Question 1

What is the difference between ISO 639-1, 639-2, and 639-3?

Accepted Answer

ISO 639-1 provides 2-letter codes for major languages (184 languages). ISO 639-2 provides 3-letter codes for a broader range (500+ languages). ISO 639-3 is the most comprehensive with codes for over 7,000 languages including extinct and constructed languages.

Question 2

How many languages have ISO codes?

Accepted Answer

ISO 639-3 covers over 7,000 languages, making it the most comprehensive language coding standard. Our database includes 200+ major world languages with complete metadata including native names, families, and speaker counts.

Question 3

Which language code should I use in my application?

Accepted Answer

For web applications, use ISO 639-1 (2-letter codes like 'en', 'es', 'fr') as they're widely supported in HTML lang attributes and HTTP headers. Use ISO 639-2 or 639-3 for more specialized applications requiring broader language coverage.

Question 4

What are language families in the context of ISO codes?

Accepted Answer

Language families group related languages that share common ancestral origins. Examples include Indo-European (English, Spanish, Hindi), Sino-Tibetan (Chinese, Tibetan), and Afro-Asiatic (Arabic, Hebrew). This helps understand linguistic relationships.

Question 5

Can I download the complete language codes database?

Accepted Answer

Yes, you can download the complete ISO 639 language codes database in JSON, CSV, or XML formats. The data includes ISO codes, native names, language families, speaker counts, and geographic information.

ISO 639 Language Codes Database

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Related Tools & Resources

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