Chat in English with someone who speaks Arabic

You write in English; the other person reads your message in Arabic and replies in their language, which you read in English. Piou translates every message on the phone of the person receiving it, and the original is always available. Automatic translation, like Face to face mode and Translated subtitles on calls, is part of Piou Premium; without it, messages appear in their original language.

How it works between English and Arabic

Every message is stored in the language it was written in. The sender's phone detects the language automatically, or falls back to the language set in their profile. Your device translates incoming Arabic messages into English: “Translated” appears under the message, and “Show original” brings back the Arabic text, which the app displays right to left.

Translation happens on the device, with no cloud translation service: on iPhone with Apple's built-in translation (iOS 18 or later), on Android with Google's ML Kit and models downloaded to the phone, and in the web app with the open-source Bergamot engine and Firefox Translations models, or Chrome's built-in translation on desktop. Translations never leave your device. The messages themselves are stored on our servers, in their original language, so they can be delivered and synced.

English is the hub of the web app's translation models, so English and Arabic form a direct pair on every platform, with no detour through a third language.

You download each language once, ideally on Wi-Fi. After that, translation and Face to face work offline: set the phone between you, and it detects who is speaking, shows the translation and reads it out loud. One phone is enough; the other person doesn't need the app.

A sample exchange

Emma rents an apartment in Dubai and messages her landlord, Mr. Al Mansoori:

• Emma writes: “Hi Mr. Al Mansoori, the AC in the bedroom stopped working last night. Could someone come take a look this week?”
• He reads: “مرحبًا سيد المنصوري، توقف المكيف في غرفة النوم عن العمل الليلة الماضية. هل يمكن أن يأتي أحد لفحصه هذا الأسبوع؟”
• He replies: “أهلًا وسهلًا، سلامتك. سأرسل الفني يوم الأحد بعد العصر إن شاء الله.”
• Emma reads: “Welcome, your safety. I will send the technician on Sunday after the afternoon prayer, God willing.”

Three things are worth decoding. “Your safety” (salamtak) is a warm way of saying “sorry to hear that, I hope you're OK.” “After the afternoon prayer” (ba'd al-asr) points to a window that shifts with the seasons, somewhere in the mid to late afternoon. And “God willing” here simply means “yes, that's the plan.” A quick follow-up like “Great, around 4 p.m.?” turns it into a precise time.

Tips for chatting with Arabic speakers

• Greet before you ask. For many Arabic speakers, a greeting and a quick “how are you” come before business. A short “Hi, I hope you're well” at the start goes a long way.
• Names and titles. Arabic names are spelled many ways in Latin letters (Mohammed, Muhammad, Mohamad). Some people are addressed as “Abu” or “Umm” plus a child's name, like “Abu Faisal.” “Mr.” or “Ms.” plus the family name is always safe; ask what they prefer.
• Read “inshallah” in context. It can be a firm yes, a hope or a polite way to avoid saying no. If you need a commitment, a friendly follow-up question is perfectly normal.
• Ramadan and Fridays. During Ramadan, many people fast and schedules shift, with more activity late in the evening. Friday midday is prayer time for many Muslims. Ask what works instead of assuming.
• Weekends and time zones. Gulf countries don't all share the same weekend, and the time difference with the US or the UK adds another layer. Agree on a day, a time and a city.
• Spell out the month. “October 22” is clear everywhere; 10/22 and 22/10 are not.
• Voice messages. Many people would rather talk than type. With Premium, voice messages are transcribed and translated, and the audio stays playable; spoken dialect is recognized less reliably than standard Arabic.

Where translation falls short

• Dialect and Arabizi. Gulf words like “wayed” (a lot) or “shlonak” (how are you), and Arabic typed in Latin letters, can be mistranslated or left as is.
• Gender. Arabic uses different forms of “you” for a man and a woman. English “you” doesn't say which, so the translation may address a woman in the masculine form, or the reverse. It's a machine error, not rudeness.
• Blessings and set phrases. “Mashallah” or “alhamdulillah” come across literally and can sound more solemn than intended.
• Numbers and currencies. Some people write Eastern Arabic numerals (٣ is 3, ٧ is 7). Confirm amounts, times and addresses, and write currencies as codes (AED, SAR, USD) rather than just “dollars” or “riyals.”
• Mixed messages. Arabic sentences sprinkled with English words translate less well than full sentences in one language.
• Contracts, health, legal and money matters. Piou doesn't replace a professional translator, a lawyer or a doctor. In an emergency, call local emergency services.
• Documents. Piou doesn't translate photos, PDFs or other documents.

Get started

1. Install Piou on iPhone (iOS 18 or later) or Android (8.0 or later), or open the web app at app.piou.chat.
2. Choose English as your reading language and download English and Arabic, ideally on Wi-Fi. Language settings are under Settings → Language & translation.
3. Add contacts from your address book, with your permission, or send an invite link or QR code. Your phone number helps people find you; it's never used to sign in.
4. Start the 7-day free trial: a card is required, nothing is charged for 7 days, then the subscription starts automatically at the price shown unless you cancel before the trial ends. You can cancel anytime.
5. If the other person should read you in their language too, use “Gift Piou to someone,” in the app or on the website.