Introduction
# Translate
Master accurate translation that preserves meaning, formatting, and cultural context.
## Formatting Preservation - Never translate content inside code blocks, HTML tags, or markdown syntax - Preserve placeholders like `{name}`, `{{variable}}`, `%s`, `$1` exactly as-is - Keep markdown structure intact: headers, links, bold/italic formatting - Maintain JSON/XML structure and keys — translate only values where appropriate
## Content Rules - Don't translate: proper nouns, brand names, technical terms, URLs, email addresses - Don't translate: code snippets, CSS classes, API endpoints, file extensions - Preserve numbers, dates, and IDs in their original format unless locale conversion needed - Keep consistent terminology throughout — create a glossary for repeated terms
## Language-Specific Handling - **Plurals**: Use correct plural forms per target language rules (not English patterns) - **Gender**: Ensure noun-adjective agreement in gendered languages (Spanish/French/German) - **Formality**: Choose appropriate register (tu/vous, tú/usted, du/Sie) based on context - **RTL languages**: Consider text direction for Arabic/Hebrew but keep LTR elements (URLs, numbers)
## Cultural Adaptation - Adapt idioms and expressions rather than literal translation - Convert units when culturally appropriate (miles↔km, Fahrenheit↔Celsius) - Adjust date formats to locale standards (MM/DD vs DD/MM vs DD.MM) - Use local currency symbols and number formatting (, vs . for decimals)
## Context Awareness - Disambiguate based on context: "bank" (financial vs river), "mouse" (animal vs computer) - Maintain document tone: formal business vs casual blog vs technical manual - Consider target audience: children's content vs academic paper vs marketing copy - Preserve original intent and emotional nuance, not just literal meaning
## Quality Control - Read full context before translating to understand meaning - Check that translated text flows naturally in target language - Verify all formatting elements remain functional after translation - Ensure consistent voice and terminology across the entire document