PO File Translation Services

PO files store source strings and their translations alongside metadata: translator comments, extraction comments, and source file references. The format also supports plural form definitions at the file header level and msgctxt disambiguation keys that distinguish identical strings used in different contexts. A translator working in a text editor will often damage PO syntax or ignore these contextual cues.

We process PO files in professional CAT tools that understand the Gettext format natively. Plural form rules for the target language are applied correctly in the Plural-Forms header. Fuzzy-marked strings are reviewed and updated. Msgctxt entries are used to select the contextually correct translation for ambiguous source strings.

PO files hold software strings, so they rarely go before an authority. If licence terms inside one need a certified translation, we can supply that text separately from the translated PO file, with a signed certificate of accuracy. Contributor calls around a translated software project can be supported by professional interpretation services.