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How to Set Up Local Translators and Language Pairs

Allison Rivers
Updated
October 4, 2022

One of the first things you need to decide when setting up a multilingual site is who will translate it. You can add individual translators as users to your site, assign language pairs, then assign translation jobs to them in Translation Management. Users added as translators can also act as automatic translation reviewers.

There are two ways you can add individual translators or reviewers to work on your site:

  1. Through the Setup Wizard
  2. Through Translation Management

Adding Translators and Reviewers Through the Setup Wizard

The first time you configure WPML, it will help you set up who will translate your site.

To add a translator:

  1. When asked How do you want to translate this site?, choose Translate Some.
  2. Under Who will translate this site?, choose Individual Translators.
  3. Click Add a Translator.
  4. Choose whether your new translator is an existing user of the site or a new user.
  5. Set the language pairs. This will ensure that the user only appears as a translator or reviewer option when the translation job matches their language pairs.
Adding translators through the setup wizard

Adding Translators and Reviewers Through Translation Management

Go to the WPML → Translation Management page and click the Translators tab.

Here, you can add a translator or edit the existing translator’s language pairs by clicking the pencil icon.

Adding translators or editing language pairs in Translation Management

Submitting Translation Jobs to Translators

Once your translators are set up, you can see them in the list of translators in the Translation Basket. You can also assign the job to First available. This will give every translator with the required language pairs the chance to take the translation job when they are available.

Please note: you will only see translators whose language pairs match the translation job. 

Choosing a translator – only translators whose language pairs match the translation job will appear in the list

Translators as Automatic Translation Reviewers

If you choose to translate your entire site automatically using Translate Everything mode, any user you add to your site as a translator can also act as an automatic translation reviewer.

Translators can go to WPML → Translations to review automatic translation jobs in their language pairs. They are also notified via email when new automatic translation jobs in their language pairs are available for review.

Translators reviewing automatic translation jobs in their language pairs

If you are a translator, see our documentation about how to work as a reviewer on WPML sites for more information.