# Language - Schema.org Type

> Source: https://schema.org/Language
> Extracted: 2026-02-16T18:48:11.744Z

---

**Note**: You are viewing the development version of [Schema.org](https://schema.org/). See [how we work](https://schema.org/docs/howwework.html) for more details.

Natural languages such as Spanish, Tamil, Hindi, English, etc. Formal language code tags expressed in [BCP 47](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IETF_language_tag) can be used via the [alternateName](https://schema.org/alternateName) property. The Language type previously also covered programming languages such as Scheme and Lisp, which are now best represented using [ComputerLanguage](https://schema.org/ComputerLanguage).

Property

Expected Type

Description

Properties from [Thing](https://schema.org/Thing "Thing")

`[additionalType](https://schema.org/additionalType "additionalType")`

[Text](https://schema.org/Text "Text")  or  
[URL](https://schema.org/URL "URL")

An additional type for the item, typically used for adding more specific types from external vocabularies in microdata syntax. This is a relationship between something and a class that the thing is in. Typically the value is a URI-identified RDF class, and in this case corresponds to the use of rdf:type in RDF. Text values can be used sparingly, for cases where useful information can be added without their being an appropriate schema to reference. In the case of text values, the class label should follow the schema.org [style guide](https://schema.org/docs/styleguide.html).

`[alternateName](https://schema.org/alternateName "alternateName")`

[Text](https://schema.org/Text "Text")

An alias for the item.

`[description](https://schema.org/description "description")`

[Text](https://schema.org/Text "Text")  or  
[TextObject](https://schema.org/TextObject "TextObject")

A description of the item.

`[disambiguatingDescription](https://schema.org/disambiguatingDescription "disambiguatingDescription")`

[Text](https://schema.org/Text "Text")

A sub property of description. A short description of the item used to disambiguate from other, similar items. Information from other properties (in particular, name) may be necessary for the description to be useful for disambiguation.

`[identifier](https://schema.org/identifier "identifier")`

[PropertyValue](https://schema.org/PropertyValue "PropertyValue")  or  
[Text](https://schema.org/Text "Text")  or  
[URL](https://schema.org/URL "URL")

The identifier property represents any kind of identifier for any kind of [Thing](https://schema.org/Thing), such as ISBNs, GTIN codes, UUIDs etc. Schema.org provides dedicated properties for representing many of these, either as textual strings or as URL (URI) links. See [background notes](https://schema.org/docs/datamodel.html#identifierBg) for more details.

`[image](https://schema.org/image "image")`

[ImageObject](https://schema.org/ImageObject "ImageObject")  or  
[URL](https://schema.org/URL "URL")

An image of the item. This can be a [URL](https://schema.org/URL) or a fully described [ImageObject](https://schema.org/ImageObject).

`[mainEntityOfPage](https://schema.org/mainEntityOfPage "mainEntityOfPage")`

[CreativeWork](https://schema.org/CreativeWork "CreativeWork")  or  
[URL](https://schema.org/URL "URL")

Indicates a page (or other CreativeWork) for which this thing is the main entity being described. See [background notes](https://schema.org/docs/datamodel.html#mainEntityBackground) for details.  
Inverse property: [mainEntity](https://schema.org/mainEntity "mainEntity")

`[name](https://schema.org/name "name")`

[Text](https://schema.org/Text "Text")

The name of the item.

`[owner](https://schema.org/owner "owner")`

[Organization](https://schema.org/Organization "Organization")  or  
[Person](https://schema.org/Person "Person")

A person or organization who owns this Thing.  
Inverse property: [owns](https://schema.org/owns "owns")

`[potentialAction](https://schema.org/potentialAction "potentialAction")`

[Action](https://schema.org/Action "Action")

Indicates a potential Action, which describes an idealized action in which this thing would play an 'object' role.

`[sameAs](https://schema.org/sameAs "sameAs")`

[URL](https://schema.org/URL "URL")

URL of a reference Web page that unambiguously indicates the item's identity. E.g. the URL of the item's Wikipedia page, Wikidata entry, or official website.

`[subjectOf](https://schema.org/subjectOf "subjectOf")`

[CreativeWork](https://schema.org/CreativeWork "CreativeWork")  or  
[Event](https://schema.org/Event "Event")

A CreativeWork or Event about this Thing.  
Inverse property: [about](https://schema.org/about "about")

`[url](https://schema.org/url "url")`

[URL](https://schema.org/URL "URL")

URL of the item.

Instances of [Language](https://schema.org/Language "Language") may appear as a value for the following properties

Property

On Types

Description

[availableLanguage](https://schema.org/availableLanguage "availableLanguage")

[ContactPoint](https://schema.org/ContactPoint "ContactPoint")  or  
[Course](https://schema.org/Course "Course")  or  
[LodgingBusiness](https://schema.org/LodgingBusiness "LodgingBusiness")  or  
[ServiceChannel](https://schema.org/ServiceChannel "ServiceChannel")  or  
[TouristAttraction](https://schema.org/TouristAttraction "TouristAttraction")

A language someone may use with or at the item, service or place. Please use one of the language codes from the [IETF BCP 47 standard](http://tools.ietf.org/html/bcp47). See also [inLanguage](https://schema.org/inLanguage).

[inLanguage](https://schema.org/inLanguage "inLanguage")

[BroadcastService](https://schema.org/BroadcastService "BroadcastService")  or  
[CommunicateAction](https://schema.org/CommunicateAction "CommunicateAction")  or  
[CreativeWork](https://schema.org/CreativeWork "CreativeWork")  or  
[Event](https://schema.org/Event "Event")  or  
[LinkRole](https://schema.org/LinkRole "LinkRole")  or  
[PronounceableText](https://schema.org/PronounceableText "PronounceableText")  or  
[WriteAction](https://schema.org/WriteAction "WriteAction")

The language of the content or performance or used in an action. Please use one of the language codes from the [IETF BCP 47 standard](http://tools.ietf.org/html/bcp47). See also [availableLanguage](https://schema.org/availableLanguage).

[knowsLanguage](https://schema.org/knowsLanguage "knowsLanguage")

[Organization](https://schema.org/Organization "Organization")  or  
[Person](https://schema.org/Person "Person")

Of a [Person](https://schema.org/Person), and less typically of an [Organization](https://schema.org/Organization), to indicate a known language. We do not distinguish skill levels or reading/writing/speaking/signing here. Use language codes from the [IETF BCP 47 standard](http://tools.ietf.org/html/bcp47).

[language](https://schema.org/language "language")

[CommunicateAction](https://schema.org/CommunicateAction "CommunicateAction")  or  
[WriteAction](https://schema.org/WriteAction "WriteAction")

A sub property of instrument. The language used on this action.

[subtitleLanguage](https://schema.org/subtitleLanguage "subtitleLanguage")

[BroadcastEvent](https://schema.org/BroadcastEvent "BroadcastEvent")  or  
[Movie](https://schema.org/Movie "Movie")  or  
[ScreeningEvent](https://schema.org/ScreeningEvent "ScreeningEvent")  or  
[TVEpisode](https://schema.org/TVEpisode "TVEpisode")

Languages in which subtitles/captions are available, in [IETF BCP 47 standard format](http://tools.ietf.org/html/bcp47).

### Examples

Example notes or example HTML without markup.

This example shows a JSON-LD description of services that do not necessarily have a direct
human-oriented HTML description. It describes a GovernmentService named "Veterans Affairs Emergency Mental Health",
its operator, service area and service details, such as its Veterans Crisis Line (including  phone contact line
hours of operation, language and other details).

Example encoded as [JSON-LD](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JSON-LD) in a HTML script tag.

<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "GovernmentService",
  "name": "Veterans Affairs Emergency Mental Health",
  "serviceType": "Psychiatric Emergency Services",
  "serviceOperator": {
    "@type": "GovernmentOrganization",
    "name": "US Department of Veterans Affairs"
  },
  "areaServed": {
    "@type": "AdministrativeArea",
    "name": "Massachusetts"
  },
  "audience": {
    "@type": "Audience",
    "name": "Veterans"
  },
  "availableChannel": {
    "@type": "ServiceChannel",
    "name": "Urgent Care Clinic",
    "availableLanguage": {
      "@type": "Language",
      "name": "Spanish",
      "alternateName": "es"
    },
    "serviceLocation": {
      "@type": "Hospital",
      "name": "VA Boston -- West Roxbury",
      "address": {
        "@type": "PostalAddress",
        "streetAddress": "1400 VFW Parkway",
        "addressLocality": "West Roxbury",
        "addressRegion": "MA",
        "postalCode": "02132"
      }
    }
  }
}
</script>

Structured representation of the JSON-LD example.

Example notes or example HTML without markup.

This example is in microdata only.

Example encoded as [Microdata](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microdata_\(HTML\)) embedded in HTML.

<div itemscope itemtype="https://schema.org/Hotel">
  <h1><span itemprop="name">ACME Hotel Innsbruck</span></h1>
  <span itemprop="description">A beautifully located business hotel right in the
heart of the alps. Watch the sun rise over the scenic Inn valley while
enjoying your morning coffee.</span>
  We speak:
  <ul>
    <li itemprop="availableLanguage" itemscope itemtype="https://schema.org/Language">
      <span itemprop="name">English</span>
    </li>
    <li itemprop="availableLanguage" itemscope itemtype="https://schema.org/Language">
      <span itemprop="name">German</span>
    </li>
  </ul>
</div>