How to build a shared glossary for a multilingual menu

Start with the terms that appear most often

Rather than copying every menu sentence into the glossary, start with category names, cooking methods, main ingredients, and portion terms. Size names such as small, medium, and large can be included too. Because these terms recur across many products, consistent usage affects how understandable the menu is overall.

Record the intended meaning of each term. The same word may need different translations in different contexts. A glossary with only two columns may be insufficient, especially for local product names and preparation methods. A short context note helps the translator keep the correct choice. If different branches use the same name for different presentations, clarify the source term first; a translation glossary cannot resolve internal ambiguity by itself.

Include context and approval information

The table can be simple: source term, target-language equivalent, context, example product, and approval status. Clearly mark expressions that are not yet final. This prevents a draft translation from accidentally being applied across all products. Also establish who can edit the glossary and who performs the final review.

Support local dish names with descriptions

Keeping some dish names unchanged may make sense for the business’s culinary identity. However, do not assume a visitor reading the target language will understand the name. Help customers choose by describing the main ingredients, preparation, and serving details.

A word-for-word translation may not explain the product’s actual composition. Have someone familiar with the translation and the kitchen lead read it together to check whether the dish could be understood as a different product. Consider the original name alongside an accurate description instead of using another recipe’s name to make the product seem more familiar.

Check that price and ingredient distinctions survive translation

Translation extends beyond product names. Sizes, portions, included accompaniments, and selectable serving styles must mean the same thing too. If an option difference that is clear in one language disappears in another, customers may expect a different price or serving. Also check how long translations fit on a phone screen.

Review shifts in meaning especially carefully in wording related to dietary preferences and allergens. Do not add an assurance in the target language that is absent from the source. Making a translation more definite does not solve uncertainty in the original; first obtain accurate information from the business, then align every language with the same verified source.

Make the glossary part of menu updates

Make consulting the glossary routine whenever a new product is added. If a new term is needed, establish its context and approve it first. If an existing translation changes, review the other products where it appears. Correcting one entry while leaving similar products unchanged preserves the inconsistency.

When preparing content in different languages in Orvunai, use the source product’s current recipe. A completed translation field does not mean its accuracy has been checked. Periodically comparing sample products across languages and gathering questions heard by the service team helps keep the glossary useful instead of leaving it as a document in an archive.