I'm a freelance translator who charges per word; how do I count the words in an Arabic file accurately before quoting?
Copy the file's text into the word counter and use the 'Words' figure. Counting follows Unicode rules, so a word such as «وبالعالم» (and in the world) counts as one, and numbers count as words. Note that Arabic attaches conjunctions and prepositions to the word, so the same content usually has fewer words in Arabic than in its English translation, which is why your quote should say whether it is priced on source or target words.
Source against translation, with real numbers
We counted three Arabic texts and their English translations in the Word and character counter:
- «وبالعالم العربي نشحن لكم الطلبات خلال يومين»: 7 words. Its translation, In the Arab world we ship your orders within two days: 11 words.
- A sentence about shipping inside the Kingdom and tracking by text message: 18 words in Arabic, 26 in translation.
- A three-sentence abaya description: 34 words in Arabic, 44 in translation.
In these examples the English was always longer by word count, by roughly 29% to 57%. That is not a fixed ratio for every text, since it shifts with style and subject, but it is enough to show that the counting basis clearly changes the final amount.
Why Arabic has fewer words
The tool finds words by spaces and punctuation under Unicode rules, not by grammar. «وبالعالم» holds three pieces of meaning, and, in and the world, which English writes separately. Arabic writes them joined, so they count once. Attached pronouns work the same way: «نشحنها» is one word, while 'we ship it' is three.
Practical steps before you send the quote
- Open the file and copy only the text you will actually translate. Leave out what stays as is, such as number tables or product names.
- Paste it into the counter and read the word figure. Numbers such as 500 or 2026 count as words, so if you do not charge for them, agree that with the client.
- State it plainly in the quote: 'Priced on the word count of the Arabic source text, which is so many words.'
- Keep the text you counted. If the client later sends an edited version, compare the two with Text comparison to see what was added, then count the difference.
Will your numbers match the client's software?
Not always to the word. Every program applies its own word-boundary rules, so Word or a translation tool may give a slightly different figure, especially around punctuation, numbers and links. Mention in the quote which tool you counted with, or agree on one tool both sides use, so a handful of words never turns into an invoice dispute.
Common questions
Does a vowelled word still count as one?
Yes. Diacritics never split a word or add words, and neither does tatweel inside a word.
Is the client's text sent to a server while counting?
No. Counting runs inside your browser and the text never leaves your device, which matters with client files.