WPML’s glossary lets you create better translations by defining how you want certain words to appear in your site’s translations.
What is the WPML Glossary?
The WPML Glossary is a tool for improving translation accuracy by specifying translations for words that have multiple meanings.
For example, the term ‘whole foods’ can mean both the organic supermarket (Whole Foods) and foods that are minimally processed. To eliminate confusion, you can create a glossary entry with the correct translation in different languages:
Once created, automatic translation engines will use the glossary entry to correctly translate your terms, and your translators will receive additional context during translation.
Best Practices for Adding Terms to Your Glossary
To get the best results when using WPML’s Glossary, follow these guidelines:
- Add Only Critical Terms
Include terms that both human and AI translators might struggle to translate correctly, such as words with multiple meanings. Avoid adding unnecessary terms. - Keep Terms Clean
Enter terms exactly as they should appear in translations. Do not include extra information like text in parentheses unless it’s part of the term itself. - Use Singular Forms
Add terms in their singular form unless they are exclusively used in plural form. - Avoid Duplicates
Ensure that every term is unique. Duplicate entries can cause issues with AI translation. - Account for Capitalization
Add variations for capitalization: one entry with the first letter capitalized (e.g., “Breaking news”), one in all lowercase (“breaking news”), and optionally, other styles like title case (“Breaking News”). - Limit Adding Verbs
Only include verbs if:- They are used exclusively for buttons or specific contexts.
- They have different meanings in various contexts.
- You want a unique conjugation for button text.
How to Create Glossary Entries in WPML
There are two types of glossary entries in WPML; Name or proper noun, and General term.
| Name or Proper Noun | General Term |
|---|---|
| Appears in translations exactly as you enter it in the glossary. For example, the Name ‘Apple’ (tech company) will appear the same in all languages. | Appears in translations exactly as you enter it, or slightly adjusted to fit the context. For example, the General term ‘apple’ will appear as ‘manzana’ (singular) or ‘manzanas’ (plural) depending on the context. |
To create glossary entries in WPML:
- Go to WPML → Translation Management.
- Switch to the Tools tab and select Glossary.
- Click Add glossary entry and enter your term.
By default, you cannot add glossary terms to hidden languages. To override this setting, go to Users → Profile and edit your user. Check Display hidden languages and save.
Bulk Importing Glossary Terms Using CSV Files
WPML allows you to easily import (and export) your glossary terms using CSV files. This approach can save you time by instantly importing many terms at once, as well as streamline your organization by having all terms in one place.
To import or export glossary terms:
- Go to WPML → Translation Management.
- Click the Translation Tools tab.
- Switch to the Glossary sub-tab and click the Import / export glossary button.
Updating Translations After Changing Glossary Entries
Whenever you create or update glossary terms, you need to update translations that include these terms. To automatically update all necessary translations, go to the Glossary tab and click Update existing translations.
WPML will now automatically update translations without consuming any credits. Completing this process may take a few minutes, so don’t click the button again if you don’t see immediate changes.
By default, this feature can only update translations created in the past 30 days. To update glossary terms in older translations, resend your content for translation via WPML → Translation Management. Remember that this translation method consumes credits.