Managing translations in TYPO3 

Fetching translations or updating language packs 

The backend module Admin Tools > Maintenance > Manage Language Packs displays a list of available languages and can fetch or update language packs for system and extension translations from the official TYPO3 translation server.

The module is straightforward to use. Downloaded language packs are stored in the environment’s getLabelsPath().

Language packs can also be fetched using the command line:

vendor/bin/typo3 language:update

typo3/sysext/core/bin/typo3 language:update

Loading an additional language pack 

Administrators can install additional language packs directly in the backend:

1. Go to Admin Tools > Maintenance > Manage Language Packs

   

2. Select Add Language and activate the new language:

   

3. The selected language is now available:

   

Translating XLIFF files locally 

You can translate TYPO3 XLIFF files directly in your development environment using any XML or translation editor that supports the XLIFF format.

TYPO3 v14 and newer support both XLIFF 1.2 and XLIFF 2.x:

• XLIFF 2.x: uses <unit> elements and the <target state="…"> attribute (state="reviewed" / state="final" = approved)
• XLIFF 1.2: uses <trans-unit> and the approved="yes" attribute

Both formats are automatically detected and parsed by TYPO3.

You can use any text or translation editor to modify .xlf files locally. Ensure that your chosen tool supports the XLIFF 2.x format, which is the default for TYPO3 v14 and later.

Overriding or extending translations 

Option $GLOBALS['TYPO3_CONF_VARS']['LANG']['resourceOverrides'] allows overriding XLIFF files. This applies to both translations and default (language = English) files.

<?php

declare(strict_types=1);

defined('TYPO3') or die();
// Override a file in the default language

$GLOBALS['TYPO3_CONF_VARS']['LANG']['resourceOverrides']
    ['EXT:frontend/Resources/Private/Language/locallang_tca.xlf'][]
        = 'EXT:examples/Resources/Private/Language/custom.xlf';
// Override a German ("de") translation
$GLOBALS['TYPO3_CONF_VARS']['LANG']['resourceOverrides']['de']
    ['EXT:news/Resources/Private/Language/locallang_modadministration.xlf'][]
        = 'EXT:examples/Resources/Private/Language/Overrides/de.locallang_modadministration.xlf';

The German language file could look like this:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<xliff version="2.0" xmlns="urn:oasis:names:tc:xliff:document:2.0" srcLang="en" trgLang="de">
    <file id="f1">
        <unit id="pages.title_formlabel">
            <segment>
                <source>Most important title</source>
                <target state="final">Wichtigster Titel</target>
            </segment>
        </unit>
    </file>
</xliff>

TYPO3 loads either XLIFF 1.2 or 2.x — the format is detected automatically.

The result can be seen in the backend:

Adding custom languages 

TYPO3 supports many languages by default, but you can also add custom languages and provide your own translations using XLIFF 1.2 or 2.x.

1. Define the language

   Example: add "gsw_CH" (Swiss German) as an additional language.

   config/system/additional.php | typo3conf/system/additional.php

   $GLOBALS['TYPO3_CONF_VARS']['SYS']['localization']['locales']['user'] = [
       'gsw_CH' => 'Swiss German',
   ];

   Copied!

2. Add fallback to another language

   This language does not have to be translated completely. It can fall back to another language so that only differing labels need translation.

   config/system/additional.php | typo3conf/system/additional.php

   $GLOBALS['TYPO3_CONF_VARS']['SYS']['localization']['locales']['dependencies'] = [
       'gsw_CH' => ['de_AT', 'de'],
   ];

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   In this example, "gsw_CH" falls back to "de_AT" and then to "de".

3. Add translation files

   Translation files for system and extension labels must be stored under the correct subfolder of the environment’s getLabelsPath(). The minimum requirement is to translate the language name so it appears in the user settings.

   • XLIFF 2.0 (recommended)
   • XLIFF 1.2 (legacy)

   gsw_CH/setup/Resources/Private/Language/gsw_CH.locallang.xlf

   <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
   <xliff version="2.0" xmlns="urn:oasis:names:tc:xliff:document:2.0"
   srcLang="en" trgLang="gsw_CH">
       <file id="f1">
           <unit id="lang_gsw_CH">
               <segment>
                   <source>Swiss German</source>
                   <target state="final">Schwiizertüütsch</target>
               </segment>
           </unit>
       </file>
   </xliff>
   

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   gsw_CH/setup/Resources/Private/Language/gsw_CH.locallang.xlf

   
   <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
   <xliff xmlns="urn:oasis:names:tc:xliff:document:1.2" version="1.2">
       <file source-language="en" target-language="gsw_CH"
       datatype="plaintext"
       original="EXT:setup/Resources/Private/Language/locallang.xlf">
           <body>
               <trans-unit id="lang_gsw_CH" approved="yes">
                   <source>Swiss German</source>
                   <target>Schwiizertüütsch</target>
               </trans-unit>
           </body>
       </file>
   </xliff>
   

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   The new language is now available in the backend user settings:

   

   For your own extensions, provide the custom language files in the Resources/Private/Language/ folder, for example gsw_CH.locallang_db.xlf.

Each language always falls back on the default one (English) if no translation is found. A custom language automatically falls back on its defined dependencies. For example, "de_AT" would fall back on "de" automatically.