App translation is in vogue, right? Years ago it was web translation, then SEO translation on page and now the translation of mobile applications for IOs and Android which, as experts say, they must be useful, innovative and adapted to the needs of the public you want to reach. That audience sometimes does not speak your same language.

And there, precisely, translators have something to say, such as answering a question that perhaps you have asked yourself more than once: To which languages should


I translate my application?

Why translate an application?

Let's start at the beginning: why are you going to spend time and money to have your app translated professionally? We say “translate” because, unless you are bilingual or a translator, you will surely need a professional specialized in the translation of apps to translate your application in such a way that you earn money with it in other countries.

Because that's what you want, right?

Here you can see the two most important reasons to translate an application for smart mobile devices:
Reason 1: Translate an application to multiply downloads.

It is rare for someone to have a mobile phone and not have a single app downloaded. In fact, the number of application downloads has multiplied in a staggering way in recent years.

Do you know how many free applications we have downloaded during this year? More than a million, experts say.

It is clear: the public has not yet got tired of downloading apps, both free and paid. So are all applications successful on the market? The answer, logically, is "no".

Aside from your application being well made, functional, not troublesome and useful, it must also be easy for your target audience to understand.

Having an app in Spanish will open the doors of that millionaire market, but why stay there? Why not try to reach a target audience that speaks Mandarin Chinese, Hindi, Russian, or Arabic?

Translating your application means opening markets.

Reason 2: Translate an application to multiply your benefits

According to research, more than 50% of mobile phone users have already downloaded paid apps. And this data is the tip of the iceberg since the use of mobile phones, tablets and useful applications has only just begun.

Also, mobiles are the main Internet access device and 70% of users say that it would be "very difficult" to live without a mobile phone.

In short: programming an original and quality app, making sure we have a 5-star online marketing agency and translating the application into the languages that will give you the most benefits in the short, medium and long term is a realistic possibility.

What are the languages in which the apps are most translated?

According to some expert translators, knowing which languages are the most translated in mobile applications depends a lot on the original language used by the developer.

For example, if you program your app in English, the most advisable thing would be to have the application translated into Spanish, as this would reach the more than 470 million people in the world who have Spanish as their mother tongue and the more than 567 million people who speak, understand and could manage an app in Spanish.

But by number of speakers, in addition to English and Spanish, there are four other languages which you could consider translating your app to distribute it on the international market.

Mandarin Chinese: both for the number of native speakers, and for the growing economic power of this immense and unstoppable country.

Hindi: mainly due to the high number of potential users.

Russian: for the growth in purchasing power of the millions of people who speak Russian.

Arabic: both due to the number of native speakers and the increasing purchasing power of countries that have Arabic as their mother tongue.

What languages should I translate my app into?
English, Mandarin Chinese, Hindi, Russian, Arabic…. Before deciding in which languages you should translate your app, you need to think and write down the answers to the following key questions:

Where's my target audience? Knowing where your target audience is, geographically speaking, and in which language they prefer to download and use your app, is the main question that you should be clear about before deciding whether to translate your app into English, Arabic, Japanese or any language they speak.

For instance, if you have a limited budget, also limit the number of languages in which you are going to have your application translated.

What kind of app do I have? As you know, there are all kinds of applications, instant messaging applications like WhatsApp are the most demanded in the world, but there are also applications for games, geolocation, healthy living, personal preparation, etc., that have more and more fans and followers every day.

In some of these applications, language is essential (instant messaging applications), but in others such as games, translating the application is not so relevant.