Enable multi-languages

A multi-language form is one form that respondents can fill in in different languages. Add languages on the form’s Multi-language page, translate the text with AI Translate, by hand, or with an Excel file, and share a link for each language. Respondents can also switch language on the form. Multi-language forms are included on every plan.

Add languages and translation

1. On the Dashboard, hover over the form, click the Settings (gear) icon, then click Manage form.

   

2. In the left navigation, under Configure, click Multi-language.

3. Choose how respondents see languages:

   • Turn on Show Languages Switcher on Form to add a language selection dropdown to the form.
   • Turn on Detect user language to open the form in the respondent’s browser language.

4. Choose a language from the dropdown and click Add New Language. Each language appears as a card; your form’s original language is marked Primary, the source for all translations.

   

5. Click Edit on the language to open its translation window. Translate both Form Text (labels and help text) and System Text (buttons like “Submit”) using one of these three methods:

   • AI Translation: Click AI Translate to generate translations for the current tab. Keep the window open until the translation finishes.
     
     Note

     AI Translation provides a quick starting point. We recommend reviewing the generated text for accuracy before saving.

   • Manual Translation: Type your translations into the corresponding fields in each tab.
   • Auto-fill Translation (Excel): Click Export Translation to download an Excel file, fill in your translations, and then click Import Translation to upload the changes.
     
     Note

     For detailed guidelines on Excel formatting, refer to the Auto-fill translation section.

   

6. After adding translations, click Save Translation. Click Go Back to return to the Multi-language page.

7. (Optional) To export your final translations in Excel format, click Export Translation.

Auto-fill translation

When importing data from Excel for auto-fill translation, follow these guidelines to ensure a smooth and accurate process:

• Prepare proper file: The name of your Excel file doesn’t matter; only data from the first worksheet will be used.

• Ignore the title: The system ignores the 1st row, typically containing titles.

• Three-column format: Organize your translation in three columns; only content in the 3rd column is imported. Ensure the format matches the Excel file you exported.

• Empty cells: If a cell in your file is empty, the corresponding translation will reset to blank.

• Font styles: Any font styles in your file will be ignored during import.

• Rich text: Import does not support rich text messages. Translate messages with text formatting manually in the Form Text and System Text tabs.

Placeholder guide

In PlatoForms, placeholders are used to dynamically replace specific values in a form during rendering.

The format for placeholders is %(TheName)s, where TheName is a placeholder variable representing a specific value or piece of information that will be inserted into the form.

So, the format %(TheName)s serves as a template for placeholders, indicating where and how the replacement should occur within the form.

These placeholders follow a specific format to ensure that the system can identify and replace them correctly:

• Use ASCII characters: Placeholders should only consist of ASCII characters. Non-ASCII characters won’t work.

• Start and end with % and s: Each placeholder should start with % and end with s. This format is necessary for the system to recognize them correctly.

• No spaces: Placeholder names should not have any spaces. Spaces in placeholder names won’t be recognized.

Set primary language

The primary language is your form’s default language, shown to respondents first, and the source for all translations. On the Multi-language page, its card is marked Primary; every other language card reads “Translated from primary.”

To change the primary language:

1. On the Dashboard, hover over the form, click the Settings (gear) icon, then click Manage form.

2. In the left navigation, under Configure, click Multi-language.

3. On the card of the language you want, click Set as Primary.

   

To remove a language, click Delete on its card.

Preview multi-languages

“Preview multi-languages” lets you see how your form looks in different languages:

1. In the translation window, click the link next to Preview Address at the top. The preview page opens. The Published Address next to it is the language’s public link.

2. To view the form in different languages, use the dropdown next to Change Language at the top right.

   

Switch between languages

After you publish your form, each language version has its own URL, Embed Script and QR Code.

In the Share Your Form dialog, use the language buttons below the link to switch between languages. Each button shows the URL, Embed Script or QR Code for that language, so you can share different versions with your respondents.

This makes it easy for them to access and interact with the form in their preferred language. When Show Languages Switcher on Form is on, respondents can also change the language from the Change Language dropdown in the top-right corner of the form.

Video tutorial

These videos were recorded with an earlier version of the interface. If a button is in a different place, follow the steps above.

Add languages, translate them with AI Translate, and export or import translations:

Create a multilingual form step by step:

Related

• Form default settings Turn on the language switcher and language detection by default for new forms.
• Publish and share Share a form by link, embed script or QR code.
• Import Google Forms Bring an existing Google Form into PlatoForms, then add languages.
• How to translate a Google Form Compare ways to offer one form in several languages.