# generaltranslation: General Translation Core SDK: getLocaleDirection
URL: https://generaltranslation.com/en-US/docs/core/class/methods/locales/get-locale-direction.mdx
---
title: getLocaleDirection
description: API reference for the GT getLocaleDirection method
---

## Overview

The `getLocaleDirection` method determines the text direction (left-to-right or right-to-left) for a locale using the `Intl.Locale` API.
It returns either `'ltr'` for left-to-right languages or `'rtl'` for right-to-left languages.

```typescript
const gt = new GT({
  sourceLocale: 'en',
  targetLocale: 'ar'
});

const direction = gt.getLocaleDirection('ar');
console.log(direction); // "rtl"

const englishDirection = gt.getLocaleDirection('en-US');
console.log(englishDirection); // "ltr"
```

---

## Reference

### Parameters

<TypeTable
  type={{
    "locale?": {
      type: 'string',
      optional: true,
      default: 'this.targetLocale',
    }
  }}
/>

### Parameters description

| Parameter | Description |
|-----------|-------------|
| `locale` | BCP-47 locale code to check text direction for. If not provided, uses the instance's `targetLocale` |

### Returns

`'ltr' | 'rtl'` - Text direction for the locale:
- `'ltr'`: Left-to-right (most languages)
- `'rtl'`: Right-to-left (Arabic, Hebrew, Persian, Urdu, etc.)

### Throws

- `Error` - If no locale is provided and the instance has no `targetLocale` configured

---

## Example

```typescript
const gt = new GT({
  sourceLocale: 'en',
  targetLocale: 'ar'
});

// Check different language directions
console.log(gt.getLocaleDirection()); // "rtl" (uses targetLocale 'ar')
console.log(gt.getLocaleDirection('en')); // "ltr"
console.log(gt.getLocaleDirection('ar')); // "rtl"
console.log(gt.getLocaleDirection('he')); // "rtl"
console.log(gt.getLocaleDirection('fa')); // "rtl"
console.log(gt.getLocaleDirection('fr')); // "ltr"
```

---

## Notes

- Returns `'ltr'` for all left-to-right languages (most languages worldwide)
- Returns `'rtl'` for right-to-left languages (Arabic, Hebrew, Persian, etc.)

## Next steps

- Get locale properties with [`get-locale-properties`](/docs/core/class/methods/locales/get-locale-properties)
- Validate locales with [`is-valid-locale`](/docs/core/class/methods/locales/is-valid-locale)
- Get locale emoji with [`get-locale-emoji`](/docs/core/class/methods/locales/get-locale-emoji)
- Explore standalone [`get-locale-direction`](/docs/core/functions/locales/get-locale-direction)