intended use. Back-translation is also relevant in situations such as the translation of legal documents, medical texts, and marketing materials, where precise wording is essential. It can be particularly beneficial when adapting content for different cultural contexts, ensuring that the intended message is preserved and resonates appropriately with the target audience in both Arabic and English.
Peer review
Green Crescent offers professional focus group services that include a comprehensive "read-through" conducted by one or more linguists who were not involved in the original translation process. This approach allows for an unbiased assessment of the translation's quality, style, and overall fitness for its intended purpose. The focus group can evaluate various aspects of the text, including linguistic accuracy, cultural relevance, and the effectiveness of the messaging in reaching the target audience. Feedback is provided on how well the translation conveys the original intent and nuances of the source material, ensuring that it resonates with readers in both Arabic and English contexts.
SME review
Subject Matter Expert (SME) review is a specialized form of peer review conducted by non-linguist professionals with deep expertise in specific fields. This process is particularly important for Arabic to English or English to Arabic translations of highly technical texts, ensuring that the content is both linguistically accurate and technically precise. In fields such as legal, medical, scientific, and engineering, SMEs help verify the correct use of industry-specific terminology, adherence to regulatory or technical standards, and the contextual relevance of the translated material. By incorporating SME review into the translation process, we ensure that your final product is not only fluent and culturally appropriate but also technically sound and ready for professional use in both Arabic- and English-speaking markets.
Transcreation
Our Arabic Transcreation Service goes beyond simple translation by creatively adapting your content to resonate with Arabic-speaking audiences. At Green Crescent, we ensure that your brand’s messages, campaigns, and communications maintain their original intent, emotional impact, and tone, while aligning with the cultural and linguistic nuances of the target market. Whether it’s marketing, branding, or advertising, we reimagine your content to feel authentic and compelling in Arabic, helping your brand connect meaningfully and effectively with Arabic audiences.
MTPE-Full (Machine Translation Post-Editing - Full)
MTPE-Full (Machine Translation Post-Editing - Full) refers to the comprehensive post-editing of a machine-translated text between Arabic and English, ensuring the final product meets the highest standards of linguistic quality. In this process, once the machine generates the translation, a skilled human editor thoroughly reviews the entire content, ensuring that it is not only accurate in meaning but also flows naturally and fluently in the target language. This detailed editing process goes beyond simple corrections, often requiring significant rewriting and rephrasing to fix awkward or incorrect machine translations. The editor ensures that the translated text reflects the original in terms of meaning, tone, and style while adapting it to the cultural nuances and context specific to Arabic or English. Special attention is paid to maintaining the accuracy of technical terminology, idiomatic expressions, and the overall message. The outcome is a polished and professional translation suitable for formal, public-facing documents, ensuring that machine translation errors do not compromise the quality of the final product.
MTPE-Light (Machine Translation Post-Editing - Light)
MTPE-Light (Machine Translation Post-Editing - Light) is suitable for English/Arabic texts intended for internal use or informal communication. In this service, our editors perform minimal edits to machine-generated translations, correcting only significant grammatical or syntactical errors. The focus is on ensuring that the text is intelligible and comprehensible rather than stylistically perfect. As a result, the final product retains a rough or mechanical feel but is fully functional for internal business use, quick reference, or other non-critical purposes.
Additional Language Services and Options for Arabic
Certified Translation
Green Crescent provides certified translations of a wide range of legal documents, including birth, marriage, and death certificates, diplomas, school transcripts, passports, and much more, in both Arabic and English. Our certified translations are recognized for their accuracy and compliance with legal standards, making them suitable for official use. You can receive hard copies of our standard certificate of translation mailed directly to your home or business.
Rush Service
If you require expedited service, Green Crescent can usually accommodate such requests. However, please note that rushing translations often comes with trade-offs, which may affect both price and consistency. Please consult with a project manager for more details.
Discounts
Volume discounts are available for large projects, long-term clients, and for non-profits, charities, NGOs, and government organizations.
Minimum Fee
There is a minimum project fee of $75.00 USD per language, which can be reduced or waived for regular clients.
Additional Language Services
In addition to translation, Green Crescent offers a range of other Arabic language services, including interpretation, transcription, website design and development, and desktop publishing.
Additional Language Services and Options for Arabic
Certified Translation
Green Crescent provides certified translations of a wide range of legal documents, including birth, marriage, and death certificates, diplomas, school transcripts, passports, and much more, in both Arabic and English. Our certified translations are recognized for their accuracy and compliance with legal standards, making them suitable for official use. You can receive hard copies of our standard certificate of translation mailed directly to your home or business.
Rush Service
If you require expedited service, Green Crescent can usually accommodate such requests. However, please note that rushing translations often comes with trade-offs, which may affect both price and consistency. Please consult with a project manager for more details.
Discounts
Volume discounts are available for large projects, long-term clients, and for non-profits, charities, NGOs, and government organizations.
Minimum Fee
There is a minimum project fee of $75.00 USD per language, which can be reduced or waived for regular clients.
Additional Language Services
In addition to translation, Green Crescent offers a range of other Arabic language services, including interpretation, transcription, website design and development, and desktop publishing.
About the Arabic Language
Arabic is spoken by over 400 million people worldwide, making it one of the most widely spoken languages across the Middle East, North Africa, and various parts of the world. As an official language in 25 countries, Arabic plays a central role in political, religious, and cultural contexts. It is also one of the six official languages of the United Nations and holds significant importance in the Islamic world, as Classical Arabic is the language of the Quran.
Where is Arabic Spoken?
Arabic is an official language in 25 countries, including Algeria, Bahrain, Comoros, Chad, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. Additionally, there are significant Arabic-speaking populations in countries such as Israel, Turkey, Iran, France, Spain, the United States, and Canada, as well as in parts of sub-Saharan Africa like Mali and Niger. Arabic also holds a central role in the Islamic world, particularly for religious texts and practices.
Modern Standard Arabic: The Unifying Dialect
Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) is considered the formal version of the language and is used in written communication, media, and formal settings across the Arab world. Despite the wide array of regional dialects, MSA acts as a unifying language for speakers from different countries, facilitating cross-border communication. It draws from Classical Arabic but is more accessible for contemporary usage, especially in journalism, literature, and government documents.
Arabic culture has a profound and long-standing influence on global civilization, particularly in fields such as mathematics, astronomy, medicine, and philosophy during the Golden Age of Islam. The works of scholars like Ibn Sina (Avicenna) and Al-Khwarizmi have left lasting impacts on science and humanities. Additionally, Arabic poetry and literature, with figures like Al-Mutanabbi and Naguib Mahfouz, have enriched world culture for centuries.
The cultural heritage of the Arab world is deeply intertwined with the language, from architectural marvels like the Alhambra and Islamic calligraphy to philosophical and scientific achievements that have shaped human knowledge. Green Crescent ensures that your Arabic translations reflect this rich cultural backdrop, especially when it comes to formal and literary texts.
Regional Dialects: Variations and Localization
One of the key characteristics of Arabic is the wide variation in dialects spoken across different regions. From the Maghreb in North Africa to the Levant and the Arabian Peninsula, local dialects—known as “Ammiyah”—can differ significantly from MSA in pronunciation, vocabulary, and even grammar. For instance, Egyptian Arabic is widely understood across the Arab world due to Egypt’s influential media industry, while Gulf Arabic, Levantine Arabic, and Moroccan Arabic each have their distinct characteristics.
Despite these regional differences, all Arabic dialects share a common root in Classical Arabic. Translating content into Arabic often requires an understanding of the target audience’s specific dialect and cultural context. Green Crescent’s expert translators ensure that your content resonates with both local and global Arabic-speaking audiences, providing accurate translations tailored to specific regional needs.
Key Linguistic Differences Between Arabic and English for Translation
When translating between Arabic and English, several linguistic and structural differences need to be carefully navigated to ensure clarity and accuracy. Below are some of the most important considerations:
Script and Directionality:
Arabic is written from right to left, which affects not only the structure of the text but also its visual presentation. This requires careful attention to formatting, especially for bilingual documents where both languages may appear side by side.
Verb Conjugation and Tenses:
Arabic has a more intricate verb system compared to English, with different verb forms for singular, dual, and plural subjects, as well as distinctions for masculine and feminine. Additionally, Arabic verbs are often derived from a root system, allowing multiple meanings to stem from a single root depending on the pattern applied.
Gendered Nouns and Agreement:
Arabic nouns are either masculine or feminine, and this gender distinction affects not only adjectives and pronouns but also verb conjugations. Translators must ensure agreement in gender and number across sentences to maintain grammatical accuracy.
Formality and Register:
Arabic is highly sensitive to the level of formality required in a given context. MSA is used in formal, written, and official communication, while regional dialects are employed for everyday conversations. Navigating these registers is crucial when adapting content for different audiences, as choosing the wrong register could lead to misunderstandings or a lack of engagement.
Idiomatic Expressions and Metaphors:
Arabic is rich in idiomatic expressions, many of which do not have direct equivalents in English. These phrases often draw from cultural, religious, or historical references that require contextual adaptation rather than literal translation. Translators must be able to convey the intended meaning while maintaining the cultural essence of the original text.
By understanding and addressing these differences, Green Crescent ensures that our Arabic translation services provide accurate, culturally nuanced, and effective communication, whether for business, legal, or technical purposes. Whether your project requires Modern Standard Arabic or localization into specific regional dialects, our team of expert linguists is equipped to deliver high-quality translations that resonate with your target audience.
An Insight into Arabic Expression and Identity
This passage is from The Cairo Trilogy by Naguib Mahfouz, first published between 1956 and 1957. The trilogy is a landmark of modern Arabic literature, reflecting the richness of the Arabic language and the complexity of Egyptian life.
- Arabic: "إننا نخطط، والله يقدر."
- English Translation: "We plan, and God determines."