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TMDb provides robust support for multiple languages, allowing you to interact with the API in different languages and retrieve localized content. This is essential for global users and developers who need to present information tailored to various linguistic and regional preferences.

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How Languages Work on TMDb

  1. Language Parameter in API Requests: When making requests to the TMDb API, you can specify a language parameter to receive data in your preferred language. If the requested data is not available in the specified language, TMDb will return it in the default language (usually English). For example, when retrieving movie details, you can append the language parameter to the API request: here.
  2. Supported Languages: TMDb supports a wide range of languages. Some common examples include:
  • en (English)
  • fr (French)
  • es (Spanish)
  • de (German)
  • it (Italian)
  • ja (Japanese)
  • zh (Chinese) and many more…
You can check the full list of supported languages on the TMDb API documentation or by querying the API for available language options.
  1. Localized Content: In addition to language-specific metadata (like titles, descriptions, and genres), TMDb provides localized content for movies, TV shows, and keywords. For example, a movie might have a different title in different languages, or the synopsis might be written in the language of the user.
  2. Changing Language on the Website: On the TMDb website, users can change their preferred language from the account settings. This preference is reflected across the site and API responses when logged in.
  3. Fallback Language: If the requested language data isn’t available, TMDb will default to English. For example, if you request content in French but it’s not available, the API will return the English version of the content.

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Examples

  • Movie Information in Spanish: Check this out! here
  • TV Show Information in Italian:Check this out! here

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Language Codes

  • Each language has a specific ISO 639-1 code (like en for English, fr for French, etc.) which should be used when making requests to the TMDb API.
Images do not yet support the language-COUNTRY notation. This will be improved in the future. Take a read through the image language documentation to learn how to partly get around this limitation.
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