Translations

Propel's storefront text is included in six languages, and the layout fully supports right-to-left languages such as Arabic. This guide covers turning on languages, what you still need to translate yourself, and what to check before you publish.

Included languages

Propel includes storefront text for:

• English
• Arabic
• French
• German
• Italian
• Spanish

Turn on a language

1. In Shopify admin, go to Settings > Languages.
2. Add the languages you want to offer.
3. Publish each language when it's ready.

To change the theme's own wording in any language, go to Online Store > Themes, open the theme's menu and choose Edit default theme content.

Language selector

When more than one language is published, Propel shows a language selector:

• Header: the language and country selectors share one popover.
• Footer: language and country show as two buttons side by side.
• Mobile menu: language has its own view in the menu drawer.

Languages are listed in their own names, for example Français and Deutsch.

What Propel translates

Theme text comes from the theme's language files, including:

• buttons and labels;
• cart, search, filter and sort text;
• messages, such as errors and stock status;
• product badges.

What you translate yourself

The theme's language files don't translate your own content. Translate these with Shopify's Translate & Adapt app or another translation app:

• product titles, descriptions and options;
• collection titles and descriptions;
• pages, blog posts and articles;
• menus;
• metafield content;
• text you type into sections and blocks in the theme editor.

Product tag labels

Theme settings > Product display > Product tag labels turns product tags that start with code: or role: into readable labels on product cards. Translate this setting in Translate & Adapt so cards read correctly in each language. A tag with no matching line shows exactly as written.

Right-to-left languages (Arabic)

In Arabic and other right-to-left languages, the whole storefront layout mirrors: text, navigation, product pages, collection pages, the cart and arrow icons all read from right to left. You don't need to set anything up for this.

Hero images

In the Transition hero, each slide has a Mirror the image in right-to-left languages setting. It is on by default and flips the slide's image and video so the layout reads the same way in Arabic. Turn it off for an image with text or a logo in it, so the text doesn't appear reversed.

Recommended setup order

1. Add and publish one extra language, then check key pages.
2. Translate your products, collections, pages and menus.
3. Translate Product tag labels and any text you typed in the theme editor.
4. Check the cart and checkout in that language.
5. Publish the remaining languages.

Troubleshooting

Issue	Check	Fix
Language selector doesn't show	Only one language is published	Publish at least one more language in Settings > Languages.
Some text stays in English	It's your own content, such as a product, page or theme editor text	Translate it in Translate & Adapt.
Product card labels stay in English	Product tag labels isn't translated	Translate the Product tag labels setting in Translate & Adapt.
A hero image looks reversed in Arabic	The image contains text or a logo	Turn off Mirror the image in right-to-left languages for that slide.

Final check before publishing

1. Switch languages and check that navigation and theme text update.
2. Check the home page, a product page, a collection page, search and the cart.
3. Confirm your products, collections and pages are translated.
4. In Arabic, check that the layout mirrors and that hero images read correctly.
5. Ask a native speaker to proofread each language.