---
title: "Set a Session Language | Microsoft Docs"
ms.custom: ""
ms.date: "03/16/2017"
ms.prod: sql
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  - "errors [SQL Server], international considerations"
  - "globalization [SQL Server], sessions"
  - "time [SQL Server]"
  - "sessions [SQL Server], languages"
  - "international considerations [SQL Server], sessions"
  - "dates [SQL Server], session languages"
  - "global considerations [SQL Server], sessions"
  - "client-side session language"
  - "time [SQL Server], session languages"
  - "messages [SQL Server], international considerations"
  - "server-side session language"
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---
# Set a Session Language
[!INCLUDE[appliesto-ss-asdb-xxxx-xxx-md](../../includes/appliesto-ss-asdb-xxxx-xxx-md.md)]
  The session language can be used to set how the following elements are displayed on the server, based on language and cultural preference:  
  
-   The language that will be used for error and other system messages. [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)] supports having multiple copies of all system error strings and messages in all the languages in which [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)] is available. These messages can be viewed in the [sys.messages](../../relational-databases/system-catalog-views/messages-for-errors-catalog-views-sys-messages.md) catalog view. When you install a localized version of [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)], these system messages are translated for the language version that you install. By default, you also obtain the U.S. English set of these messages. Additionally, you can add user-defined messages in a specific language by using [sp_addmessage](../../relational-databases/system-stored-procedures/sp-addmessage-transact-sql.md).  
  
-   The format of date and time data.  
  
-   The names of days and months, including abbreviations.  
  
-   The first day of the week.  
  
-   Currency data.  
  
 There are 33 languages available for use as session settings. For a list of languages, see [sys.syslanguages](../../relational-databases/system-compatibility-views/sys-syslanguages-transact-sql.md).  
  
## Setting the Session Language from the Server  
 To set the session language from the server side, use [SET LANGUAGE](../../t-sql/statements/set-language-transact-sql.md).  
  
## Setting the Session Language from the Client  
 The session language can be set on the client side by using OLE DB, ODBC or ADO.NET. For OLE DB, use the SSPROP_INIT_CURRENTLANGUAGE property. For more information, see [Initialization and Authorization Properties](../../relational-databases/native-client-ole-db-data-source-objects/initialization-and-authorization-properties.md).  
  
 For ODBC, use the Language keyword. For more information, see [SQLConfigDataSource](../../relational-databases/native-client-odbc-api/sqlconfigdatasource.md).  
  
 For ADO.NET, use the **Current Language** parameter of the **ConnectionString** object. For more information, see the [!INCLUDE[msCoName](../../includes/msconame-md.md)] Data Access Components (MDAC) software development kit (SDK) documentation.