Ananta Code Academy
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MODULE 04 · ADVANCED & CAPSTONE

Building Multilingual Sites

One language often isn't enough to reach who you're building for. Today you'll learn how WordPress handles translation and set up a second language on your capstone site.

Day 29 of 30 Intermediate ~16 min
01 · OVERVIEW

What "Multilingual" Actually Means

A multilingual WordPress site serves the same content in more than one language, with visitors able to switch between versions. WordPress core doesn't do this out of the box — it's handled by a translation plugin that duplicates and links content across languages.

It's a different problem from simply translating text once. Every new post, page, or product you add afterward needs its own translated version too.

02 · THE MOVING PIECES

What a Translation Plugin Manages

Setting up a multilingual site touches a handful of distinct pieces, each with its own settings.

PIECE WHAT IT COVERS
Content translation

Posts, pages, and products, each linked to their translated counterpart.
String translation

Fixed theme and plugin text, like "Add to Cart" or menu labels.
URL structure

How each language is addressed — a subdirectory, a subdomain, or a separate domain.
Language switcher

The menu or flag widget visitors use to change languages.
03 · HOW URLS ARE STRUCTURED

Where the Language Lives in the URL

Most multilingual plugins default to a subdirectory structure, since it's the simplest to set up and keeps everything on one domain.

url-structure.txt 
// Common ways to structure language URLs
example.com/about       // default language, no prefix
example.com/hi/about    // subdirectory per language
hi.example.com/about    // subdomain per language
04 · SETTING UP A SECOND LANGUAGE

Adding a Translation

  • Install a multilingual plugin and choose your default language and URL structure.
  • Add the second language you want to support in the plugin's settings.
  • Translate your key pages first — home, about, and contact before anything else.
  • Add a language switcher to your menu or footer so visitors can find it.
  • Translate theme strings like button labels and form text, not just page content.
    • 05 · TRANSLATION APPROACHES

    Manual vs Machine Translation

    MACHINE TRANSLATION Fast and free to set up, but can miss tone, idioms, and context — best treated as a starting draft.
    HUMAN TRANSLATION Slower and often paid, but accurate and natural — worth it at minimum for your core pages.
    06 · COMMON MISTAKES

    Where Beginners Go Wrong

    CHECK YOUR SITE FOR THESE
    UNTRANSLATED THEME TEXT Translating posts but leaving buttons and menus in the original language looks unfinished.
    NO HREFLANG TAGS Without hreflang tags, search engines may not know which language version to show whom.
    FORGETTING NEW CONTENT Adding a post in one language without its translation leaves the other version incomplete.
    07 · BREAKDOWN

    Breaking Down What You Just Learned

    1

    Translation plugins link contentEach post or page connects to its counterpart in another language.

    2

    URLs need a clear structureSubdirectory, subdomain, or separate domain, chosen up front.

    3

    Strings matter as much as contentButtons and labels need translating too, not just posts and pages.

    4

    Machine translation is a starting pointHuman review matters most for your core, high-visibility pages.

    5

    Translation is ongoingEvery new piece of content needs its counterpart in each supported language.

    08 · TRY IT

    Try It Yourself

    EXERCISE

    Install a multilingual plugin, add one additional language, and fully translate your homepage — including the menu and any buttons — before moving on to other pages.

    09 · TODAY'S PRACTICE

    Add a Second Language to Your Site

    HANDS-ON EXERCISE

    Making your capstone site multilingual

    By the end of today, a visitor should be able to switch languages and read a fully translated version of your core pages.

    1. Install a multilingual plugin and configure your URL structure.
    2. Translate your homepage, about page, and contact page.
    3. Add a visible language switcher to your site's menu.
    4. Translate key theme strings like buttons and form labels.
    5. Test the switcher on both desktop and mobile.
    10 · RECAP

    Recap

    CONTENT TRANSLATION

    Each post or page linked to its version in another language.

    URL STRUCTURE

    Subdirectory, subdomain, or separate domain per language.

    STRING TRANSLATION

    Fixed theme and plugin text like buttons and menus.

    LANGUAGE SWITCHER

    Lets visitors move between language versions of a page.

    11 · SUMMARY

    Key Takeaways

    • A multilingual plugin links each post or page to a translated counterpart rather than creating a separate site.
    • Choose a clear URL structure — subdirectory, subdomain, or domain — before you start translating.
    • Theme and plugin strings need translating too, not just your posts and pages.
    • Treat machine translation as a starting draft, and prioritize human review for core pages.
    • Translation is ongoing — every new piece of content needs its counterpart in each language you support.
    Course Overview