Translate Arabic to English, including dialects and voice notes
A supplier in Cairo answers in Egyptian Arabic voice notes, and the invoice arrives as a photo with a Hijri date. Free translators struggle with both. Your todo.is agent transcribes the audio, reads the scan, translates into clear English and tells you which dialect it heard and what each date means in the Gregorian calendar.
The prompt
- Translate the attached Arabic [ATTACH THE VOICE NOTE, PHOTO OR FILE] into clear English. It comes from [WHO SENT IT] in [COUNTRY, IF YOU KNOW]. If it is audio, transcribe it in Arabic first; if it is an image, read the text first. Tell me if it is Modern Standard Arabic or a dialect. Keep names in one consistent English spelling and give the Arabic next to each name once. Convert any Hijri dates to Gregorian and any Arabic-Indic digits to normal digits. Finish with [WHAT I NEED AT THE END, E.G. A SUMMARY OR A REPLY IN ARABIC]. Send it as [FORMAT].
What to change
- [ATTACH THE VOICE NOTE, PHOTO OR FILE]: A WhatsApp voice note, screenshot, scan, PDF or Word file. Pasted text works too.
- [WHO SENT IT]: E.g. "my supplier", "a customer", "my landlord" or "my wife's grandmother".
- [COUNTRY, IF YOU KNOW]: E.g. "Egypt", "Morocco", "Saudi Arabia". It helps with dialect words. Write "not sure" otherwise.
- [WHAT I NEED AT THE END, E.G. A SUMMARY OR A REPLY IN ARABIC]: E.g. "a 3-line summary", "a polite reply in the same dialect" or "nothing else".
- [FORMAT]: E.g. "text in the chat", "a Word file" or "a side-by-side PDF".
Example result
- Translation: supplier voice note + invoice
- Arabic → English · voice note in Egyptian Arabic, invoice in Modern Standard Arabic
- Voice note (transcript)
- أهلاً يا أستاذ مارك، البضاعة جاهزة بس فيه تأخير بسيط في الشحن، إن شاء الله تكون عندك يوم الخميس الجاي. لو عايز نغيّر لون الكراتين قولّي النهارده.
- Voice note (English)
- Hello Mr. Mark, the goods are ready, but there is a small delay in shipping. They should reach you next Thursday. If you want to change the color of the boxes, tell me today.
- Invoice (extract)
- فاتورة رقم ٤٥٧ · التاريخ: ١٥ رمضان ١٤٤٦ هـ · الإجمالي: ٣٬٢٠٠ دولار شاملة الشحن
- Invoice (English)
- Invoice no. 457 · Date: 15 Ramadan 1446 AH (about March 15, 2025) · Total: $3,200, shipping included
- Notes
- • إن شاء الله (in sha' Allah, "God willing") is said about any future plan. Here it means "should arrive", not a firm promise.
- • عايز and النهارده are Egyptian dialect for "want" and "today". In MSA they would be أريد and اليوم.
- • أستاذ literally means teacher or professor; in Egypt it is a polite "Mr."
- • Arabic-Indic digits ٤٥٧ and ٣٬٢٠٠ were converted to 457 and 3,200.
- • Hijri dates can differ by a day between countries, because months begin with the moon sighting.
- Needs your answer today
- • Do you want a different box color? He needs to know today.
How to do it with todo.is
- Copy the prompt and add who sent the Arabic and what you need at the end.
- Forward the voice note or attach the photo or PDF in todo.is, or send it straight to your agent on WhatsApp or Telegram.
- Read the English version and the notes on dialect, dates and names.
- Ask for your answer in Arabic, in the same dialect or in formal MSA.
Tips for a better result
- Say which country the sender is from. Moroccan Darija, Gulf and Egyptian Arabic use very different everyday words.
- Ask for one fixed spelling of each name (Mohammed, Muhammad, Mohamed). Mixed spellings cause trouble on bookings and documents.
- Phrases like in sha' Allah, yalla or tamam carry tone, not just meaning. Your agent explains them instead of translating word for word.
- For marriage, education or court documents from Arab countries, a certified translator is usually required. Use this to understand them first.
translate Arabic to English: FAQ
- Can AI translate Arabic dialects? Yes, especially widely spoken ones like Egyptian, Levantine and Gulf Arabic. Rare dialects or heavy slang may need a check, and your agent marks the parts it is unsure about.
- Can I translate an Arabic voice message to English? Yes. Your agent transcribes the audio in Arabic, then translates it, so you get both the Arabic text and the English.
- How do I convert a Hijri date to Gregorian? Your agent converts it for you. Keep in mind that Hijri dates can differ by a day between countries, so confirm important deadlines with the sender.
- Is Arabic translated right to left into English? Arabic is read right to left, but the English translation is a normal left-to-right document. Numbers inside Arabic text are already written left to right.
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