Language Code Converter
Convert between ISO 639, BCP 47, and locale codes for international language standards
Popular Languages
Supported Standards
- • ISO 639-1: 2-letter codes (en, zh, fr)
- • ISO 639-2: 3-letter codes (eng, zho, fra)
- • BCP 47: Locale tags (en-US, zh-CN)
- • Names: English language names
Did you mean?
Standard Compliant
Supports ISO 639-1, ISO 639-2, and BCP 47 international standards for language identification.
Smart Search
Automatically detects input type and provides intelligent suggestions for partial matches.
Comprehensive Database
Includes 200+ languages with regional variants, scripts, and alternative names.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between ISO 639-1 and ISO 639-2?
ISO 639-1 uses 2-letter codes (like 'en' for English) and covers about 180 languages. ISO 639-2 uses 3-letter codes (like 'eng' for English) and covers over 400 languages, including more regional and historical languages.
What is BCP 47 and when should I use it?
BCP 47 (Best Current Practice 47) defines language tags that can include language, script, region, and variant information (like 'en-US' or 'zh-Hans-CN'). Use it for web applications, APIs, and systems that need to distinguish between regional variants.
How do I handle Chinese language variants?
Chinese has several variants: 'zh' (generic Chinese), 'zh-CN' (Simplified Chinese, China), 'zh-TW' (Traditional Chinese, Taiwan), 'zh-Hans' (Simplified script), and 'zh-Hant' (Traditional script). Choose based on your specific needs.
Can I convert between different language code standards?
Yes! This tool can convert between ISO 639-1, ISO 639-2, BCP 47, and language names. Simply enter any format and select your desired output format to see all available conversions.
Are regional dialects supported?
The tool includes major regional variants and dialects that have official language codes. For example, 'pt-BR' (Brazilian Portuguese) and 'pt-PT' (European Portuguese) are both supported with their distinct codes and names.
Language Code Standards Guide
Web Development Usage
- •
lang="en"- HTML lang attribute - •
Accept-Language: en-US- HTTP headers - •
hreflang="en-GB"- SEO alternate links - •
locale: "zh-CN"- JavaScript Intl API
Common Language Patterns
- • Language only: en, zh, fr, de
- • Language + Region: en-US, zh-CN, fr-CA
- • Language + Script: zh-Hans, zh-Hant
- • Full format: zh-Hans-CN, sr-Latn-RS
Best Practice: Always use the most specific language code that fits your needs. For global applications, start with 2-letter ISO 639-1 codes and add region/script qualifiers only when necessary to distinguish between variants.