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Language Code Reference

Look up ISO 639-1 and ISO 639-2 language codes, native names, language families, and writing directions. Search, sort, and explore data for major world languages.

Languages

Language ▲ 639-1 ▲ 639-2 ▲ Native Name ▲ Family ▲ Dir ▲

How It Works

ISO 639 Standard

ISO 639 is the international standard for language codes, maintained by the International Organization for Standardization. It defines several code sets:

  • ISO 639-1 — Two-letter codes (e.g., en, fr, zh). The most widely used set, covering major world languages. Used in HTML lang attributes, HTTP headers, and locale identifiers.
  • ISO 639-2 — Three-letter codes (e.g., eng, fra, zho). Provides broader coverage including less common languages. Used in library cataloging and terminology systems.
  • ISO 639-3 — Three-letter codes covering all known human languages (7,000+). Maintained by SIL International. Extends 639-2 with individual language identification.
Language Families & Scripts

Languages are classified into families based on shared ancestry. The largest families include Indo-European (covering most European and South Asian languages), Sino-Tibetan (Chinese, Burmese, Tibetan), and Afro-Asiatic (Arabic, Hebrew, Amharic).

Writing direction is a key property for software internationalization. Most languages use left-to-right (LTR) scripts, while Arabic, Hebrew, Persian, and Urdu use right-to-left (RTL). Proper RTL support requires the dir="rtl" HTML attribute and careful CSS layout considerations.

Common Usage

Language codes appear in HTML (<html lang="en">), HTTP headers (Accept-Language), locale identifiers (en_US), translation file naming, and content negotiation systems.

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