Become a Translator Contributor in WordPress and Translate User Registration Plugin

Would you like to contribute to the WordPress community by translating plugins into your native language?

User Registration & Membership is translation-ready and welcomes translator contributions from around the world. This tutorial will show you how to register as a WordPress translator, join translation teams, and translate the User Registration plugin using the WordPress translation ecosystem.

Before Getting Started

Before getting started, make sure you have the following:

A WordPress.org account

Understanding of your target language and locale

Familiarity with translation guidelines and best practices

Access to the Translator's Handbook on WordPress.org

Understanding WordPress Translation Roles

WordPress uses a structured translation system with specific roles:

General Translation Editor (GTE) — Manages translations for an entire locale across all projects

Project Translation Editor (PTE) — Approves translations for specific plugins or themes

Translator — Submits translation suggestions that require approval before going live

All translation suggestions must be reviewed and approved by Translation Editors before they appear on the live site. This ensures quality and consistency across the WordPress ecosystem.

So, lets begin.

Step 1: Create a WordPress.org Account

Visit WordPress.org.

Click on the Register link in the top-right corner.

Complete the registration form with your username, email address, and a secure password.

Confirm your email to activate your account.

Step 2: Familiarize Yourself with WordPress Translation

Visit the Translate WordPress site.

Read the Translator's Handbook to understand translation guidelines, tools, and best practices.

Step 3: Find the Plugin to Translate

Go to the plugin's page on the WordPress.org Plugin Directory.

Scroll to the Languages section to check if the plugin has existing translations.

Click the Contribute Translation link to navigate to the plugin translation page.

Step 4: Join a Translation Team (Optional but Recommended)

Identify the locale (language and region) you want to translate for.

Visit the Translation Teams page.

Contact the General Translation Editor (GTE) for your locale to express your contribution interest.

Step 5: Start Translating

On the plugin's translation page:

Select your locale from the list of available languages.

You'll see a list of translation strings (text elements that require translation).

Click on a string to translate it.

Enter your translation in the provided field.

Save your suggestion.

Step 6: Get Approval for Your Translations

Translation suggestions are reviewed by Translation Editors (PTEs or GTEs).

If you'd like to become a PTE for a specific plugin, contact the author or an existing editor for your locale and request access.

Step 7: Translate the User Registration Plugin

Navigate to the User Registration Plugin page on WordPress.org.

Scroll to the Languages section and click the Contribute Translation link.

Follow the steps in Step 5 to translate the strings specific to the plugin.

Step 8: Use Translation Tools

GlotPress: The WordPress translation platform is available at translate.wordpress.org.

Translation Editors: Tools like Poedit or Loco Translate can help you generate .po and .mo files, but suggestions must be submitted via GlotPress.

Glossaries and Style Guides: Use tools your locale team provides to ensure consistent translations.

Step 9: Stay Active and Engaged

Regularly check for updates to the plugin that may require new translations.

Participate in discussions and forums within the Polyglots team.

Contribute to translating other parts of WordPress, such as themes, core, or documentation.

By following these steps, you can become an active translator contributor in the WordPress community and help make plugins like the User Registration Plugin accessible to a global audience.