[[language-concept]]

=== Concept: User Interface, Configuration, and Content translation

[role="summary"]
Overview of languages and translation on a site.

(((User interface,translating)))
(((Configuration,translating)))
(((Content,translating)))
(((Translating,overview)))
(((Languages,overview)))
(((Module,Language)))
(((Module,Content Translation)))
(((Module,Configuration Translation)))
(((Module,Interface Translation)))
(((Content Translation module,overview)))
(((Configuration Translation module,overview)))
(((Interface Translation module,overview)))
(((Language module,overview)))

==== Prerequisite knowledge

* <<understanding-data>>
* <<understanding-modules>>
* <<planning-data-types>>

==== What languages does the software support?

The base language for the software that your site runs (core software, modules,
and themes) is English. However, using this software you can create a site whose
default language is not English, in which case anyone viewing the site should
see only that language (assuming that the site is fully translated). You can
also use this software to create a multi-lingual site, with a language switcher
that site visitors can use to switch to their preferred language. You need to
have the core Language module installed in order to use a language other than
English on the site.

==== What can be translated on your site?

There are three types of information that you can translate, each with its own
method for translating:

User interface text::
  Built-in text present in the core software, modules, and themes. This can be
  translated from the base English language of the software into the language(s)
  of your site. Typically, rather than needing to translate this text yourself,
  you can download translations. You need to have the core Interface Translation
  module installed in order to translate this text, and the core Update Manager
  module installed in order to automatically download translations.
Configuration text::
  Text whose structure and initial values are defined by the core software,
  modules, and themes, but that you can edit. Examples include the labels for
  fields in your content types, header text in views, your site name, and the
  content of automatic email messages that your site sends out. After creating
  configuration text in the default language of your site, you can translate it
  into other languages. For default configuration supplied by the core software,
  modules, and themes, translation is included with the downloads of user
  interface text translations. You need to have the core Configuration
  Translation module installed in order to translate this text.
Content text and files::
  If your site is multilingual, you can configure the content fields on your
  site to be translatable. After creating content in one language, you can
  translate it into other languages. Fields can contain textual information or
  uploaded files, and for each field on each content type, you can configure it
  to be translatable or non-translatable. You need to have the core Content
  Translation module installed in order to translate this text.

==== What information will remain in English on my site?

Even if the default language of your site is not English, you will still see
English text on certain administrative pages used to manage configuration. The
reason is that when you edit configuration, you are editing the base,
untranslated configuration values; translating configuration is a separate
operation. For example, if you visit the _Menus_ administration page, you will
see menu names in English (for the menus that were set up when you installed
your site), and if you click an _Edit menu_ link, you will be editing the
English name and description of the menu. To edit the menu name in a different
language, you would need to have the core Configuration Translation module
installed, and use the _Translate_ link to edit the translated menu information.

==== Related topics

* <<language-add>>
* <<language-content-config>>
* <<language-content-translate>>
* <<language-config-translate>>

//==== Additional resources


*Attributions*

Written by https://www.drupal.org/u/jhodgdon[Jennifer Hodgdon].
