A second language rarely stays a second language. A German company uses English for export customers and French for a subsidiary and perhaps Polish or Dutch for a regional campaign. A global company launching in Germany needs a proper German website, not a frayed translation. TYPO3 can manage multiple languages, but the way you organize your page structure determines the amount of pain for the fifth language.
This article will cover the most important decisions for supporting multiple languages: the page structure for languages in TYPO3, who translates what, what search engines require, and what details to consider for the German market. It will also include some practical recommendations to avoid the most common pitfalls.
Organizing Language in TYPO3
Languages in TYPO3 are managed in the root configuration of the site, not the page tree. Each language has its locale, navigation title, flag for the backend (optional), and a prefix or base for the URL. It is essential to define them as accurately as possible from the beginning. You will rarely need to change the language ID, which is used for identifying elements related to a particular language version.
Set the default language as the language in which you will initially edit content. It is entirely up to you, whether to choose German as the default language, and add English as a translation or the other way around. The choice depends on whether you write source content in English or German, or whether the company has localizations with significantly different language versions.
There are three common ways to separate languages: path prefixes, subdomains, and country-specific domains, example.de and example.fr. Using path prefixes is the easiest solution in TYPO3 because all languages belong to one site in the system, and the routing is taken care of by the CMS. Separating domains makes sense if legal entities, product catalogs and support teams differ for each market. However, the more the separation is, the more effort is required to maintain multiple websites. In any case, it is essential to decide on the option and move on to the next steps since subsequent changes will be much more challenging if the language separation was not created correctly.
Connected vs. Free Translations
TYPO3 provides two options for connecting translations: connected and free. Connected mode means that a particular language version is dependent on the primary language, which is most often the default language. A connection is useful when the same content is largely translated: product pages, services and corporate information. By contrast, language versions that are significantly different from each other, for example, a significantly more extensive US page than the German one, or a campaign in English, should be separated as free languages. Both options can be used simultaneously, but it is essential to have clear rules for the team members so they do not confuse connected and independent languages.
It is essential to configure the behavior of languages when a page is not translated. According to TYPO3 settings, a default language page can be displayed, no content, or a 404 error. It is not useful to show the German text of the main page to an English visitor. At the same time, it would be even worse to hide the entire English navigation bar on the German page. In most cases, it makes sense to hide the content rather than the navigation, but it depends on the specifics of the website.
Translation Process for Editors
Correct technical settings are vital, but they are not decisive for the practical use of multilingual TYPO3. It is necessary to clarify who translates texts, who proofreads, and who sends requests for translation.
Large teams typically use external agencies and separate exporting and importing processes. Translators can receive content in XML format or through special extensions for connecting TYPO3 and external services. Some companies take advantage of machine translation for the first draft, but it must be followed by detailed editing by native speakers. This is especially important for legal terms, nuances of technical documentation, and customer communications.
Editors should have access only to languages that are relevant to them. Access rights and workspace settings reduce the likelihood of accidental or unauthorized edits. It is also worth pointing out that for companies that do not have the technical capabilities to develop specialized translation tools, like an interface for communication with an external agency, Softwareentwicklung Outsourcing offers the option of using free hours of programmers.
Search Engines and Language Versions
Google considers each language version of the website as a separate entity. However, it is necessary to inform the search engine about the connection of the two pages with hreflang tags. Fortunately, adding these tags can be automated with the right TYPO3 extensions. In any case, it is essential to double-check the hreflang tags generated by TYPO3. Each language version must be referenced in the hreflang tags of all other language versions. In addition, the language code indicated (for example, de-DE) must match the content of the page, and the region code must be specified if the language differs slightly in the country versions (de-AT for Austria and de-CH for Switzerland).
Canonical tags are important for search engines to understand which page is original. In most cases, each language version refers to itself with a canonical tag. It is not necessary to refer to the default language version for other language versions so that search engines do not ignore the localizations.
It is vital to translate everything that is visible to the user on the search results page, that is, the page title, description, and URL slug. A German page with an English slug looks unfinished and is not as relevant for local searches. Fortunately, TYPO3 allows you to use separate slugs, for each language.
Do not allow users to be automatically redirected from English to German or vice versa, when they visit the website for the first time. In addition to the inconvenience of such redirection, such a design will cause additional confusion for search engines. A language selector is best, with the opportunity to hide the option with a banner or cookie.
Less Obvious Language Settings for German
Correctly translating text is essential, but it is only the beginning. A few essential details that are often ignored are required to configure a German website:
- Decide for yourself whether the company will use the formal or informal address and indicate this rule everywhere. While the option to use “du” is developing in some niches, many B2B German companies still prefer the formal “Sie.” Mixing these two options gives a sloppy and unprofessional impression.
- In many cases, German texts are longer than their English counterparts. To avoid overlaps or long lines, it is necessary to test the interface elements with real German text.
- Date formats, measures, and numbers also differ in German versions. For example, 14.10.2026 is October 14, 2026, commas replace decimal points, and thousands of separators are the opposite: 1.234,56. If the website uses numbers, prices in euros follow the German convention, that is, the currency sign is placed at the end: €100. It is essential to customize the website according to these conventions if, for example, content management system extensions or other software automatically processes dates and numbers.
- Legalities are essential for German users. It is necessary to create documents in German for all visitors: Impressum and privacy policy, cookie consent banners and their settings. If in doubt, consult local German legal counsel. If your global website targets German users, you need to decide which requirements to use: those of Germany or another EU country where your users are based.
Ongoing Maintenance of Multilingual Websites
Websites often decay at the edges as they grow. Language versions diverge: product names change in one language and not in another, promotions stop working, and the page expires. Time spent on maintenance and a few simple tools can save you from serious problems.
First, it is useful to run a regular report of all pages that need to be translated or updated. It is also essential to create a shared glossary of terms, so that translators can use consistent product names. Another option is to check the statistics of the performance of each language version. If English texts perform poorly compared to German counterparts, it may not be a problem with the German language version, but with the English localization.
It is also useful to have a shared glossary of terms for the translators. It will save time and ensure consistency, especially in the names of products and services. Localizable text in extensions should be in XLIFF language files rather than the source code so that it is easier to maintain. When choosing a CMS for multilingual projects, it is helpful to bring in an external developer to work with the system. The choice of the region is also essential: Softwareentwicklung in Hamburg is a good option for northern Germans, and Softwareentwicklung in Berlin is closer to the capital.
Practical Recommendations and Language Plan
There are many nuances to creating a multilingual website with TYPO3. Fortunately, most of them can be organized at the very beginning. One of the critical tasks is to decide which languages to use on the website, which one to choose as the default and how to separate the language versions. Some companies try to use connected languages for all texts, which is a mistake: language versions that are significantly different from each other should be separated as free languages. It is also essential to decide ahead of time, who will handle the translation process and who will have access to which languages.
It is also vital not to underestimate the importance of language planning at the strategic level: there are certain expectations when it comes to the use of the language in formal or informal address forms, as well as the accompanying documents. A one-page plan is usually enough to cover all the essential points, including a list of the languages to be used, their connection method, translation process and responsible parties, and differences in the language versions. Such a document will take about an hour or two to prepare. It will serve as a reference guide for everyone involved in the project, which is why it is worth spending time on it.
