# Change language for single user on desktop system?

**URL:** <https://forums.rockylinux.org/t/change-language-for-single-user-on-desktop-system/10937>\
**Category:** Rocky Linux Help & Support\
**Created:** [August 7, 2023, 5:26am UTC](https://forums.rockylinux.org/t/change-language-for-single-user-on-desktop-system/10937 "2023-08-07T05:26:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![microlinux](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forums.rockylinux.org/microlinux/32/1244_2.png) [@microlinux](https://forums.rockylinux.org/u/microlinux)\
**Post date:** [August 7, 2023, 5:26am UTC](https://forums.rockylinux.org/t/change-language-for-single-user-on-desktop-system/10937/1 "2023-08-07T05:26:00Z")

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Hi,

Last year I installed Rocky Linux 8 + KDE from EPEL on my dad’s laptop. My parents live in Austria and they speak german, so I localized the machine in german.

```auto
$ localectl status
   System Locale: LANG=de_AT.UTF-8
       VC Keymap: at-nodeadkeys
      X11 Layout: at
     X11 Variant: nodeadkeys

```

I will be using this laptop over the whole month of August to do some work. I’m used to have a french system and interface. So first I tried putting `LANG=fr_FR.UTF-8` and `export LANG` in my `~/.bashrc`, but this did nothing to KDE.

Then I found the corresponding entry in KDE’s System Settings, and now I have a partial success. KDE native applications like Dolphin and Kate display their menus in french as expected. On the other hand, apps like Firefox, Thunderbird and LibreOffice still show up in german.

What’s the trick to have all my graphical environment use `fr_FR.UTF-8` without using `localectl` (because my dad still needs his KDE in german) ?

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**Author:** ![wintpe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e47774/32.png) [@wintpe](https://forums.rockylinux.org/u/wintpe)\
**Post date:** [August 8, 2023, 11:17am UTC](https://forums.rockylinux.org/t/change-language-for-single-user-on-desktop-system/10937/2 "2023-08-08T11:17:04Z")

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I think it depends upon what window manager you use.  
lightdm gives you the option to select the language during login, cant remember with sddm because ive not used it for a while.  
but there is another lang env in my environment GDM\_LANG  
try setting that in your .bashrc.  
regards peter