
π This article includes 1 downloadable practice file β
In this article
DETECTLANGUAGE returns the language code of a text β useful for sorting customer feedback before translating it.
Syntax
=DETECTLANGUAGE(text)
| Argument | What it means |
|---|---|
text |
Any text. |
Examples
Example 1
=DETECTLANGUAGE(C2)
Returns codes like “hi”, “ta” or “en” for each review.
DETECTLANGUAGE in practice
Where you will use it
- Sort customer feedback by language
- Route Hindi and English tickets to the right team
- Check translated product titles
Worked example
| Text | Formula | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Namaste, aap kaise hain? | =DETECTLANGUAGE(A2) | en |
| ΰ€―ΰ€Ή ΰ€ΰ€€ΰ₯ΰ€ͺΰ€Ύΰ€¦ ΰ€¬ΰ€Ήΰ₯ΰ€€ ΰ€ ΰ€ΰ₯ΰ€ΰ€Ύ ΰ€Ήΰ₯ | =DETECTLANGUAGE(A3) | hi |
| Bonjour tout le monde | =DETECTLANGUAGE(A4) | fr |
Needs Microsoft 365 online. Expected output shown, not calculated here: DETECTLANGUAGE needs the latest Microsoft 365.
Mistakes people make
| Mistake | What to do instead |
|---|---|
| Romanised Hindi | Hindi typed in English letters may be detected as English or another language |
| Very short text | One or two words are unreliable; use full sentences |
Related functions
π Part of the free Excel course: Beginner β Expert Β· Try it in the Formula Lab or ask the AI Helper.
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π Practice files for this article
- πPractice workbook: Text & cleaning24 tasks on realistic sales data β type your formula, the Check column turns green when it is right. Answers sheet included.β¬ XLSX Β· 35 KB
Free to use for learning. Files with macros (.bas) are plain text β import them with Alt+F11 β File β Import File, and always test on a copy.
Atul (AJ) builds office-automation and local-first AI tools as Atulya AI, and works with Excel, SAP and Oracle EPM every day. He writes about the shortcuts, macros and automations that actually save time β plus the occasional wacky fact. Videos on YouTube: Lazy Automator AI (@LazyAutomatorAI).
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