How to Translate Texts, Labels, and Messages in Frappe ( On custom apps ) )

Translating your Frappe app to support multiple languages helps you reach more users and enhances usability. This guide walks you through how to add translations — using Arabic (ar) as an example. If you’re working with another language (e.g., French), just replace ar with the appropriate ISO language code.

One-Time Setup: Translation File Structure

In your custom app, create a folder named translations and place your CSV file like this:

your_app/

└── your_app/

   └── translations/

       └── ar.csv

Sample ar.csv

Source Text,Translated Text

How are you,كيف حالك

Submit,إرسال

"This, is a test","هذا، هو اختبار"

Note: If your text contains commas, wrap the entry in double quotes ("...").

In your Python files:

from frappe import _

Wrap translatable strings using the underscore function _():

message = _("How are you")

Frappe will automatically translate this using the appropriate language CSV file (e.g., ar.csv) based on the user’s language preference.

After modifying the ar.csv file:

bench --site yoursite.local clear-cache

If you’re responding to an external request (like an API call) where no user is logged in, set the language manually:

frappe.local.lang = "ar"

print(_("How are you"))  # Output: كيف حالك

Note:

1. Always ensure your text matches exactly between _() and your CSV entries.