Create a multilingual WordPress site
Install Polylang on one WordPress site, add Hindi and English, and publish Hindi under a /hi/ folder. Pair each post, page, menu, and widget with its translation, then add a language switcher. Polylang writes hreflang once those pairs exist. A Devanagari font keeps Hindi readable instead of empty boxes.
For Indian businesses and bloggers who want real Hindi pages beside English on one WordPress site, not a browser translation widget.
knowledge
- Read time
- 4 min
- Sections
- 8
- Updated
- 14 Nov 2026
- Written by
- WebJi® team
Last editorial update: 14 November 2026.
Why should Hindi and English pages live on one WordPress site?
Many customers in India read a service or a shop in Hindi, then share or search the English page. A browser translator does not create a Hindi address, so you cannot fix a sentence or show that URL in search. Write the Hindi on the same domain.
A font that only covers Latin turns Devanagari into empty boxes. The translation can be right and still look broken. Readers who want hosting explained in Hindi can use the Hindi guides. Email support at support@webji.services answers in both languages.
Should you use one multilingual WordPress install or two sites?
WordPress keeps one language on a post until a plugin links a translation. There is no core switch that pairs Hindi and English menus, widgets, and pages. A second install, or one hosted site per language, fits a team that wants separate designs and will maintain both.
For a business site, one install is the practical path. Skip a widget that only translates inside the browser. That text is not a /hi/ page, and you cannot edit a line that WordPress never stored.
Which plugin should you use for a Hindi and English WordPress site?
Pick the plugin by who writes the Hindi and whether you sell products. Licence prices belong to those vendors. They are not WebJi® hosting fees, and this page does not claim one plugin is cheaper than another.
| Plugin | What you pay them | Use it when |
|---|---|---|
| Polylang | Free core | You will write Hindi for posts, pages, menus, and widgets |
| WPML | Paid licence from WPML | A shop or a theme needs string translation across many screens |
| TranslatePress | Free editor, paid extras | You want to click the live page and type the Hindi there |
How to set up Hindi with Polylang in WordPress
Do this on the live site only after a backup. Change one setting, then look at the public URL before you add content.
- In wp-admin open Plugins, then Add New. Search for Polylang, choose Install Now, then Activate. The Languages menu should appear. If it does not, the plugin is not active.
- Open Languages and add English and Hindi. Hindi uses the hi locale. Set the default to the language the site already shows.
- Open Languages, then Settings, and under URL modifications choose the directory name in pretty permalinks. Leave the default language without a folder so English stays at the root and Hindi is /hi/.
- Open Settings, then Permalinks, and choose Post name if the site still uses a plain ?p= address. Save. A Hindi preview should now contain /hi/.
How to make Devanagari text render correctly
In the theme's typography, choose a font that includes Devanagari, such as Noto Sans Devanagari, for body text and headings. A Latin-only font leaves squares where the Hindi should be.
Open the Hindi page on a phone. A short Hindi sentence should show joined letters. Squares mean the font file did not load. Fix that before you translate more pages.
How do hreflang tags and the /hi/ folder work?
When a post is linked to its Hindi pair, Polylang adds alternate links in the page head for hreflang en and hreflang hi. Use View Source on both URLs. Each tag should point at the other language, not both at the English page. Do not also paste hreflang into the theme header. Two sets conflict. Google also recommends an x-default alternate for the page shown when no language matches; Polylang can output it for the default language, so confirm it appears in View Source.
Keep Hindi in a folder on this domain. A subdomain is a second host name you must verify on its own. Two languages add rows and plugin work on each view. The site can stay on the WordPress hosting plan that already runs the English site. Move only when the admin or the shop slows down. If the site is elsewhere, free migration is subject to terms and approval.
How to show WooCommerce products in Hindi
Free Polylang pairs posts and pages. Product titles, cart text, and checkout need that vendor's WooCommerce add-on, or another plugin made for shops. Translate one product, then place a test order. The Hindi title and the INR total should both show.
Do not cache cart, checkout, or my-account. A shop that needs those pages excluded from cache fits WooCommerce hosting. A fast homepage with a broken Hindi checkout is not a bilingual store.
Sources: Polylang documentation (URL modifications, language switcher, Polylang for WooCommerce); Google Search Central, “Tell Google about localized versions of your page” for hreflang and x-default.
Frequently asked questions
Which free plugin adds Hindi beside English?
Polylang's free plugin is the one to start with when you will write the Hindi yourself. WPML is a paid plugin from its own vendor. TranslatePress has a free editor and paid extras. Those licence prices are not WebJi hosting fees.
Can I run Hindi and English without a plugin?
Not as paired pages on one site. Each post stays in one language until a plugin links a translation. A second WordPress install avoids the plugin, and you then update both sites by hand.
Should Hindi use a /hi/ folder or a subdomain?
Use a /hi/ folder on the same domain so both languages stay on one site. A subdomain such as hi.example.com is a separate host name. Polylang's directory setting is the option that creates the folder.
What are hreflang tags, and do I need them?
They tell search engines which URL is the Hindi page and which is the English page. You need them once both URLs exist. Polylang writes the alternate links when the translations are connected. Check View Source on both URLs.
How do I add a Hindi language switcher?
In Appearance, then Menus, add Polylang's Language switcher and save the menu for Hindi. You can place the language switcher widget instead. Label the choices हिन्दी and English. A logged-out click should open the paired page.
How do I translate WooCommerce products into Hindi?
The free Polylang plugin pairs posts and pages. Product, cart, and checkout strings need that vendor's WooCommerce add-on, or another shop translation plugin. Place a test order and confirm the Hindi product title and the INR total. Do not cache cart, checkout, or my-account.
Last editorial update: 15 November 2026.
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