Why Multi-Language Websites?
A multi-language website lets you reach customers in their native language, improving engagement, conversion rates, and SEO visibility in international markets. Odoo's website builder includes built-in internationalization support — you can translate every page, product, and piece of content without maintaining separate websites. This is essential for businesses selling internationally, operating in multilingual regions, or targeting diverse customer bases.
Language Setup
Installing Languages
Go to Settings → Technical → Languages and activate the languages you need. Odoo supports over 60 languages with community-contributed translations. When you activate a language, Odoo loads translations for all installed modules — menus, field labels, error messages, and system text are translated automatically. Custom content (pages, products, blog posts) must be translated manually or through the translation interface.
Default Language
Set your primary language as the default in Settings → Website → Languages. The default language is what visitors see when they first arrive. Additional languages are available through the language switcher. Most businesses set the default to the language of their largest market.
Content Translation
Website Pages
To translate a website page, switch to the target language using the language selector in the website builder, then edit the page. Odoo stores translations separately for each language. Changes to one language do not affect others. You can also use the Translate button on any page to enter translation mode, where all translatable text is highlighted and editable inline.
Products
Product names, descriptions, and website content can be translated per language. Go to the product form, switch the language in the top-right corner, and enter translated text. The product URL slug can also be translated for better SEO in each language. Product images and pricing remain the same across languages unless you use pricelists per country.
Blog Posts
Blog content is translated the same way as pages. Switch to the target language and create or edit the translated version. You can maintain different blog posts per language or translate the same posts. For SEO, translated blog posts with localized keywords perform better than untranslated content.
URL Structure
Odoo uses language codes in URLs for translated pages. The default language typically has no prefix, while additional languages use their ISO code.
| Language | URL Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| English (default) | /page-name | example.com/about-us |
| French | /fr/page-name | example.com/fr/a-propos |
| Spanish | /es/page-name | example.com/es/sobre-nosotros |
| German | /de/page-name | example.com/de/ueber-uns |
Language Switcher
Odoo adds a language switcher to your website navigation automatically when multiple languages are active. Visitors click the switcher to change languages. The switcher shows available languages and maintains the current page — switching from English to French on the About Us page takes the visitor to the French version of About Us, not the homepage.
SEO Considerations
Hreflang Tags
Odoo automatically generates hreflang tags for multi-language pages. These tags tell search engines which language version to show in search results for each region. Proper hreflang implementation prevents duplicate content issues and ensures French searchers see your French pages, not English ones.
Translated Meta Data
Translate meta titles, meta descriptions, and URL slugs for each language. This is critical for SEO — search engines use meta data in the user's language to display results. A product with an English meta title will not rank well for French search queries. Use localized keywords, not direct translations, for better search performance.
Sitemap
Odoo's auto-generated sitemap includes all language versions of each page. Search engines use the sitemap to discover and index translated content. Ensure all translated pages are included and accessible.
Translation Workflow
- Professional translation — For marketing content, product descriptions, and key pages, use professional translators. Machine translation quality is insufficient for customer-facing content.
- Community translation — For system text and module labels, Odoo's community translations are usually adequate. Review and customize terminology specific to your industry.
- Translation management — Export translations as PO files for external translators, then import completed translations back into Odoo.
- Ongoing maintenance — When you add new pages or products, add translations promptly. Untranslated content falling back to the default language creates a poor experience.
Regional Considerations
- Right-to-left languages — Arabic and Hebrew require RTL layout support. Odoo handles RTL automatically for activated RTL languages.
- Date and number formats — Odoo adjusts date formats (MM/DD vs DD/MM) and number separators (comma vs period) based on the user's language.
- Currency display — Show prices in local currency alongside the local language for the best user experience.
DeployMonkey + Multi-Language
Deploy Odoo on DeployMonkey and configure a multi-language website with AI assistance. Reach international audiences with properly translated content, SEO-optimized URLs, and language-appropriate formatting from day one.