Language packs

Language pack installation

Over 100 language packs are available for an administrator to install on your Moodle site via Adminisration > Site administration > Language > Language packs. Simply select the languages you require from the list of available language packs and click on the "Install selected language pack" button.

Multiple language packs may be selected for install by holding down the Apple or Ctrl key whilst clicking on the language packs.

Installing many (20+) language packs has almost 0 impact on Moodle performance.

Language packs are a work-in-progress, since new language strings are added for new features in each new version of Moodle. Language packs for Moodle 2.5 lists the percentage of language strings translated in each language pack.

Parent language packs

Certain language packs contain only the modified language strings from their parent language, rather than a complete set. Thus, it is necessary to install the parent language pack too. These language packs are:

• de_du, de_kids and de_comm (which requires de)
• es_ar, es_es (which requires es)
• fr_ca (which requires fr)
• en_us, en_ar, en_kids (which requires the default en)

Manual language pack installation

In general, the easiest way to install additional language packs is from within Moodle. However, it is also possible to install a language pack manually by downloading the zip file from Language packs for Moodle 2.5 and unzipping it to a directory called lang in your moodledata directory.

Language pack updates

• Language packs can be updated via Administration > Site administration > Language > Language packs.
• You can see which language packs have updates because they are listed in both 'Installed language packs' and 'Available language packs'.
• To update all installed language packs (except English and any local language packs) click the 'Update all installed language packs' button.
• For sites with a large number of language packs installed, to update just a few installed language packs at a time, select the languages from the 'Available language packs' list and click the 'Install selected language pack(s)' button.
• The English language pack is updated automatically each time the site is upgraded.
• As most language packs are a work in progress, it is usually a good idea to update them regularly. Once a week/month might be a good frequency.

See also

• Using Moodle Language import utility broken forum discussion
• List of language codes on Wikipedia
• Translation and help us to translate Moodle to more languages
• Moodle 2 Language Administration settings MoodleBites video on YouTube