Bilingual Arabic-English signage is the norm across commercial premises in Dubai, and getting the layout wrong is one of the more common reasons a signage brief comes back to us for a redo.

Reading direction dictates the layout

Arabic reads right to left, English reads left to right. On most commercial signage, Arabic sits above or to the right of the English text, so each language flows naturally instead of fighting the other for attention.

Matched sizes aren't the same as matched legibility

Arabic script often needs slightly more vertical space than the equivalent English line to hold the same visual weight and legibility, particularly at a distance. Simply matching font sizes between the two languages can leave the Arabic looking cramped.

The typeface has to be built for Arabic

Arabic script is connected and contextual — letterforms change shape depending on where they fall in a word. A typeface not designed for Arabic, or text set incorrectly, distorts letterforms in a way that's obvious to any Arabic reader, even if it looks fine to someone who can't read the script.

Translation and transliteration are not the same decision

A translated business name and a transliterated, phonetically rendered one are different things, and the right choice depends on whether the name carries a meaning you want translated or a sound you want kept recognisable. Settle which applies before artwork is finalised.

Sometimes it isn't optional

For certain commercial and public-facing signage, bilingual Arabic-English layout is required by the relevant Dubai authority as part of approval. Raising this at the design stage avoids it being caught later at approval.

Getting a bilingual sign approved?

Tell us which authority you're submitting to and we'll set the Arabic and English layout up correctly from the first draft, not after a rejection.