Version at: 06/07/2016, 13:16
#How to Write Dialogues
Go back to [tatoeba.org](http://tatoeba.org).
##Why Write Dialogues
In order to provide context, sometimes single sentences are not enough.
##Formatting Standards - Examples
**English** - Put each sentence in (double) quotes. We use "straight" quotes and not "curly" quotes on tatoeba.org.
"I caught a bad cold." "That's too bad."
**Japanese** - Put each sentence in quotes 「 」without 。 There is no additional space between these quotes 」「.
「悪い風邪を引きました」「それはいけませんね」
**French.** You should use « Sentence 1. » « Sentence 2. »
**German.** Use the following format: „Ich bin ganz stark erkältet.“ – „Das ist aber ärgerlich!“
The dash must be a dash (Alt + 0150), not a hyphen. It should ideally be preceded by a non-breaking space (Alt + 255). Alt codes for the opening and closing typographical quotation marks used in German are Alt + 0132 and Alt + 0147.
##Others - (In Progress - Just Notes)
NOTE: Perhaps most languages that use the quote character ("), are using the same standard in the Tatoeba Corpus as English does. I've checked the following languages.
**Esperanto**
(No native speakers, but ...)
520 examples use this format.
"SENTENCE_1" "SENTENCE_2"
184 examples use this format.
"SENTENCE_1" - "SENTENCE_2"
**Hebrew**
193 examples by native speakers use "SENTENCE_1" "SENTENCE_2"
? examples by native speakers use "SENTENCE_1" - "SENTENCE_2"
(I can't easily check RTL languages for this.)
**Portuguese**
606 examples by native speakers use "SENTENCE_1" "SENTENCE_2" (Same as English)
0 examples by native speakers use "SENTENCE_1" - "SENTENCE_2"
**Spanish**
383 examples by native speakers use "SENTENCE_1" "SENTENCE_2" (Same as English)
6 examples by native speakers use "SENTENCE_1" - "SENTENCE_2"
## Reference
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-English_usage_of_quotation_marks](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-English_usage_of_quotation_marks)
This might be a good guide. However, the Tatoeba Corpus has adopted "straight" quotes as the standard rather than "curly" quotes.
[http://french.stackexchange.com/questions/115/is-it-necessary-to-use-guillemets-when-quoting-in-french-or-may-one-use-english](http://french.stackexchange.com/questions/115/is-it-necessary-to-use-guillemets-when-quoting-in-french-or-may-one-use-english)
French seems to use 2 different standards.
version at: 22/10/2018, 00:49
#How to Write Dialogues
Go back to [tatoeba.org](http://tatoeba.org).
##Why Write Dialogues
In order to provide context, sometimes single sentences are not enough.
Dialogues can also be used to show how non-sentences can be used as responses.
[#1431300] "Is he lying?" "Obviously." (marcelostockle)
[#5401699] "Can I join you?" "Sure." (sarefo)
[#6229650] "Who was there?" "Only Tom." (CK)
[#6446394] "How do you feel?" "Better." (Hybrid)
[#4628683] "Are you tired?" "Not really." (Lazovic)
##Formatting Standards - Examples
**English** - Put each sentence in (double) quotes. We use "straight" quotes and not "curly" quotes on tatoeba.org.
"I caught a bad cold." "That's too bad."
**Japanese** - Put each sentence in quotes 「 」without 。 There is no additional space between these quotes 」「.
「悪い風邪を引きました」「それはいけませんね」
**French.** You should use « Sentence 1. » « Sentence 2. »
**German.** Use the following format: „Ich bin ganz stark erkältet.“ – „Das ist aber ärgerlich!“
The dash must be a dash (Alt + 0150), not a hyphen. It should ideally be preceded by a non-breaking space (Alt + 255). Alt codes for the opening and closing typographical quotation marks used in German are Alt + 0132 and Alt + 0147.
##Others - (In Progress - Just Notes)
NOTE: Perhaps most languages that use the quote character ("), are using the same standard in the Tatoeba Corpus as English does. I've checked the following languages.
**Esperanto**
(No native speakers, but ...)
520 examples use this format.
"SENTENCE_1" "SENTENCE_2"
184 examples use this format.
"SENTENCE_1" - "SENTENCE_2"
**Hebrew**
193 examples by native speakers use "SENTENCE_1" "SENTENCE_2"
? examples by native speakers use "SENTENCE_1" - "SENTENCE_2"
(I can't easily check RTL languages for this.)
**Portuguese**
606 examples by native speakers use "SENTENCE_1" "SENTENCE_2" (Same as English)
0 examples by native speakers use "SENTENCE_1" - "SENTENCE_2"
**Spanish**
383 examples by native speakers use "SENTENCE_1" "SENTENCE_2" (Same as English)
6 examples by native speakers use "SENTENCE_1" - "SENTENCE_2"
## Reference
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-English_usage_of_quotation_marks](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-English_usage_of_quotation_marks)
This might be a good guide. However, the Tatoeba Corpus has adopted "straight" quotes as the standard rather than "curly" quotes.
[http://french.stackexchange.com/questions/115/is-it-necessary-to-use-guillemets-when-quoting-in-french-or-may-one-use-english](http://french.stackexchange.com/questions/115/is-it-necessary-to-use-guillemets-when-quoting-in-french-or-may-one-use-english)
French seems to use 2 different standards.
Note
The lines in green are the lines that have been added in the new version.
The lines in red are those that have been removed.
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