ricardo.araujo330 10:50 am on May 2, 2025

Hi Polyglots team,

I’m looking for guidance on how to get proper support. I’ve translated a .pot filePOT file POT files are the template files for PO files. They will have all the translation strings left empty. A POT file is essentially an empty PO file without the translations, with just the original strings. to pt-PT for wordpress coreCore Core is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Development Team builds WordPress., and the translations are correctly saved, but they’re not being reflected in the emails I receive from the system (e.g. WooCommerce order emails).

I’d like to understand:

Is there a specific process I need to follow to make the translations apply to email templates?

Is this likely to be a cache or domain mapping issue?

Thank you in advance for your help!

Best regards,
Ricardo

Pedro Mendonça 11:00 am on May 2, 2025

Hi @ricardoaraujo330,
Having the WordPress coreCore Core is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Development Team builds WordPress. translated only assures that WordPress core things are translated. For WooCommerce emails to be translated you need those actually translated too.
Can you please point out on the translation table https://translate.wordpress.org/locale/pt/default/wp-plugins/woocommerce/ the email stringsString A string is a translatable part of the software. A translation consists of a multitude of localized strings. that you want translated?
- tobifjellner (Tor-Bjorn “Tobi” Fjellner) 1:31 pm on May 2, 2025
  
  I’d like to add a couple of things in addition to what @pedromendonca said above.
  1. Uploading a translation just as a .po file to your site will not be enough. You will at least need to generate a corresponding .moMO files MO, or Machine Object is a binary data file that contains object data referenced by a program. It is typically used to translate program code, and may be loaded or imported into the GNU gettext program. This is the format used in a WordPress install. These files are normally located inside .../wp-content/languages/ file. WordPress coreCore Core is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Development Team builds WordPress. may then create yet another translation file, in .php format.
  (Also, if a pluginPlugin A plugin is a piece of software containing a group of functions that can be added to a WordPress website. They can extend functionality or add new features to your WordPress websites. WordPress plugins are written in the PHP programming language and integrate seamlessly with WordPress. These can be free in the WordPress.org Plugin Directory https://wordpress.org/plugins/ or can be cost-based plugin from a third-party/theme has stringsString A string is a translatable part of the software. A translation consists of a multitude of localized strings. for translation in JavascriptJavaScript JavaScript or JS is an object-oriented computer programming language commonly used to create interactive effects within web browsers. WordPress makes extensive use of JS for a better user experience. While PHP is executed on the server, JS executes within a user’s browser. https://www.javascript.com/., then corresponding .jsonJSON JSON, or JavaScript Object Notation, is a minimal, readable format for structuring data. It is used primarily to transmit data between a server and web application, as an alternative to XML. files will be needed. But that’s not relevant in this case, Javascript is client-side execution.)
  
  2. There are hundreds of plugins that extend WooCommerce. If a message is defined/generated by some other plugin, then you need to dig into the translation of THAT plugin.
  
  3. This blog is mainly used for administration of volunteer translations of WordPress core and free plugins and themes. A better place for this question would have been our support forums. Or, alternatively, you could simply have asked in our SlackSlack Slack is a Collaborative Group Chat Platform https://slack.com/. The WordPress community has its own Slack Channel at https://make.wordpress.org/chat/. channel “polyglots”. If you still need some hints or troubleshooting, that’s probably the quickest way 🙂
ricardo.araujo330 12:05 pm on May 3, 2025

Hi @pedromendonca and @tobifjellner,

Thank you both so much for the quick and helpful responses — I truly appreciate it!

1. Yes, I’ve been updating both the .po and .mo filesMO files MO, or Machine Object is a binary data file that contains object data referenced by a program. It is typically used to translate program code, and may be loaded or imported into the GNU gettext program. This is the format used in a WordPress install. These files are normally located inside .../wp-content/languages/ accordingly.

2. I’m not translating any external pluginPlugin A plugin is a piece of software containing a group of functions that can be added to a WordPress website. They can extend functionality or add new features to your WordPress websites. WordPress plugins are written in the PHP programming language and integrate seamlessly with WordPress. These can be free in the WordPress.org Plugin Directory https://wordpress.org/plugins/ or can be cost-based plugin from a third-party — this is directly related to WooCommerce coreCore Core is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Development Team builds WordPress.. I’ve attached screenshots below showing the specific stringString A string is a translatable part of the software. A translation consists of a multitude of localized strings. I translated and how it still appears untranslated in the email output.

3. Pedro — not sure if you remember me, but I actually spoke with you a few times in SlackSlack Slack is a Collaborative Group Chat Platform https://slack.com/. The WordPress community has its own Slack Channel at https://make.wordpress.org/chat/. when I was trying (unsuccessfully) to get access to the Polyglots Portugal team. Eventually I gave up, but thank you again for the help back then.

Thanks once again for your quick support here — it means a lot to get guidance via this channel.
- Pedro Mendonça 12:17 pm on May 3, 2025
  
  Hi @ricardoaraujo330,
  
  2. This stringString A string is a translatable part of the software. A translation consists of a multitude of localized strings. “A new comment on the post “%s” is waiting for your approval” isn’t from WooCommerce, but from WordPress core.
  
  What WordPress version are you using? In WP 6.7 and 6.8 there were changes and fixes related to the languages of the emails.
  https://make.wordpress.org/core/2024/10/21/i18n-improvements-6-7/
  https://make.wordpress.org/core/2025/03/12/i18n-improvements-6-8/
  
  Would this be your case?
  
  3. Feel free to contact me again if you want to try again to connect through the Portuguese Community Slack.
ricardo.araujo330 2:30 pm on May 3, 2025

Hi @pedromendonca,

You’re absolutely right — I misspoke earlier. The stringString A string is a translatable part of the software. A translation consists of a multitude of localized strings. in question is indeed from WordPress coreCore Core is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Development Team builds WordPress., not WooCommerce. Thank you for pointing that out!

I can confirm that I’m currently using WordPress version 6.8.1, so it very well might be related to the recent i18nInternationalization Internationalization (sometimes shortened to I18N , meaning “I - eighteen letters -N”) is the process of planning and implementing products and services so that they can easily be adapted to specific local languages and cultures, a process called localization. This is the process of making software translatable. Information about Internationalization for developers can be found in the Developer’s handbooks. changes introduced in versions 6.7 and 6.8. I’ll take a closer look at the documentation you shared to see if this explains the issue on my end.

And thank you also for the offer — I might reach out again to give the Portuguese Community SlackSlack Slack is a Collaborative Group Chat Platform https://slack.com/. The WordPress community has its own Slack Channel at https://make.wordpress.org/chat/. another try 😊

Really appreciate your help once again!
ricardo.araujo330 9:09 am on May 19, 2025

Hi @pedromendonca and @tobifjellner,

Just following up on my last message — I’ve been reviewing the documentation related to the i18nInternationalization Internationalization (sometimes shortened to I18N , meaning “I - eighteen letters -N”) is the process of planning and implementing products and services so that they can easily be adapted to specific local languages and cultures, a process called localization. This is the process of making software translatable. Information about Internationalization for developers can be found in the Developer’s handbooks. improvements in WordPress 6.7 and 6.8, and I’m still trying to understand why the translated stringsString A string is a translatable part of the software. A translation consists of a multitude of localized strings. aren’t being applied in system emails.

I wanted to check if you had any further insights or suggestions based on what I previously shared. Your help so far has been really appreciated, and I’d be grateful for any additional guidance you might be able to offer.

Thanks again in advance!
- tobifjellner (Tor-Bjorn “Tobi” Fjellner) 9:16 am on May 19, 2025
  
  Does any account on your site have the same email address as the “admin email”? If yes, which profile language is set for that account?

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