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[Resolved] Critical Error When Adding Arabic Language – uncmarkets.com

This thread is resolved. Here is a description of the problem and solution.

Problem:
If you're experiencing a critical error when enabling the Arabic language on your website, it might be due to an incorrect placeholder in the translation of a string. This issue was specifically identified with the Elementor string 'All %s' where the Arabic translation incorrectly replaced the placeholder with an Arabic letter, causing a fatal error in PHP 8.2.
Solution:
We recommend checking the translation of problematic strings in WPML → String Translation. For the specific case of the 'All %s' string, ensure that the placeholder %s remains unchanged in the translation. Correcting it to a Latin “s” resolved the issue, and the Arabic version loaded correctly. Additionally, ensure there are no conflicts with an existing /ar path by checking your server's root directory for an /ar folder and ensuring no custom rewrite rules or pages reserve that slug. Remember to flush your permalinks by going to Settings → Permalinks → Save.

This solution might be outdated or not applicable to your case. We highly recommend checking related known issues at https://wpml.org/known-issues/, verifying the version of the permanent fix, and confirming that you have installed the latest versions of themes and plugins. If the problem persists, please open a new support ticket.

This is the technical support forum for WPML - the multilingual WordPress plugin.

Everyone can read, but only WPML clients can post here. WPML team is replying on the forum 6 days per week, 22 hours per day.

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Last updated by georgeK-46 1 month ago.

Assisted by: Otto.

Author Posts
February 19, 2026 at 3:11 pm #17836492

georgeK-46

Dear WPML Support Team,

I am facing an issue while trying to add the Arabic language to my website:
hidden link

When I enable Arabic in WPML, the website returns a critical error on the /ar/ URL.

To troubleshoot, I attempted to add Dutch instead, and it was added successfully without any issues. This suggests the problem may be specifically related to the Arabic language configuration.

Please note that the website is already running 7 other active languages without any problems.

Could you please assist me in identifying what might be causing this error?

If needed, I can provide WordPress version, WPML version, debug logs, or temporary access.

Thanks in advanced,
George
February 19, 2026 at 4:22 pm #17836717

Otto

Hello George,

First, let's discard this:
Check for an existing /ar path conflict

- Connect via FTP / File Manager and check if there is an /ar folder in the WordPress root (same level as wp-admin, wp-content, wp-includes).
- If /ar exists, temporarily rename it (e.g., ar_old) and test hidden link again.
- Also check for an “ar” page or custom rewrite rules that might reserve that slug.
- Flush permalinks: go to Settings → Permalinks → Save (no changes needed), then test again.

If that's not the cause of the problem, please provide me with the debug log:
Please follow the instructions mentioned on this page: https://wpml.org/documentation/support/debugging-wpml/
Then, try to reproduce the issue and check your installation's **wp-content** folder to see if a file named **"debug.log"** was created (it will only be generated if a server error occurs).
If the file was created, please upload it to a platform like **Google Drive** or **Dropbox** (whichever you usually use) and share the link with me (make sure it is publicly accessible) so I can analyze it.

Best Regards,
Otto
February 19, 2026 at 7:35 pm #17837033

georgeK-46

Hi Otto,

First of all, thank you for your help and guidance — I really appreciate your support throughout this.

I was able to identify the exact cause of the crash.

The issue was related to the Elementor string:

All %s

In WPML → String Translation (domain: elementor), the Arabic translation had been saved as:

الكل %س

The %س (Arabic letter) replaced the correct %s placeholder, which caused PHP 8.2 to throw a fatal error:

ValueError: Unknown format specifier

After correcting the translation to:

الكل %s

(using a Latin “s”), the issue was fully resolved and the Arabic version loads correctly.

It would be great if WPML could validate or protect format placeholders (%s, %d, %1$s, etc.) to prevent accidental modification in translations, as PHP 8+ is now strict about this.

Thanks again for your assistance — it helped us narrow this down quickly.

Best regards,
George