printf_ngettext(1) User Commands printf_ngettext(1)
NAME
printf_ngettext - translate format string and apply it
SYNOPSIS
printf_ngettext [OPTION] FORMAT FORMAT-PLURAL COUNT [ARGUMENT]...
DESCRIPTION
The printf_ngettext program translates a format string into the user's
language, by looking up the translation in a message catalog and then
choosing the appropriate plural form, which depends on the number COUNT
and the language of the message catalog where the translation was
found, and applies the translated format string to the specified
arguments.
Produces formatted output, applying the native language translation of
FORMAT and FORMAT-PLURAL, depending on COUNT, to the ARGUMENTs.
Options and arguments:
-c, --context=CONTEXT
specify context for FORMAT
FORMAT English singular form of format string
FORMAT-PLURAL
English plural form of format string
COUNT choose singular/plural form based on this value
ARGUMENT
string or numeric argument
Informative output:
-h, --help
display this help and exit
-V, --version
display version information and exit
Each format string consists of
- plain text, - directives, that start with '%', - escape
sequences, that start with a backslash.
A directive that consumes an argument
- starts with '%' or '%m$' where m is a positive integer, - is
optionally followed by any of the characters '#', '0', '-', ' ',
'+',
each of which acts as a flag,
- is optionally followed by a width specification (a nonnegative
integer), - is optionally followed by '.' and a precision
specification (an optional
nonnegative integer),
- is finished by a specifier
- 'c', that prints a character, - 's', that prints a string, -
'i', 'd', that print an integer, - 'u', 'o', 'x', 'X', that
print an unsigned (nonnegative) integer, - 'e', 'E', that print
a floating-point number in scientific notation, - 'f', 'F', that
print a floating-point number without an exponent, - 'g', 'G',
that print a floating-point number in general notation, - 'a',
'A', that print a floating-point number in hexadecimal notation.
Additionally there is the directive '%%', that prints a single '%'.
If a directive specifies the argument by its number ('%m$' notation),
all directives that consume an argument must do so.
The escape sequences are:
\\ backslash
\a alert (BEL)
\b backspace (BS)
\f form feed (FF)
\n new line (LF)
\r carriage return (CR)
\t horizontal tab (HT)
\v vertical tab (VT)
\nnn octal number with 1 to 3 octal digits
Environment variables:
The translation of the format string is looked up in the translation
domain given by the environment variable TEXTDOMAIN. It is looked up
in the catalogs directory given by the environment variable
TEXTDOMAINDIR or, if not present, in the default catalogs directory.
This binary is configured to use the default catalogs directory:
/opt/local/share/locale
AUTHOR
Written by Bruno Haible.
REPORTING BUGS
Report bugs in the bug tracker at
<https://savannah.gnu.org/projects/gettext> or by email to
<bug-gettext@gnu.org>.
COPYRIGHT
Copyright (C) 2025-2026 Free Software Foundation, Inc. License GPLv3+:
GNU GPL version 3 or later <https://gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html>
This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it.
There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.
SEE ALSO
The full documentation for printf_ngettext is maintained as a Texinfo
manual. If the info and printf_ngettext programs are properly
installed at your site, the command
info printf_ngettext
should give you access to the complete manual.
GNU gettext-runtime 1.0 January 2026 printf_ngettext(1)
gettext 1.0 - Generated Thu Mar 12 07:37:12 CDT 2026