diff --git a/assets/translations/languages.json b/assets/translations/languages.json
index d26904209..cc4c58711 100644
--- a/assets/translations/languages.json
+++ b/assets/translations/languages.json
@@ -1,8 +1,7 @@
 [
 	{
 		"locale": "ar",
-		"label": "عربي",
-		"isRTL": true
+		"label": "عربي"
 	},
 	{
 		"locale": "ca",
@@ -30,8 +29,7 @@
 	},
 	{
 		"locale": "fa",
-		"label": "فارسی",
-		"isRTL": true
+		"label": "فارسی"
 	},
 	{
 		"locale": "fi",
@@ -47,8 +45,7 @@
 	},
 	{
 		"locale": "he",
-		"label": "עברית",
-		"isRTL": true
+		"label": "עברית"
 	},
 	{
 		"locale": "hr",
@@ -68,8 +65,7 @@
 	},
 	{
 		"locale": "ku",
-		"label": "کوردی",
-		"isRTL": true
+		"label": "کوردی"
 	},
 	{
 		"locale": "hi-in",
diff --git a/packages/tldraw/api-report.md b/packages/tldraw/api-report.md
index 111a34933..7dcfd3024 100644
--- a/packages/tldraw/api-report.md
+++ b/packages/tldraw/api-report.md
@@ -2408,8 +2408,8 @@ export type TLUiToolsProviderProps = {
 export type TLUiTranslation = {
     readonly locale: string;
     readonly label: string;
-    readonly isRTL?: boolean;
     readonly messages: Record<TLUiTranslationKey, string>;
+    readonly dir: 'ltr' | 'rtl';
 };
 
 // @public (undocumented)
diff --git a/packages/tldraw/api/api.json b/packages/tldraw/api/api.json
index 21ddcdf43..810741f60 100644
--- a/packages/tldraw/api/api.json
+++ b/packages/tldraw/api/api.json
@@ -26610,7 +26610,7 @@
             },
             {
               "kind": "Content",
-              "text": "{\n    readonly locale: string;\n    readonly label: string;\n    readonly isRTL?: boolean;\n    readonly messages: "
+              "text": "{\n    readonly locale: string;\n    readonly label: string;\n    readonly messages: "
             },
             {
               "kind": "Reference",
@@ -26628,7 +26628,7 @@
             },
             {
               "kind": "Content",
-              "text": ", string>;\n}"
+              "text": ", string>;\n    readonly dir: 'ltr' | 'rtl';\n}"
             },
             {
               "kind": "Content",
diff --git a/packages/tldraw/src/lib/shapes/note/NoteShapeUtil.tsx b/packages/tldraw/src/lib/shapes/note/NoteShapeUtil.tsx
index ac0e86db4..e23536bbb 100644
--- a/packages/tldraw/src/lib/shapes/note/NoteShapeUtil.tsx
+++ b/packages/tldraw/src/lib/shapes/note/NoteShapeUtil.tsx
@@ -385,7 +385,7 @@ function useNoteKeydownHandler(id: TLShapeId) {
 				// Based on the inputs, calculate the offset to the next note
 				// tab controls x axis (shift inverts direction set by RTL)
 				// cmd enter is the y axis (shift inverts direction)
-				const isRTL = !!(translation.isRTL || isRightToLeftLanguage(shape.props.text))
+				const isRTL = !!(translation.dir === 'rtl' || isRightToLeftLanguage(shape.props.text))
 
 				const offsetLength =
 					NOTE_SIZE +
@@ -409,6 +409,6 @@ function useNoteKeydownHandler(id: TLShapeId) {
 				}
 			}
 		},
-		[id, editor, translation.isRTL]
+		[id, editor, translation.dir]
 	)
 }
diff --git a/packages/tldraw/src/lib/ui/hooks/useTranslation/translations.ts b/packages/tldraw/src/lib/ui/hooks/useTranslation/translations.ts
index 3ac6eeaa3..f6db0392b 100644
--- a/packages/tldraw/src/lib/ui/hooks/useTranslation/translations.ts
+++ b/packages/tldraw/src/lib/ui/hooks/useTranslation/translations.ts
@@ -10,18 +10,21 @@ import { DEFAULT_TRANSLATION } from './defaultTranslation'
 
 /* ----------------- (do not change) ---------------- */
 
+export const RTL_LANGUAGES = new Set(['ar', 'fa', 'he', 'ur', 'ku'])
+
 /** @public */
 export type TLUiTranslation = {
 	readonly locale: string
 	readonly label: string
-	readonly isRTL?: boolean
 	readonly messages: Record<TLUiTranslationKey, string>
+	readonly dir: 'rtl' | 'ltr'
 }
 
 const EN_TRANSLATION: TLUiTranslation = {
 	locale: 'en',
 	label: 'English',
 	messages: DEFAULT_TRANSLATION as TLUiTranslation['messages'],
+	dir: 'ltr',
 }
 
 /** @internal */
@@ -70,7 +73,7 @@ export async function fetchTranslation(
 	return {
 		locale,
 		label: language.label,
-		isRTL: 'isRTL' in language ? language.isRTL : false,
+		dir: RTL_LANGUAGES.has(language.locale) ? 'rtl' : 'ltr',
 		messages: { ...EN_TRANSLATION.messages, ...messages },
 	}
 }
diff --git a/packages/tldraw/src/lib/ui/hooks/useTranslation/useTranslation.tsx b/packages/tldraw/src/lib/ui/hooks/useTranslation/useTranslation.tsx
index bb7e093c9..837e752db 100644
--- a/packages/tldraw/src/lib/ui/hooks/useTranslation/useTranslation.tsx
+++ b/packages/tldraw/src/lib/ui/hooks/useTranslation/useTranslation.tsx
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ export const TranslationProvider = track(function TranslationProvider({
 			return {
 				locale: 'en',
 				label: 'English',
+				dir: 'ltr',
 				messages: { ...DEFAULT_TRANSLATION, ...overrides['en'] },
 			}
 		}
@@ -55,6 +56,7 @@ export const TranslationProvider = track(function TranslationProvider({
 		return {
 			locale: 'en',
 			label: 'English',
+			dir: 'ltr',
 			messages: DEFAULT_TRANSLATION,
 		}
 	})
diff --git a/packages/tlschema/api-report.md b/packages/tlschema/api-report.md
index e26ed120e..4ff47a902 100644
--- a/packages/tlschema/api-report.md
+++ b/packages/tlschema/api-report.md
@@ -636,19 +636,15 @@ export const LANGUAGES: readonly [{
 }, {
     readonly locale: "he";
     readonly label: "עברית";
-    readonly isRTL: true;
 }, {
     readonly locale: "ar";
     readonly label: "عربي";
-    readonly isRTL: true;
 }, {
     readonly locale: "fa";
     readonly label: "فارسی";
-    readonly isRTL: true;
 }, {
     readonly locale: "ku";
     readonly label: "کوردی";
-    readonly isRTL: true;
 }, {
     readonly locale: "ne";
     readonly label: "नेपाली";
diff --git a/packages/tlschema/api/api.json b/packages/tlschema/api/api.json
index 082e4856e..bbbc3f4aa 100644
--- a/packages/tlschema/api/api.json
+++ b/packages/tlschema/api/api.json
@@ -2750,7 +2750,7 @@
             },
             {
               "kind": "Content",
-              "text": "readonly [{\n    readonly locale: \"ca\";\n    readonly label: \"Català\";\n}, {\n    readonly locale: \"cs\";\n    readonly label: \"Čeština\";\n}, {\n    readonly locale: \"da\";\n    readonly label: \"Danish\";\n}, {\n    readonly locale: \"de\";\n    readonly label: \"Deutsch\";\n}, {\n    readonly locale: \"en\";\n    readonly label: \"English\";\n}, {\n    readonly locale: \"es\";\n    readonly label: \"Español\";\n}, {\n    readonly locale: \"fr\";\n    readonly label: \"Français\";\n}, {\n    readonly locale: \"gl\";\n    readonly label: \"Galego\";\n}, {\n    readonly locale: \"hr\";\n    readonly label: \"Hrvatski\";\n}, {\n    readonly locale: \"it\";\n    readonly label: \"Italiano\";\n}, {\n    readonly locale: \"hu\";\n    readonly label: \"Magyar\";\n}, {\n    readonly locale: \"no\";\n    readonly label: \"Norwegian\";\n}, {\n    readonly locale: \"pl\";\n    readonly label: \"Polski\";\n}, {\n    readonly locale: \"pt-br\";\n    readonly label: \"Português - Brasil\";\n}, {\n    readonly locale: \"pt-pt\";\n    readonly label: \"Português - Europeu\";\n}, {\n    readonly locale: \"ro\";\n    readonly label: \"Română\";\n}, {\n    readonly locale: \"ru\";\n    readonly label: \"Russian\";\n}, {\n    readonly locale: \"sl\";\n    readonly label: \"Slovenščina\";\n}, {\n    readonly locale: \"fi\";\n    readonly label: \"Suomi\";\n}, {\n    readonly locale: \"sv\";\n    readonly label: \"Svenska\";\n}, {\n    readonly locale: \"vi\";\n    readonly label: \"Tiếng Việt\";\n}, {\n    readonly locale: \"tr\";\n    readonly label: \"Türkçe\";\n}, {\n    readonly locale: \"uk\";\n    readonly label: \"Ukrainian\";\n}, {\n    readonly locale: \"he\";\n    readonly label: \"עברית\";\n    readonly isRTL: true;\n}, {\n    readonly locale: \"ar\";\n    readonly label: \"عربي\";\n    readonly isRTL: true;\n}, {\n    readonly locale: \"fa\";\n    readonly label: \"فارسی\";\n    readonly isRTL: true;\n}, {\n    readonly locale: \"ku\";\n    readonly label: \"کوردی\";\n    readonly isRTL: true;\n}, {\n    readonly locale: \"ne\";\n    readonly label: \"नेपाली\";\n}, {\n    readonly locale: \"hi-in\";\n    readonly label: \"हिन्दी\";\n}, {\n    readonly locale: \"te\";\n    readonly label: \"తెలుగు\";\n}, {\n    readonly locale: \"th\";\n    readonly label: \"ภาษาไทย\";\n}, {\n    readonly locale: \"my\";\n    readonly label: \"မြန်မာစာ\";\n}, {\n    readonly locale: \"ko-kr\";\n    readonly label: \"한국어\";\n}, {\n    readonly locale: \"ja\";\n    readonly label: \"日本語\";\n}, {\n    readonly locale: \"zh-cn\";\n    readonly label: \"简体中文\";\n}, {\n    readonly locale: \"zh-tw\";\n    readonly label: \"繁體中文 (台灣)\";\n}]"
+              "text": "readonly [{\n    readonly locale: \"ca\";\n    readonly label: \"Català\";\n}, {\n    readonly locale: \"cs\";\n    readonly label: \"Čeština\";\n}, {\n    readonly locale: \"da\";\n    readonly label: \"Danish\";\n}, {\n    readonly locale: \"de\";\n    readonly label: \"Deutsch\";\n}, {\n    readonly locale: \"en\";\n    readonly label: \"English\";\n}, {\n    readonly locale: \"es\";\n    readonly label: \"Español\";\n}, {\n    readonly locale: \"fr\";\n    readonly label: \"Français\";\n}, {\n    readonly locale: \"gl\";\n    readonly label: \"Galego\";\n}, {\n    readonly locale: \"hr\";\n    readonly label: \"Hrvatski\";\n}, {\n    readonly locale: \"it\";\n    readonly label: \"Italiano\";\n}, {\n    readonly locale: \"hu\";\n    readonly label: \"Magyar\";\n}, {\n    readonly locale: \"no\";\n    readonly label: \"Norwegian\";\n}, {\n    readonly locale: \"pl\";\n    readonly label: \"Polski\";\n}, {\n    readonly locale: \"pt-br\";\n    readonly label: \"Português - Brasil\";\n}, {\n    readonly locale: \"pt-pt\";\n    readonly label: \"Português - Europeu\";\n}, {\n    readonly locale: \"ro\";\n    readonly label: \"Română\";\n}, {\n    readonly locale: \"ru\";\n    readonly label: \"Russian\";\n}, {\n    readonly locale: \"sl\";\n    readonly label: \"Slovenščina\";\n}, {\n    readonly locale: \"fi\";\n    readonly label: \"Suomi\";\n}, {\n    readonly locale: \"sv\";\n    readonly label: \"Svenska\";\n}, {\n    readonly locale: \"vi\";\n    readonly label: \"Tiếng Việt\";\n}, {\n    readonly locale: \"tr\";\n    readonly label: \"Türkçe\";\n}, {\n    readonly locale: \"uk\";\n    readonly label: \"Ukrainian\";\n}, {\n    readonly locale: \"he\";\n    readonly label: \"עברית\";\n}, {\n    readonly locale: \"ar\";\n    readonly label: \"عربي\";\n}, {\n    readonly locale: \"fa\";\n    readonly label: \"فارسی\";\n}, {\n    readonly locale: \"ku\";\n    readonly label: \"کوردی\";\n}, {\n    readonly locale: \"ne\";\n    readonly label: \"नेपाली\";\n}, {\n    readonly locale: \"hi-in\";\n    readonly label: \"हिन्दी\";\n}, {\n    readonly locale: \"te\";\n    readonly label: \"తెలుగు\";\n}, {\n    readonly locale: \"th\";\n    readonly label: \"ภาษาไทย\";\n}, {\n    readonly locale: \"my\";\n    readonly label: \"မြန်မာစာ\";\n}, {\n    readonly locale: \"ko-kr\";\n    readonly label: \"한국어\";\n}, {\n    readonly locale: \"ja\";\n    readonly label: \"日本語\";\n}, {\n    readonly locale: \"zh-cn\";\n    readonly label: \"简体中文\";\n}, {\n    readonly locale: \"zh-tw\";\n    readonly label: \"繁體中文 (台灣)\";\n}]"
             }
           ],
           "fileUrlPath": "packages/tlschema/src/translations/languages.ts",
diff --git a/packages/tlschema/src/translations/languages.ts b/packages/tlschema/src/translations/languages.ts
index 325fc7bac..807bb4a66 100644
--- a/packages/tlschema/src/translations/languages.ts
+++ b/packages/tlschema/src/translations/languages.ts
@@ -26,10 +26,10 @@ export const LANGUAGES = [
 	{ locale: 'vi', label: 'Tiếng Việt' },
 	{ locale: 'tr', label: 'Türkçe' },
 	{ locale: 'uk', label: 'Ukrainian' },
-	{ locale: 'he', label: 'עברית', isRTL: true },
-	{ locale: 'ar', label: 'عربي', isRTL: true },
-	{ locale: 'fa', label: 'فارسی', isRTL: true },
-	{ locale: 'ku', label: 'کوردی', isRTL: true },
+	{ locale: 'he', label: 'עברית' },
+	{ locale: 'ar', label: 'عربي' },
+	{ locale: 'fa', label: 'فارسی' },
+	{ locale: 'ku', label: 'کوردی' },
 	{ locale: 'ne', label: 'नेपाली' },
 	{ locale: 'hi-in', label: 'हिन्दी' },
 	{ locale: 'te', label: 'తెలుగు' },