PrestaShop Multiple Language Configuration

Here’s a complete, practical guide to configuring Multiple Languages in PrestaShop (works for PrestaShop 1.7, 8, and 9).

1️⃣ Enable Multiple Languages

Go to
Back Office → International → Localization → Languages

• Click Add new language
• Choose language (e.g. Hindi, Arabic, French)
• Download language pack (recommended)
• Enable the language
• Save

👉 Repeat for all required languages

2️⃣ Set Default Language

Go to
International → Localization

• Default language → English (or your primary language)
• Save

⚠️ Default language affects:

• Product creation
• CMS pages
• SEO URLs

3️⃣ Enable Language Selector (Frontend)

Go to
Design → Positions
or
Design → Theme & Logo → Header

• Find Language Selector module
• Enable and hook to:
  • displayNav
  • displayTop

Check frontend → language switcher visible

4️⃣ Translate Store Content

4.1 Interface Translations (Buttons, Labels)

International → Translations

Choose:

• Translate a theme
• Select language
• Modify text
• Save

4.2 Product Translations (MOST IMPORTANT)

For each product:
Catalog → Products

• Switch language (top-left)
• Translate:
  • Product name
  • Description
  • Short description
  • Meta title
  • Meta description
  • URL (slug)

❗ Products are NOT auto-translated

4.3 Category Translations

Catalog → Categories

• Switch language
• Translate:
  • Name
  • Description
  • Meta title & description
  • Friendly URL

4.4 CMS Pages

Design → Pages

• Translate page content
• Translate meta SEO fields

5️⃣ URL Structure for Multiple Languages (SEO Critical)

Go to
International → Localization → SEO & URLs

Enable:

• ✅ Friendly URLs
• ✅ Language in URL

Examples:

• example.com/en/men-shirts
• example.com/fr/chemises-homme
• example.com/hi/पुरुष-शर्ट

💡 Best for SEO & Google indexing

6️⃣ Hreflang & Canonical (Auto-Handled)

PrestaShop automatically:

• Adds hreflang tags
• Sets canonical URLs

⚠️ Don’t disable unless custom SEO module is used

7️⃣ Language-Specific Content Rules

Prices

• Same price across languages (default)
• Use Currency for regional pricing

Stock

• Shared stock (recommended)

Shipping

• Same carriers, language-independent

8️⃣ Translate Emails (Often Forgotten)

International → Translations → Email translations

Translate:

• Order confirmation
• Shipping update
• Payment emails

Each language has its own email templates

9️⃣ RTL Languages (Arabic / Urdu)

If using Arabic/Urdu:

• Use RTL-compatible theme
• Enable RTL in theme settings
• Test checkout & cart alignment

🔟 Common Problems & Fixes

❌ Language not visible in frontend

✔ Fix:

• Language disabled
• Language selector module not hooked
• Language restricted to customer group

❌ Page shows English even after switching language

✔ Fix:

• Translation missing for that page/product
• Cache not cleared

❌ Duplicate content SEO issue

✔ Fix:

• Enable “Language in URL”
• Ensure translated meta titles

1️⃣1️⃣ Best Practices (Pro Tips)

✔ Always translate URL slugs
✔ Keep meta titles unique per language
✔ Don’t auto-translate with Google → poor SEO
✔ Use one language per country, not per city

1️⃣2️⃣ Recommended Translation Tools

• PrestaShop built-in translations (best)
• DeepL API module (high quality)
• GTranslate (good for UI, not SEO)