View source for Translating:MediaWiki

[[File:Mediawiki-logo.png|right|MediaWiki logo]]
{{Project subtitle|id=mediawiki|ns=8}}
[https://www.mediawiki.org/ MediaWiki] is open source wiki software on which this site runs, and which can be translated here. Support for translating hundreds of MediaWiki extensions is also available.

Translators may add <tt>MediaWiki</tt> to their babel box or include [[Template:User MediaWiki|<nowiki>{{User MediaWiki}}</nowiki>]] to add themselves to [[:Category:MediaWiki translators]].

== Translation flow ==
You made some changes here? This is what happens then and how long it takes to take effect.
:Export threshold: Messages do not start to be exported to MediaWiki until at least 13% of the core MediaWiki messages in that language have been translated ([[gerrit:291231|used to be 18%]]): under such amount, the export scripts automatically skip the language in question and developers won't add support for the language on MediaWiki. The threshold corresponds to the number of all most used messages in MediaWiki or more; see also [[Translatewiki.net languages]].
;Wikimedia
:Interface message changes should be reflected in projects within 48 hours. Everything else (magic words, special pages...) may take from days to months.
;Wikia
:Wikia usually uses customised stable revisions of the MediaWiki software. Consequently, the localisation of the MediaWiki core product, and ''standard'' MediaWiki extension from the main repository have a stable localisation state.
;Everything else 
:New translations are shipped with each new MediaWiki release (1.'''x''') and usually with maintenance releases too (1.x.'''y'''). There are only a few releases per year, and many sites do not update often. Since version 1.16 onwards it is possible to install the [[mw:Extension:LocalisationUpdate|LocalisationUpdate extension]], which speeds up the process a lot.

===Why translate on translatewiki.net===

MediaWiki is one of the few software packages that allow its users to translate it using itself. Thanks to translatewiki.net, however, localising it is even easier and more efficient.
In addition to the [[Project:About#Why use translatewiki.net|general advantages of this wiki]], compared to local translation:

* '''Your translations are used on [[mw:Sites using MediaWiki|every MediaWiki wiki]]''', this includes [[meta:Special:SiteMatrix|every Wikimedia wiki]], see [[#Translation flow]].
* You can localise '''namespaces''' (Help, User, Talk, ...), '''special page names''' (Recentchanges, Allpages, ...), and '''magic words'''.
*: The message groups above cannot be localised in a normal wiki, because they are buried deep down in the software. Here you ''can'' localise these message groups, and later on your changes can be used in every installation of MediaWiki again. See [[#Translation notes]] below.
* You can '''translate new messages faster''' than on a local wiki.
*: We always have the latest version of the software. This means new messages show up much faster than on any other wiki and you have more time to translate them before they arrive to your wiki. This can also mean translatewiki.net uses an unstable version, but problems are usually solved quickly.
* The only drawback is that your translations will not show up on your local wiki immediately, but after a few days to weeks; or, if you are using a release version, after the next update. However, for the previous point, there's no reason to be in a hurry: just check new messages regularly and translate them in time.
*:See [[FAQ#How is the work done on translatewiki.net connected to other wikis?]].

== Extensions ==
All MediaWiki extensions are supported as long as they are in Wikimedia's [[mw:Git|Git repository]] or in GitHub and their developers are supportive enough of translators.

If you don't want your extension to be added to translation, because you're going to soon change many messages completely or to delete the extension altogether, please state it clearly somewhere so that we don't add it when it's still too soon. In both cases, cc [[User:Raymond|Raymond]] to a changeset on gerrit if you feel your extension's case might have been neglected.

{{Anchor|translation-notes}}<!-- for links from external pages-->

== Translation notes ==
*For an English glossary of MediaWiki specific terminology see [[MetaWikipedia:Glossary|Meta-wiki]].
*Supports [[Plural#Plural_in_MediaWiki|plural rules]], [[grammar]] functions and [[gender]]; see also [[Localisation guidelines|translation guidelines]].
*Contacts:
**For MediaWiki core and main extensions: none defined, see [[mw:Developers/Maintainers]] and [[mw:Gerrit/Navigation#System messages]].
**For Semantic MediaWiki extensions: [[User:Kghbln|Kghbln]].

=== Recommended process for translating MediaWiki ===
Translators of other projects can ignore this list.

* first translate the {{SpecialTranslate|group=core-0-mostused|most often used messages}}
* complete the {{SpecialTranslate|group=core|core messages}}
* check if you should translate any {{SpecialTranslate|group=core|task=optional|optional messages}}
* do a consistency check (terminology, formal/informal) on your localisation
* translate special page names, magic words and namespaces on <tvar|adv-tran><nowiki>[[</nowiki>Special:AdvancedTranslate]]</> '''(temporary disabled; see [[phab:T109235]])'''
* translate the {{SpecialTranslate|group=ext-0-wikimedia|extension messages used in Wikimedia wikis}}
* translate the {{SpecialTranslate|group=ext-0-all|remaining extension messages}}
* do a consistency check (terminology, formal/informal) on your localisation between core messages and extension messages
* start maintaining your language's localisation on a regular basis. At least once per month is recommended.

Read on if you want to know more. Reading on is not required, although advised for a proper understanding of more advanced localisation features. You could spend a few days translating, though, and come back when you think you need more information.

=== Magic words and language features ===
If you need to refer to the name of the site, you can use magic variables like <nowiki>{{SITENAME}}</nowiki>. If your language uses inflection, you should talk to the developers about implementing some support for it. Once this is done you can use forms like <nowiki>{{GRAMMAR:genitive|{{SITENAME}}}}</nowiki> to refer to the sitename in genitive. Another magic word is <nowiki>{{PLURAL}}</nowiki>. Talk to the developers, or see [http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Help:Magic_words#Language-dependent_word_conversions the notes on meta] if you are not sure how it works. Its syntax is <nowiki>{{PLURAL:$n|first form|second form|nth form}}</nowiki> up to any number of forms as required.

=== Translating namespace names ===
:''As of 2015, AdvancedTranslate is [[gerrit:211677|disabled]].''
<s>You can translate namespaces (User:, Category: etc.) via [[Special:AdvancedTranslate]], see [[FAQ#Special:AdvancedTranslate|FAQ]] for more information.</s>

Alternatively, you can
* file a request on [[Support]],
* directly [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/How to report a bug|request it on Phabricator]] (file a bug for the MediaWiki extension in question), or
* [with minimal command-line skills] do it yourself with [[mw:Gerrit/Tutorial|gerrit]].

In some rare cases where an extension doesn't support translation of namespaces, translation needs to be done with a local configuration setting for each wiki instead. See [[#Namespace name aliases]]. The developers will tell you if this is the case, answering your request.

=== Namespace name aliases ===
:''As of 2015, AdvancedTranslate is [[gerrit:211677|disabled]].''
Since [[mw:Localisation#Namespace name aliases|namespace name aliases]] cannot be localised via {{SITENAME}}'s [[Special:AdvancedTranslate]] because of their highly technical nature, you must make a request at [[support]]. Please list pairs of alias names, and their corresponding English namespace names. As a rule of thumb, whenever you alter namespace names via [[Special:AdvancedTranslate]], and there is a wiki using the affected language as its default language, do report it!

=== Sitename/project namespace on Wikimedia wikis ===
If the sitename at your project is not localized, you should contact the other contributors at your project and find consensus about translation, then open a request at Phabricator; see [[m:Requesting wiki configuration changes]].

=== Other technical issues ===
On MediaWiki, much more can be localised: see [[mw:Localisation#What can be localised]].

==Translation guidelines==
==== Links to special pages ====

<translate>
Links to special pages in messages should always follow the syntax:
</translate>
 '''<nowiki>[[</nowiki>Special:'''''<translate>'''canonic-english-name'''</translate>'''''|'''''<translate>translated-link-anchor</translate>''''']]'''
<translate>
All '''bold''' parts should stay as they are. Do translate ''translated-link-anchor'' into your language. If there is no vertical bar ('''<code>|</code>''') followed by a link anchor (a descriptive text shown to the reader) in the original message, add them, using the ''canonic-english-name'' as the source of your translation.

Some languages allow you to use either of:
</translate>
 '''<nowiki>[[</nowiki>Special:'''''<translate>canonic-english-name</translate>'''''|{<!-- -->{#special:'''''<translate>canonic-english-name</translate>'''''}}]]'''
 '''<nowiki>[[</nowiki>Special:'''''<translate>canonic-english-name</translate>'''''|{<!-- -->{int:'''''<translate>some-message-name</translate>'''''}}]]'''
<translate>
which is ok to do. You run the risk, however, that amending these other translations may require amending messages that use them.

Also, subpages to ''Special:'' pages are left untranslated. Take the following message as an example:
</translate>
 '''<nowiki>[[</nowiki>Special:'''''<translate>canonic-english-name/subpage</translate>'''''|'''''<translate>translated-link-anchor</translate>''''']]'''
<translate>
Here the text "canonic-english-name/subpage" are left untranslated. Do translate ''translated-link-anchor''.
</translate>

{{Project template|id=mediawiki|category=MediaWiki translators|threshold=0|interval=
;Wikimedia Gerrit: Translation updates are exported to version control every day
;GitHub: {{int:twn-projectpage-exports-1}} (Export threshold is {{Default export threshold}} %)
}}
=== Historical statistics ===
* [[/statistics/1.20|1.20]]
* [[/statistics/1.19|1.19]]
* [[/statistics/1.18|1.18]]
* [[/statistics/1.17|1.17]]
* [[/statistics/1.16|1.16]]
* [[/statistics/1.15|1.15]]
* [[/statistics/1.14|1.14]]

=== Other statistics and information ===
*[[/Statistics_in_time|Group statistics in time]] - gives an overview of the number of languages that pass translation milestones in time (discontinued October 2010).
*[[Project:MediaWiki_localisation_in_the_50_most_spoken_languages|Mediawiki localisation in the 50 most spoken languages of the world.]]
*[[Main Wikimedia extensions]] explains how this message group is defined.
*[[/Most often used messages]] explains how this message group is defined.

[[Category:Supported projects]]
[[Category:Wikimedia]]