# CodeIgniter User Guide Version 1.6.1

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# Language Class

The Language Class provides functions to retrieve language files and lines of text for purposes of internationalization.

In your CodeIgniter system folder you'll find one called language containing sets of language files. You can create your own language files as needed in order to display error and other messages in other languages.

Language files are typically stored in your system/language directory. Alternately you can create a folder called `language` inside your `application` folder and store them there. CodeIgniter will look first in your system/application/language directory. If the directory does not exist or the specified language is not located there CI will instead look in your global system/language folder.

Note: Each language should be stored in its own folder. For example, the English files are located at: system/language/english

## Creating Language Files

Language files must be named with `_lang.php` as the file extension. For example, let's say you want to create a file containing error messages. You might name it: `error_lang.php`

Within the file you will assign each line of text to an array called $lang with this prototype:

`$lang['language_key'] = "The actual message to be shown";`

Note: It's a good practice to use a common prefix for all messages in a given file to avoid collisions with similarly named items in other files. For example, if you are creating error messages you might prefix them with error_

`$lang['error_email_missing'] = "You must submit an email address";
$lang['error_url_missing'] = "You must submit a URL";
$lang['error_username_missing'] = "You must submit a username";`

## Loading A Language File

In order to fetch a line from a particular file you must load the file first. Loading a language file is done with the following code:

`$this->lang->load('`filename`', 'language');`

Where `filename` is the name of the file you wish to load (without the file extension), and language is the language set containing it (ie, english). If the second parameter is missing, the default language set in your `application/config/config.php` file will be used.

## Fetching a Line of Text

Once your desired language file is loaded you can access any line of text using this function:

`$this->lang->line('`language_key`');`

Where `language_key` is the array key corresponding to the line you wish to show.

Note: This function simply returns the line. It does not echo it for you.

## Auto-loading Languages

If you find that you need a particular language globally throughout your application, you can tell CodeIgniter to auto-load it during system initialization. This is done by opening the application/config/autoload.php file and adding the language(s) to the autoload array.