Title: Language Fallback Author: Bernhard Kau Published: august 6, 2015 Last modified: oktober 27, 2025 --- Search plugins ![](https://ps.w.org/language-fallback/assets/icon.svg?rev=3283042) # Language Fallback By [Bernhard Kau](https://profiles.wordpress.org/kau-boy/) [Download](https://downloads.wordpress.org/plugin/language-fallback.2.1.1.zip) * [Details](https://fao.wordpress.org/plugins/language-fallback/#description) * [Reviews](https://fao.wordpress.org/plugins/language-fallback/#reviews) * [Installation](https://fao.wordpress.org/plugins/language-fallback/#installation) * [Development](https://fao.wordpress.org/plugins/language-fallback/#developers) [Support](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/language-fallback/) ## Description Starting with WordPress 4.3, you can use languages such as “Deutsch (Sie)” (formal German) in your WordPress installation. But if the themes or plugins you are using do not have a translation file for this language, WordPress would use the default language, usually English, instead. With the help of this plugin, you can set a fallback for your chosen language. Every time a translation file is loaded, the plugin will then load the fallback if a translation for the originally chosen language was not found. A list of all my plugins can be found on the [WordPress Plugin page](http://kau-boys.com/wordpress-plugins) on my blog [kau-boys.com](http://kau-boys.com). ## Screenshots * [[ * Screenshot of the settings page ## Installation Install the plugin as usual from the plugins page on your dashboard (by search or uploaded ZIP file) or upload it with FTP. You should then choose your fallback language in “Settings > General”. ## FAQ ### Does this plugin only work with formal German? No. You can choose any fallback language that fits your original language. Think about fallbacks from “Spanish (Mexico)” to “Spanish”. ### Do I need to manually install the fallback language? No. The plugin will automatically download the fallback language if it is not already installed. ### How can I report security bugs? You can report security bugs through the Patchstack Vulnerability Disclosure Program. The Patchstack team helps validate, triage and handle any security vulnerabilities. [Report a security vulnerability.](https://patchstack.com/database/vdp/e47d5c4f-b575-41b7-8d6c-a5b49374c09e) ## Reviews ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a8d010068011cf7e715bc78779877fb29b545766b1a1096d83e3e7e246057291? s=60&d=retro&r=g) ### 󠀁[Effektive Sprachunterstützung mit Language-Fallback](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/effektive-sprachunterstutzung-mit-language-fallback/)󠁿 [Oliver Heinrich](https://profiles.wordpress.org/oheinrich/) mars 10, 2023 Als Nutzer des WordPress Plugins “Language-Fallback” bin ich äußerst zufrieden mit der hervorragenden Unterstützung für mehrsprachige Websites. Die Funktion des Plugins, automatisch die Sprache einer Seite zu erkennen und eine entsprechende Fallback Sprache anzuzeigen, funktioniert einwandfrei und trägt dazu bei, dass Besucher aus verschiedenen Sprachregionen eine bessere Benutzererfahrung haben. Besonders beeindruckend finde ich, wie einfach das Plugin zu installieren und zu konfigurieren ist. Ich schätze auch die reibungslose Integration mit anderen WordPress-Plugins und -Themes. Es gab keinerlei Konflikte oder Probleme bei der Verwendung von Language-Fallback in Verbindung mit anderen Erweiterungen. Insgesamt kann ich das WordPress-Plugin Language-Fallback jedem empfehlen, der eine mehrsprachige Website betreibt oder betreiben möchte. ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/ff82400872aa74022ab6da3b899eaf753d67dfc8db571a3af49e2ee3a2e40232? s=60&d=retro&r=g) ### 󠀁[Eigentlich ein muss für jede deutsche Seite](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/eigentlich-ein-muss-fur-jede-deutsche-seite/)󠁿 [protostern](https://profiles.wordpress.org/protostern/) mai 2, 2021 Wer bei einer deutschen (Firmen)Seite seine Besucher nicht versehentlich mit ‘Du’ anreden will, für den ist dieses Plugin ein Muss. Danke Bernhard! ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/00eb1760f3b5009b49c68af6c820049c1417da780f12d1f31717ed8095d2bed5? s=60&d=retro&r=g) ### 󠀁[Works like a charm](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/works-like-a-charm-1669/)󠁿 [Matt Jaworski](https://profiles.wordpress.org/jaworskimatt/) apríl 7, 2020 Great tool for falling back to Spanish (Spain) from partially (or not at all) translated Spanish versions like Mexico, Colombia etc. ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/091da50764d6ed65999718df56f4893754c5955f2d2138b64c36b3d31501692c? s=60&d=retro&r=g) ### 󠀁[Best](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/best-642/)󠁿 [Andrea](https://profiles.wordpress.org/aneises/) februar 18, 2019 Best solution for me. Using “German_formal” and “German”…this plugin simply helps me out of missing translations. ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/486b25e35bf47028d7076f730e3f8f689c4731b5c4790086dd6681fbba76ac02? s=60&d=retro&r=g) ### 󠀁[This plugin saved my day](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/this-plugin-saved-my-day-4/)󠁿 [kastoberlin](https://profiles.wordpress.org/kastoberlin/) september 22, 2018 I didn’t realize that when wordpress is set to an altertative language variant such as german_formal that there is no fallback to german if a plugin does not have a complete translation to this variant. The functionality of this plugin should definitelty be included in WP core. Great work! ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/54ace7ec97d9f42e784a0b3ea46e72ae5ed76e1dcefb66ab816744963e0a35b8? s=60&d=retro&r=g) ### 󠀁[Simple y útil](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/simple-y-util-3/)󠁿 [Felipe Romero](https://profiles.wordpress.org/feliperomero/) juni 15, 2018 Imprescindible en instalaciones para variedades del idioma Español, como Español de México. [ Read all 23 reviews ](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/language-fallback/reviews/) ## Contributors & Developers “Language Fallback” is open source software. The following people have contributed to this plugin. Contributors * [ Bernhard Kau ](https://profiles.wordpress.org/kau-boy/) “Language Fallback” has been translated into 16 locales. Thank you to [the translators](https://translate.wordpress.org/projects/wp-plugins/language-fallback/contributors) for their contributions. [Translate “Language Fallback” into your language.](https://translate.wordpress.org/projects/wp-plugins/language-fallback) ### Interested in development? [Browse the code](https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/language-fallback/), check out the [SVN repository](https://plugins.svn.wordpress.org/language-fallback/), or subscribe to the [development log](https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/log/language-fallback/) by [RSS](https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/log/language-fallback/?limit=100&mode=stop_on_copy&format=rss). ## Changelog #### 2.1.1 * Fix wrong version number in PHP file and readme * Time invested for this release: 10min #### 2.1.0 * Add `sanitize_callback` for setting * Increment Tested up to * Add link to Patchstack in readme * Time invested for this release: 30min #### 2.0.1 * Fix some minor Plugin Check issues * Increment Tested up to * Time invested for this release: 20min #### 2.0.0 * Implement a solution for “_load_textdomain_just_in_time” function not loading the fallback “.mo” files * Time invested for this release: 150min #### 1.0.5 * Increment Tested up to * Time invested for this release: 10min #### 1.0.4 * Remove the languages folder and prepare the plugin for automated deployments * Time invested for this release: 10min #### 1.0.3 * Implementing the fallback locales as an array * Time invested for this release: 10min #### 1.0.2 * Bumping version number * Time invested for this release: 2min #### 1.0.1 * Small bugfix for the filter * Time invested for this release: 15min #### 1.0.0 * Initial release of the plugin * Time invested for this release: 200min ## Meta * Version **2.1.1** * Last updated **6 mánaðar ago** * Active installations **6,000+** * WordPress version ** 4.0 or higher ** * Tested up to **6.9.4** * PHP version ** 5.6 or higher ** * Languages * [Chinese (Taiwan)](https://tw.wordpress.org/plugins/language-fallback/), [Dutch](https://nl.wordpress.org/plugins/language-fallback/), [Dutch (Belgium)](https://nl-be.wordpress.org/plugins/language-fallback/), [English (Canada)](https://en-ca.wordpress.org/plugins/language-fallback/), [English (US)](https://wordpress.org/plugins/language-fallback/), [French (France)](https://fr.wordpress.org/plugins/language-fallback/), [German](https://de.wordpress.org/plugins/language-fallback/), [German (Austria)](https://de-at.wordpress.org/plugins/language-fallback/), [German (Switzerland)](https://de-ch.wordpress.org/plugins/language-fallback/), [Portuguese (Portugal)](https://pt.wordpress.org/plugins/language-fallback/), [Spanish (Argentina)](https://es-ar.wordpress.org/plugins/language-fallback/), [Spanish (Chile)](https://cl.wordpress.org/plugins/language-fallback/), [Spanish (Colombia)](https://es-co.wordpress.org/plugins/language-fallback/), [Spanish (Ecuador)](https://es-ec.wordpress.org/plugins/language-fallback/), [Spanish (Mexico)](https://es-mx.wordpress.org/plugins/language-fallback/), [Spanish (Spain)](https://es.wordpress.org/plugins/language-fallback/), and [Spanish (Venezuela)](https://ve.wordpress.org/plugins/language-fallback/). * [Translate into your language](https://translate.wordpress.org/projects/wp-plugins/language-fallback) * Tags * [Fallback](https://fao.wordpress.org/plugins/tags/fallback/)[language](https://fao.wordpress.org/plugins/tags/language/) [locale](https://fao.wordpress.org/plugins/tags/locale/)[localization](https://fao.wordpress.org/plugins/tags/localization/) [translation](https://fao.wordpress.org/plugins/tags/translation/) * [Advanced View](https://fao.wordpress.org/plugins/language-fallback/advanced/) ## Ratings 4.8 out of 5 stars. * [ 22 5-star reviews ](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/language-fallback/reviews/?filter=5) * [ 0 4-star reviews ](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/language-fallback/reviews/?filter=4) * [ 0 3-star reviews ](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/language-fallback/reviews/?filter=3) * [ 0 2-star reviews ](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/language-fallback/reviews/?filter=2) * [ 1 1-star review ](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/language-fallback/reviews/?filter=1) [Your review](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/language-fallback/reviews/#new-post) [See all reviews](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/language-fallback/reviews/) ## Contributors * [ Bernhard Kau ](https://profiles.wordpress.org/kau-boy/) ## Support Got something to say? Need help? [View support forum](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/language-fallback/) ## Donate Would you like to support the advancement of this plugin? [ Donate to this plugin ](https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=7914504)