Leading the Charge: Translating WordPress into Nepali

A Voyage of Localization and Inclusivity

WordPress powers a massive portion of the web, but its true power lies in its accessibility. For the platform to truly democratize publishing, it needs to speak the language of its users. This realization is what drove me to become heavily involved in the Nepali WordPress Polyglots team, eventually stepping into the ongoing role of a General Translation Editor (GTE) to lead the localization roadmap for our language.

Technology should never be gated behind language barriers. When a local business owner, blogger, or student in Nepal opens the WordPress admin dashboard in Nepali, it fundamentally transforms their relationship with technology from intimidation to empowerment.

Milestone: 100% Nepali Translation at WordCamp Nepal 2022

One of my proudest moments in the open-source community happened during WordCamp Nepal 2022 in Chitwan. While I was managing event logistics as the Print and Production lead, I also had the privilege of serving as a Contribution Day Table Lead for the Polyglots team.

Our goal for Contributor Day was ambitious: completing the Nepali translation of WordPress core.

Through the incredible collaborative effort of our local Polyglots contributors, translators, and first-time volunteers, we hit the monumental milestone of 100% Nepali translation for WordPress core. It was a testament to what a dedicated, focused community can achieve in a single day of collective passion.

Continuing the Momentum at WordCamp Kathmandu 2023

The journey didn't stop in Chitwan. Localization is not a one-time project—it is an ongoing commitment. With every WordPress major and minor release, new core strings, dashboard features, and bundled block patterns are introduced.

The following year at WordCamp Kathmandu 2023, I once again led the Contribution Day Table for the Nepali WordPress Polyglots team. We focused on maintaining the translations, reviewing pending strings from the community, updating glossary terms, and onboarding new contributors into the translation workflow.

Taking the Stage: A Voyage of Localization and Inclusivity

WordCamp Kathmandu 2023 was also a deeply meaningful milestone for another reason: I had the honor of taking the main stage as a speaker.

In my talk, "Translating WordPress into Nepali: A Voyage of Localization and Inclusivity", I had the opportunity to pull back the curtain on open-source localization. I shared:

• Linguistic Challenges: Navigating nuanced technical terms—deciding when to transliterate versus finding authentic Nepali equivalents that remain intuitive for everyday users.
• Community Workflows: How the WordPress Polyglots review system works, maintaining quality control, and standardizing consistent glossary rules across teams.
• The Human Impact: Real-world stories of non-English speaking creators building their digital presence using native WordPress tools.

Speaking on the main stage was the natural culmination of years spent contributing behind the scenes—from my early days designing banners at WordCamp Bharatpur and Butwal to leading print production and running contribution tables.

Looking Ahead

As the ongoing General Translation Editor for WordPress Nepali on WordPress.org, the roadmap is always evolving. With new features, full-site editing tools, and default themes rolling out regularly, keeping WordPress fully localized requires a continuous community effort.

If you're interested in contributing to the Nepali Polyglots team, you don't need to be a developer—you just need a passion for the Nepali language and open-source software!

Join us on translate.wordpress.org or reach out through the WordPress Nepal Community to get involved.