Instant translation
Type a word and the translation appears after a short pause, or press Enter. Arabic input switches direction automatically, and selected text can be translated from any page.
Free · Open source · Arabic ↔ English
Arabic ↔ English.
Every word kept.
Hassala is a Chrome extension that translates words and phrases, keeps them in a private word bank inside the extension, and turns YouTube subtitles into an interactive vocabulary lesson. Export Markdown, TXT, CSV, or JSON whenever you want. No account. No tracking. Your words stay yours.
Free and open source (MIT) · Chrome, Brave, Edge, Chromium
- No account
- Private local word bank
- No analytics
- MIT license
Hassala
AR ⇄ EN
Type a word
hello
Translation
مرحبًا
Add to Hassala
Listen
Copy
Saved to your local word bank
Folder: General · 248 words
Example output. English-first interface with full Arabic support.
Hassala is a free, open-source Chrome extension for Arabic ↔ English translation and vocabulary saving. It keeps every saved word and translation in a private local word bank with folders, and exports to Markdown, TXT, CSV, or JSON whenever you want, so you can review it in Obsidian, Logseq, VS Code, or any text editor.
| Type | Chrome extension (Manifest V3) |
|---|---|
| Languages | Arabic ↔ English |
| Saves to | chrome.storage.local inside the extension |
| Export | Markdown, TXT, CSV, or JSON with your filename |
| Account | Not required |
| Price | Free |
| License | MIT (open source) |
| Browsers | Chrome, Brave, Edge, Chromium |
| Platforms | Linux, macOS, Windows |
Features
A translator that remembers what you learned
Most translators help you in the moment and forget the word when you close the tab. Hassala keeps it — in a private word bank you control, with export when you want a file.
One-click saving
Add the word and translation to your local word bank with one click. Hassala skips duplicates, so the same pair never appears twice.
Interactive YouTube subtitles
Hover a caption word to pause the video, click it to translate, or drag across a phrase to translate the whole phrase without leaving the player.
Folders and export
Create folders such as English or Programming, move words between them, then export Markdown, TXT, CSV, or JSON with your own filename. No lock-in.
Privacy by design
No accounts, no analytics, no ads, and no data selling. Settings, recent words, and saved words stay in local browser storage. Nothing is written to disk until you click export.
Built for daily study
Pronunciation, copy buttons, a draggable panel, site blocking, and a floating button on every page — small details that keep the workflow fast.
How it works
Three steps, one growing word bank
Translation and saving stay in the same place, so nothing breaks your reading flow.
-
Translate
Click the toolbar icon, use the floating button, or select text on any page. Type in Arabic or English — the direction is detected automatically.
-
Save
Choose a folder and click Add to Hassala. The word and translation are saved locally, duplicates are skipped, and the input clears for the next word.
-
Review
Organise words into folders, then export Markdown, TXT, CSV, or JSON with the filename you choose. The words are yours — no lock-in, no separate database. See the step-by-step guide →
Why a word bank?
Translate once. Review later.
A general translator is built for a single lookup. Hassala is built for the word you want to remember tomorrow.
| Workflow | Hassala | General translator extension | Copy-paste into notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Instant Arabic ↔ English translation | Yes | Yes | No |
| Saves the word + translation with one click | Yes | Varies | Manual |
| Duplicate detection | Yes | Rarely | No |
| Private local word bank you own | Yes | Varies | Manual |
| Word-level interactive YouTube captions | Yes | Rarely | No |
| Account required | No | Varies | No |
| Open source | Yes (MIT) | Varies | — |
General-purpose translator extensions vary by product. This table describes typical workflows, not a specific competitor. Last reviewed November 2026. Read the full comparison →
Who it is for
Made for people who keep words
Arabic speakers learning English
Look up a word in a video, article, or document and keep it in the same local word bank you review and export later.
English speakers learning Arabic
Read Arabic pages and captions, translate selected words, and keep the Arabic spelling alongside the meaning.
Students and note-takers
Build a personal glossary inside the extension, then export it to Obsidian, Logseq, or any editor without maintaining a second app.
Guides
Put the word bank to work
Three practical walkthroughs, each with its own troubleshooting section. Browse all guides →
Save words and export
Install Hassala, translate a word, organise it into a folder, then export Markdown and open it in Obsidian, Logseq, or VS Code.
Translate YouTube subtitles
Hover to pause a captioned video, click a word or drag across a phrase, and save it to the same local word bank.
Review inside Obsidian
Export Markdown into your vault, keep the table last, and build a five-minute review routine.
FAQ
Questions, answered plainly
Short answers to the things people ask before installing Hassala.
What is Hassala?
Hassala is a free, open-source Chrome extension for Arabic ↔ English translation and vocabulary saving. It translates words and phrases, keeps each saved word and translation in local extension storage, and makes YouTube subtitles interactive. Folders and export are built in. It does not require an account.
Is Hassala free?
Yes. Hassala is free and open source under the MIT license. There is no subscription, no account, and no paid tier.
Does Hassala work with Chrome, Brave, and Edge?
Yes. Hassala is a Manifest V3 extension that runs on Chrome, Brave, Edge, and Chromium on Linux, macOS, and Windows.
Can Hassala save words to Obsidian?
Yes. Hassala exports standard Markdown, so you can open the file in Obsidian, Logseq, Typora, VS Code, or any Markdown editor. The file does not have to live inside an Obsidian vault. CSV and JSON are also available. Follow the step-by-step guide →
Do I need an account to use Hassala?
No. Hassala has no accounts, no sign-in, no analytics, and no tracking. Settings and recent words are stored locally in the browser.
Does Hassala work on YouTube?
Yes. When captions are enabled, Hassala replaces the native caption layer with interactive subtitles. Hover a word to pause the video, click a word to translate it, or drag across a phrase to translate the whole phrase.
Where are my saved words stored?
Saved words live in chrome.storage.local inside the
extension, organised into folders you create. Export is a normal
browser download that happens only after you click export. There is
nothing else to install, and the extension never writes to your
files directly.
Is Hassala available on the Chrome Web Store?
Not yet. The Chrome Web Store release is being prepared. You can install Hassala today from the public GitHub releases page using the tester package and Load unpacked.
What languages does Hassala support?
Hassala translates between Arabic and English. The interface is English-first with full Arabic and right-to-left support, and the documentation is available in English and Arabic.
Privacy
No account. No tracking. No data selling.
Text is sent to translation providers only when you ask for a translation. Saved words and folders stay in local browser storage, not on a server. Exports happen only when you click export. Hassala has no backend, no analytics, and no ads.
Security at a glance
No remote code. Least-privilege permissions: storage, scripting, activeTab, and offscreen only. No native host, no filesystem access, and no downloads permission. The page UI runs in a closed Shadow DOM. Vulnerabilities can be reported privately through GitHub Security Advisories.
Start your word bank today.
Download Hassala, translate your first word, and give it a folder. Export a copy whenever you want — the next word will already have a place to go.