Short answer: Write Hebrew interface text in the plural imperative ("שמרו") or the infinitive ("לשמור"), so it addresses every user without picking a grammatical gender, and tie each string to the action it describes. An error message states what happened and what to do next. Numbers and English inside Hebrew need direction isolation in code.
Key takeaways
- Gender lives in the verb: Every instruction has a masculine form ("לחץ") and a feminine one ("לחצי").
- Action nouns suit buttons: A label such as "שמירה" sidesteps the question.
- Three plural categories: JavaScript's
Intl.PluralRules, which follows Unicode CLDR data, returns one, two and other for Hebrew. - Mixed direction fails quietly: The Unicode bidirectional algorithm can push "+", "-" or parentheses to the wrong side of a number.
Addressing users without picking a gender
Hebrew has no gender-free "you" in its verbs. "Enter your email" is "הזן" to a man and "הזיני" to a woman. Three patterns cover most of an interface. The plural imperative ("הזינו את כתובת המייל") sounds warm and fits onboarding and marketing screens. "יש ל" plus an infinitive ("יש להזין כתובת מייל") is more formal and fits forms and system notices. Action nouns ("שמירה", "מחיקה", "ייצוא") fit buttons and menus.
Choose one register per type of screen and document it in the style guide, beside the component library in a design system for companies. Mixing "שמרו" and "שמור" makes a product feel assembled from spare parts. Start with onboarding, which holds the most text; see onboarding that keeps users around.
Error messages, empty states and buttons
| Element | Weak | Stronger |
|---|---|---|
| Error | "שגיאה בקלט" | "מספר הטלפון קצר מדי. יש להזין 10 ספרות" |
| Empty state | "אין נתונים" | "עוד לא נוספו לקוחות. אפשר לייבא קובץ CSV או להוסיף לקוח ראשון" |
| Button | "אישור" | "שליחת ההצעה" |
| Delete confirmation | "האם אתה בטוח?" | "למחוק את הפרויקט ואת 12 הקבצים שבו?" |
An error message names the field, the problem and the fix, without blaming the user. An empty state explains what will appear there and offers the first action. A button says what pressing it will do. In forms the message must also reach screen readers, which connects wording to Israel's accessibility regulations. Long flows get their own treatment in complex forms in internal systems.
