Language attribute checker

What the language attribute checker does

This tool reads the lang attribute from the HTML element of a webpage and displays its value. It shows how the page declares its primary language to browsers, assistive technology, and search engines.

The language attribute is a short code, such as en for English or fr for French. It can include a region subtag, such as en-US or pt-BR. The declaration applies to the whole document unless overridden on individual elements.

Why the language attribute matters

Screen readers use the language declaration to select the correct pronunciation rules. If a page is marked as English but contains French text, the screen reader may mispronounce it. Correct declarations make content more accessible to users who rely on assistive technology.

Browsers use the attribute for hyphenation, spell checking, and font selection. Search engines use language signals to serve content to the right audience, and translation tools rely on accurate declarations. For multilingual sites, the language attribute works alongside hreflang annotations to clarify which language and region each page targets.

How to interpret the result

Check that the declared value matches the page's actual primary language. A missing attribute means no language is declared, which can lead to incorrect pronunciation and weaker language signals. A mismatched value, such as en on a Spanish page, is worse than a missing one because it actively misinforms.

Use the shortest code that accurately represents the content. Region subtags are useful when content differs by locale, such as en-GB versus en-US. Avoid overly specific codes that do not correspond to real language variants, and ensure the attribute is valid according to the language code standard.

Common language attribute issues

• Missing lang attribute. No language is declared for the document.
• Wrong language code. The declared code does not match the content.
• Using a country code instead of a language code. Values like UK are not valid language declarations.
• Unmarked foreign passages. Quotations or excerpts in another language should carry their own lang attribute.
• Inconsistent declarations across a multilingual site. Each language version should declare its own language.

Practical workflow

Check the main language versions of the site and confirm each declares the correct language. Review pages that mix languages and add inline language attributes to foreign passages where practical. After template changes, re-check the attribute, since a theme update can remove or overwrite it.

Limitations

The checker reports the attribute on the HTML element in the response it receives. It does not evaluate inline language overrides or verify hreflang configurations.