moathalherani/arabic-keyword-captions

Arabic keyword captions

Continuous full-sentence subtitles are hard to read on a phone. Short captions (2 to 4 words) with one colored keyword keep the eye on the video.

Steps

1. Get a transcript as SRT or VTT. From Whisper, CapCut, Premiere, DaVinci, Descript or YouTube Studio. Fix spelling of names and brands first.

2. Make the captions

   npx arabic-captions talk.srt -w 3 -f ass --font "Changa" --size 84 --highlight "#7FB069" -o talk.ass
   

   • -w 2 for fast talkers, -w 4 for slow ones.
   • The highlight picks numbers first, then English product names, then the most meaningful word.
   • Fillers like يعني and اممم are dropped; use --keep-fillers to keep them.

3. Burn in

   ffmpeg -i talk.mp4 -vf ass=talk.ass -c:a copy talk.captioned.mp4
   

   Install the font on the machine first. For a 1080×1920 video the default position sits in the lower third, above the platform UI.

4. Check three moments: the hook, any line with English words, and any number. Arabic should read right to left with the English word in place.

Choosing the highlight color

Pick one color from the video itself (a plant, a car, a wall) so the captions feel part of the shot. Keep text white with a dark outline. Use red only for a warning or a mistake, green for a solution or result.

When editing by hand

• One idea per caption; never split a name like "BYD Seal" across two captions if you can avoid it.
• Digits 0-9; English words in English letters.
• Captions must not cover the speaker's face or the product being shown.