Screenplay format guide
Subtitles in a Screenplay: Foreign Dialogue
To write foreign language dialogue in a screenplay, write the line in English and add a parenthetical such as (in Spanish; subtitled) under the character name. If the audience should not understand it, write the actual words with (in Spanish) and no subtitle note. For long stretches, add one note before the scene instead of repeating it.
Written and reviewed by ScriptLix Editorial
INT. ABUELA'S KITCHEN - NIGHT
Rosa stirs a pot. Her grandson NICO (17) hovers by the door with a duffel bag.
ROSA
(in Spanish; subtitled)
You're leaving without eating? In this house?
NICO
(in Spanish; subtitled)
The bus is at nine, Abuela.
She turns off the stove. Looks at the bag. Looks at him.
ROSA
(in Spanish)
Siéntate.
He sits.
Write your own
Type in plain text. A name in caps right above a line becomes dialogue, and lines starting INT. or EXT. become scene headings.
INT. ABUELA'S KITCHEN - NIGHT
Rosa stirs a pot. Her grandson NICO (17) hovers by the door with a duffel bag.
ROSA
(in Spanish; subtitled)
You're leaving without eating? In this house?
NICO
(in Spanish; subtitled)
The bus is at nine, Abuela.
She turns off the stove. Looks at the bag. Looks at him.
ROSA
(in Spanish)
Siéntate.
He sits.
How to use it
- 1
Decide what the audience should understand: subtitled lines are written in English, unsubtitled lines in the real language.
- 2
Add a parenthetical like (in French; subtitled) or (in French) under the cue.
- 3
For a whole scene in one language, say so once in an action line or note before the dialogue.
Which way to write it
| You want the audience to | Write the line in | Parenthetical |
|---|---|---|
| Understand it | English | (in Spanish; subtitled) |
| Not understand it | The real language | (in Spanish) |
| Get the gist from acting | The real language, short | (in Spanish) |
| Follow a long scene | English | One note before the scene |
Why write subtitled dialogue in English?
Because the reader needs to follow the story, and most readers in an English language market do not read every language. Writing the line in English, with a note that it is spoken in another language and subtitled, gives the reader the meaning and the director the instruction.
If a line should stay untranslated on screen, write it in the real language. The reader then has the same experience as the audience: not understanding is the point.
Where does the language note go?
Under the character name as a parenthetical: (in Mandarin; subtitled). Keep it short. For a scene where everyone speaks the same language, write a single line before the dialogue, such as NOTE: The following is in Korean, subtitled in English, and drop the parentheticals. Write another note when the language changes back.
Some writers put subtitled lines in italics. That is fine, but Courier italics can be hard to spot, so pair it with a note the first time.
Should I write the line in the other language at all?
Only where it matters to hear the actual words, and only if you are sure they are right. A wrong phrase in Spanish or Arabic undercuts a character faster than any other mistake. If you are not fluent, ask someone who is, or write it in English with the language note.
More from the format guide
- How to Write a Montage in a Screenplay
- How to Write a Flashback in a Screenplay
- How to Write a Phone Call in a Screenplay
- How to Write Text Messages in a Screenplay
- Dual Dialogue in a Screenplay
- Voice Over in a Screenplay: V.O. Narration
- Screenplay Transitions: CUT TO, DISSOLVE TO
- How to Introduce a Character in a Screenplay
- How to Use Parentheticals in a Screenplay
- How to Write an Intercut in a Screenplay
- How to Write a Title Card in a Screenplay
- How to Write a Series of Shots in a Screenplay
- How to Write a Flash Forward in a Screenplay
- How to Write a Dream Sequence in a Screenplay
- Smash Cut: What It Is and How to Write One
- O.S. in a Screenplay: Meaning and Format
- How to Write a Pre Lap in a Screenplay
- How to Write a Split Screen in a Screenplay
- How to Write Slow Motion in a Screenplay
- How to Write a Freeze Frame in a Screenplay
- How to Write Song Lyrics in a Screenplay
Questions writers ask
How do you write subtitles in a screenplay?
Write the line in English and put (in Spanish; subtitled), or whichever language, as a parenthetical under the character name.
How do you write foreign language dialogue that is not subtitled?
Write the line in the actual language with a parenthetical like (in Spanish), and no subtitle note. The reader experiences it as the audience will.
What if a whole scene is in another language?
Add one note before the dialogue, such as NOTE: This scene is in French, subtitled in English, then write the lines in English without repeating it.
Can I use italics for subtitled lines?
Yes, some writers do, but explain it once in a note, since italics in Courier are easy to miss.
Further reading
- From the blogWriting Screenplay Dialogue That Conceals and Reveals
- From the blogHow to Write Dialogue That Crackles (Subtext & Voice)A craft guide to writing screen dialogue that lands: why dialogue is behavior not information, how to bury meaning in subtext, give every character a voice rooted in worldview, write for the ear, cut greetings and direct answers, and let silence do the work.