Many Rwandan brands speak to customers in three languages. The mistake is to write in one and translate the rest word for word. The result sounds stiff, and customers notice.

Start with the idea, not the sentence

Agree on what each message must achieve, then let native writers express it naturally in each language. The idea stays the same; the words adapt.

• Keep a short glossary of brand terms and how to say them in each language
• Decide which language leads on each channel
• Have every text read by a native speaker before it goes live

“Translate the idea, not the sentence.”

Done well, multilingual content does not feel like three versions of one brand. It feels like one brand that speaks your language.

Bugufi Studio

Notes from our strategists, designers and developers in Kigali. We write about what we learn on real client projects.

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