Please add Polish language

[Moops73]

Are you planning to add Polish language to version 2? This language would be very useful for many users from my country. And it would encourage you to switch from v1 to v2 😀

[Dan C]

Hi @Moops73,

Our sincerest apologies for the delayed response here. We are exceptionally busy following the release of V2 and we thank you for your continued patience and understanding here.

On 11/16/2022 at 11:37 PM, Moops73 said:

Are you planning to add Polish language to version 2?

We don't have any direct plans for this currently, however we never say never so I will be sure to add your 'vote' to our internal development log for this language for you now

[doondi]

There are many users from Poland. A Polish-language interface would be very useful. Thanks to this, you will gain even more users.

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Jest bardzo wielu użytkowników z Polski. Bardzo by się przydał interfejs w języku polskim. Dzięki temu zyskacie jeszcze więcej użytkowników.

[Moopsik73]

44 minutes ago, doondi said:

There are many users from Poland. A Polish-language interface would be very useful. Thanks to this, you will gain even more users.

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Jest bardzo wielu użytkowników z Polski. Bardzo by się przydał interfejs w języku polskim. Dzięki temu zyskacie jeszcze więcej użytkowników.

I support this!  Or maybe start collecting signatures or votes on the official Facebook profile among Polish users?

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Popieram to! A może na oficjalnym profilu na Facebooku jakieś podpisy lub głosy w tej sprawie zacząć zbierać wśród polskich użytkowników?

[Aandred]

On 12/8/2022 at 7:44 PM, Dan C said:

I will be sure to add your 'vote' to our internal development log for this language for you now

While I'm perfectly comfortable with English, having an interface in my native Polish would be a blast — so please, add my vote as well!

[PaoloT]

9 hours ago, Aandred said:

While I'm perfectly comfortable with English, having an interface in my native Polish would be a blast

Before being so sure, please check what other users say about the localization for their language… 😁

Paolo

 

[Andrew (Poland)]

Lack of polish language UI is a shame. Russian is more important than Polish?

[disena.pl]

Dear Affinity team,

.<moderation> @'ing all staff removed by moderator DONT do that again</moderation>

I would like to express my disappointment regarding the lack of native language support and spell check features in Affinity applications. For years, many users, myself included, have requested that these essential features be implemented to make the software more accessible and efficient for non-English speakers. Despite numerous requests, it appears that no significant progress has been made in this area.

In a global market where many creative professionals rely on tools that support their native languages, providing proper localization and spell check is a crucial part of the user experience. Without these features, Affinity products often fall short of the standards set by other professional software.

I urge you to reconsider your stance on this issue and take the voices of your customers seriously. Adding native language support and spell check would greatly enhance the usability of Affinity apps for many users and demonstrate that Serif values inclusivity and accessibility for all its customers.

[disena.pl]

@PatrickConnor

Hi Patrick,

I understand that the official stance is that Serif is not currently working on expanding language support for Affinity apps. However, as a customer and part of the user community interested in this feature, I would like to know if there is someone specifically responsible for language support or related aspects whom we could directly communicate with regarding our feedback and questions.

Having a point of contact would help us better understand the situation and make our suggestions more effectively.

Thank you in advance for your assistance.

[MikeTO]

@disena.pl Affinity supports Polish spell check and hyphenation. You can download and install the dictionaries from here:

I know this is not a substitute for a Polish version of Affinity, but I created a Polish terminology translation dictionary for Publisher, much of which is applicable to Designer and Photo, too. You can download the PDF from here:

 

[disena.pl]

@MikeTO 

Thank you for pointing out that Affinity supports Polish spell check and hyphenation—I have already installed the dictionaries, and it's certainly a helpful feature.

I would also like to share my perspective. I'm considering leaving CorelDRAW because its performance is quite poor, and I’d love to make Affinity Designer and Publisher my go-to tools. Although I am fairly proficient in English, I don’t use it in my daily life, and the English user interface feels somewhat off-putting for me. Additionally, with my busy schedule, I find it hard to invest time into learning Affinity's tools, and the language barrier only adds to the difficulty.

If the applications were fully localized into Polish, it would significantly ease the learning process and make Affinity products more approachable for many users like myself. I hope this is something that can be considered in the future.

Thanks again for your assistance.

[Pšenda]

13 hours ago, disena.pl said:

If the applications were fully localized into Polish, it would significantly ease the learning process

I personally do not agree with this opinion - since the vast majority of available materials (videos and text instructions), including posts and advice here on the forum, are in English, localization makes learning rather difficult, as it is very complicated to find the corresponding terms, names of functions and tools. Personally, I would never switch the application to the localized version, because I consider the use of English terms (there are really only a few to learn and understand) to be a standard - which I then use to get along with everyone. What I would like is the localization of books, videos and learning materials, but UI localization will not contribute to their creation.

[disena.pl]

@Pšenda 

Thank you for sharing your viewpoint, but I have a slightly different perspective on this topic. Not everyone participates in forums or has sufficient knowledge of the English language to easily follow materials in English. Moreover, there are also tutorials and guides created in Polish on local websites, which can be very helpful for many users.

Considering only the personal experience of navigating forums or using English terms might not reflect the broader needs of users. UI localization can significantly lower the entry barrier for beginners or those who are less comfortable with English, thereby making these tools more accessible to a larger audience. For such users, having the interface in their native language allows them to understand and learn more effectively, even if English instructional content is widely available.

It’s important to consider a diversity of learning preferences and abilities, and localized UIs can contribute to a more inclusive experience overall.

[Pšenda]

1 hour ago, disena.pl said:

Moreover, there are also tutorials and guides created in Polish on local websites, which can be very helpful for many users.

I assume that these tutorials and guides refer to the English application environment, so they are useful only for beginners and users who do not know the application until before switching the environment to another localization.
But as I wrote in another thread (https://forum.affinity.serif.com/index.php?/topic/210800-turkish-language-option/&do=findComment&comment=1256037), perhaps the increase in funds for the development of applications from the new company owner will be reflected in the addition of additional localizations. I just hope that in all the world's languages, so that not a single nation remains disadvantaged and discriminated against, and we don't have to read posts like "Russian is more important than Polish?".

[disena.pl]

@Pšenda

"Russian is more important than Polish?" — This can be easily avoided; just release the files to the community for translation, and we'll have all the needed languages in two weeks or even hours. It's simple — let the company allow us to do it. Of course, the guides refer to English, but when someone listens in their native language and then finds the options in the same language, it's easier. I'm not speaking for myself; I'm speaking for the community that, on many other sites, desires their own language. I've even seen entire content translated into text to serve as a reference.

[GRAFKOM]

I have the impression that Affinity programs are made in such a way that you can't add separate files to manage words in the interface, they are built in permanently.

So you can't just add the appropriate files with any language, like you can do in other programs.

So I don't think Polish and other lesser known languages will be added to Affinity Canva.

[disena.pl]

@GRAFKOM The applications are ready to add translations. Look, you can add languages, and they are stored in DLL files, with three files for each language.

[Pšenda]

51 minutes ago, disena.pl said:

This can be easily avoided; just release the files to the community for translation

Serif has also commented on this many times - the Affinity application is not a community SW or Open Source, so they will not support this "do it yourself" procedure for understandable reasons.

[Pšenda]

40 minutes ago, disena.pl said:

Look, you can add languages, and they are stored in DLL files, with three files for each language.

GRAFKOM had in mind the common way with an external file containing references to application texts that can then be easily translated, which is not the case.

[disena.pl]

If the company does not want to cooperate on allowing community translations, we will exert pressure, which is our right as customers. Many users want to use this software in their native language, and we intend to express our needs and expectations, hoping that Serif will take the community's voice into account. By the way, @Pšenda you sound like you are acting as an advocate for Serif.

Edited Wednesday at 02:02 PM by disena.pl

[GRAFKOM]

37 minutes ago, Pšenda said:

GRAFKOM had in mind the common way with an external file containing references to application texts that can then be easily translated, which is not the case.

Exactly. That's what I meant. Total Commander is an example of a program that has external files with a translated interface. Unfortunately, Affinity is not designed to add external files with translations, so it's an obstacle that the program was available in many languages.

These .DLL files are permanently installed in the program by Serif's IT specialists and no one else can change it. So at the moment I don't believe that new languages will be added, and Serif himself once said so. It takes them too much time, so they spend it fixing countless bugs.

[walt.farrell]

 

4 minutes ago, GRAFKOM said:

So at the moment I don't believe that new languages will be added, and Serif himself once said so. It takes them too much time, so they spend it fixing countless bugs.

Note that even for languages where Serif provides UI translations, some of those "countless bugs" result from translations that don't fit into the UI elements, or that move the UI elements in inappropriate ways.

I can only imagine the chaos that could arise in the UI with users trying to add their own translations for text strings used in the UI.

[bbrother]

English is not my native language, but it is my first choice because it is the most popular and universal.

On the other hand, although it would require some effort, I think it should be a good standard in a serious company to expand the supported languages if a certain large group of users requests it. Translating the user interface into all the languages of the world is stupid and a waste of resources.

Finally, I would like to point out that this is not the first time I see a request for Polish so maybe its worth considering.