_n() WP 2.8.0

Translates and retrieves the singular or plural form based on the supplied number (1 comment, 2 comments).

Used when you want to use the appropriate form of a string based on whether a number is singular or plural.

We need to pass translation strings and number to the function, then:

• If a single number (1) is passed, the function returns the translated value of the first parameter: $single.

• If a plural is passed (2 3 4), the function returns the translated value of the second parameter: $plural.

• If it is not possible to get the translation of the desired line from the translation file, the function will return the original value of the line.

Hooks from function:

Return

String. The translated or original string specified in the $single or $plural parameter, depending on the passed $number parameter.

Usage

_n( $single, $plural, $number, $domain );

$single(string) (required)

The text to be used if the number is singular.

$plural(string) (required)

The text to be used if the number is plural.

$number(int) (required)

The number to compare against to use either the singular or plural form.

$domain(string)

Text domain. Unique identifier for retrieving translated strings.
Default: 'default'

Examples

#2 Usage understanding

To understand how to use _n() function, let's separate usage on steps.

First, see what the function returns:

echo _n( '%s star', '%s stars', 1, 'textdomain' );
// Displays: %s star

echo _n( '%s star', '%s stars', 3, 'textdomain' );
// Displays: %s stars

Second, we need to replays playsholder in given string to the number. To do it we use sprintf() function (suppose we translate to Russian):

$rating = 1;
echo sprintf( _n( '%s star', '%s stars', $rating, 'textdomain' ), $rating );
// Displays: 1 звезда

$rating = 4;
echo sprintf( _n( '%s star', '%s stars', $rating, 'textdomain' ), $rating );
// Displays: 4 звезды

$rating = 6;
echo sprintf( _n( '%s star', '%s stars', $rating, 'textdomain' ), $rating );
// Displays: 6 звезд

Or we can display it simpler, with printf():

$rating = 1;
printf( _n('%s person', '%s people', $rating, 'text-domain'), $rating );

It is assumed that there is a translation .mo file that it is registered with
load_plugin_textdomain() and has 'textdomain' identifier. Also this translation file has a correct translations for single/plural forms of number.

#2 Never do a calculation inside the sprintf() function!

The following won't work:

$text = sprintf( 
	_n( '%s star', '%s stars', $rating, 'your-text-domain' ), 
	2 <= $rating ? $rating -1 : $rating
);

Correct is:

$rating = 2 <= $rating ? $rating - 1 : $rating;
$text = sprintf( 
	_n( '%s star', '%s stars', $rating, 'your-text-domain' ),
	$rating
);

Code of _n: wp-includes/l10n.php ^{VER 4.9.8}

<?php
function _n( $single, $plural, $number, $domain = 'default' ) {
	$translations = get_translations_for_domain( $domain );
	$translation  = $translations->translate_plural( $single, $plural, $number );

	/**
	 * Filters the singular or plural form of a string.
	 *
	 * @since 2.2.0
	 *
	 * @param string $translation Translated text.
	 * @param string $single      The text to be used if the number is singular.
	 * @param string $plural      The text to be used if the number is plural.
	 * @param string $number      The number to compare against to use either the singular or plural form.
	 * @param string $domain      Text domain. Unique identifier for retrieving translated strings.
	 */
	return apply_filters( 'ngettext', $translation, $single, $plural, $number, $domain );
}

Related Functions

From category: Localization