Translate Strings with Loco Translate

BuddyX Pro is fully translation-ready and works seamlessly with the Loco Translate plugin. This guide walks you through translating theme strings into your preferred language.

What You’ll Need

WordPress 5.0 or higher
Loco Translate plugin (free)
BuddyX Pro theme installed and active

Why Use Loco Translate?

Loco Translate provides several advantages:

Feature	Benefit
In-Dashboard Editing	Translate directly in WordPress admin
Safe Location	Stores translations outside theme folder
Update-Proof	Translations survive theme updates
No Coding Required	Visual interface for all strings
PO/MO Generation	Automatically creates translation files

Step-by-Step Translation Guide

Step 1: Install Loco Translate

Go to Plugins > Add New
Search for “Loco Translate”
Click Install Now then Activate

Step 2: Set Your Site Language

Navigate to Settings > General
Scroll to the Site Language dropdown
Select your target language (e.g., French, German, Spanish)
Click Save Changes

Note: If your language isn’t listed, you may need to install language packs manually. You can temporarily set it to English while preparing translations.

Step 3: Verify Folder Structure

Before translating, ensure this directory exists and is writable:

wp-content/languages/loco/themes/

Why this matters:

Translations saved here are protected from theme updates
WordPress automatic updates won’t delete your work
This is the recommended “Custom” location in Loco Translate

To create the folder:

Connect via FTP or use File Manager in cPanel
Navigate to wp-content/languages/
Create folder loco if it doesn’t exist
Inside loco, create folder themes
Ensure folders have write permissions (755)

Warning: Never save translations directly in the theme folder (wp-content/themes/buddyx-pro/languages/) as theme updates will delete them.

Step 4: Access Translation Dashboard

Click Loco Translate in the admin menu
Select Themes from the submenu
Find and click BuddyX Pro from the theme list

You’ll see a list of existing translations and available languages.

Step 5: Add a New Language

Click the New language button (has a + icon)
Select your target language from the dropdown
Important: Choose Custom as the location
Click Start translating

Step 6: Translate Theme Strings

The translation editor shows all translatable strings:

Understanding the Interface:

Element	Meaning
Bold blue text	Untranslated strings
Regular text	Already translated
*Star icon ()**	Unsaved changes
Filter box	Search for specific phrases

How to Translate:

Click on a string in the upper pane
The original English text appears in the Source text area
Enter your translation in the Translation area below
Move to the next string (use Tab or click)
Repeat for all strings you want to translate

Tips for Efficient Translation:

Use the Filter to find specific words (e.g., “Login”, “Profile”)
Focus on user-facing strings first (buttons, menus, messages)
Keep placeholder variables intact (e.g., %s, %d, {name})
Match the tone and formality of your site

Step 7: Save Your Work

Click the Save icon in the editor toolbar (or press Ctrl+S)
Loco Translate creates/updates the .po and .mo files
Your translations are immediately active on the frontend

Common Strings to Translate

Here are frequently translated BuddyX Pro strings:

Navigation & Menus

English	Purpose
Home	Main navigation
Activity	BuddyPress activity stream
Members	Member directory
Groups	Group directory
Log In / Log Out	Authentication
Register	New user signup

Profile & Members

English	Purpose
Profile	User profile page
Edit Profile	Profile editing
Messages	Private messaging
Notifications	User alerts
Friends	Friend connections
Following / Followers	Social follow system

Activity Stream

English	Purpose
What’s new?	Activity post box
Post Update	Submit button
commented	Activity action
liked	Reaction action

Groups

English	Purpose
Create a Group	Group creation
Join Group	Membership action
Leave Group	Exit action
Group Settings	Admin area

Updating Translations After Theme Updates

When BuddyX Pro is updated, new strings may be added:

Go to Loco Translate > Themes > BuddyX Pro
Click on your language
Click Sync to detect new strings
New untranslated strings appear in bold blue
Translate the new strings
Save your work

Troubleshooting

Translations Not Showing

Problem: Frontend still shows English text.

Solutions:

Clear any caching plugins
Verify site language is set correctly
Check that .mo file was generated (not just .po)
Ensure file permissions allow writing

Permission Denied Error

Problem: Cannot save translations.

Solutions:

Check folder permissions (should be 755)
Verify wp-content/languages/loco/themes/ exists
Contact hosting provider if using managed WordPress

Missing Strings

Problem: Some strings don’t appear in Loco Translate.

Causes:

Strings may be from plugins (BuddyPress, WooCommerce)
JavaScript strings may need separate translation
Custom code may have hardcoded text

Solution: Translate plugin strings separately via Loco Translate > Plugins

Placeholder Variables

Problem: Translation shows broken text like %s or {name}.

Solution: Keep all placeholder variables in your translation:

Original: Welcome back, %s!
Translation: Willkommen zurück, %s! (German)

The %s gets replaced with the actual username at runtime.

Alternative Translation Methods

WPML (Premium)

If you need a multilingual site (multiple languages simultaneously):

BuddyX Pro is WPML compatible
Allows visitors to switch languages
More complex setup than Loco Translate

Polylang (Free/Premium)

Another multilingual option:

Compatible with BuddyX Pro
Free version available
Good for simple multilingual needs

Manual PO File Editing

For developers:

Copy buddyx-pro.pot from theme’s languages folder
Rename to your locale (e.g., buddyx-pro-de_DE.po)
Edit with Poedit or similar tool
Generate .mo file
Upload to wp-content/languages/themes/

Best Practices

Backup First – Export translations before major changes
Use Custom Location – Always save to wp-content/languages/loco/themes/
Sync Regularly – Check for new strings after theme updates
Test Thoroughly – View translated pages to check context
Keep Consistent – Use the same terms throughout (e.g., always “Profile” not sometimes “Account”)

Related Resources

Need Help?

Visit our Documentation Portal
Contact Support at support@wbcomdesigns.com