HTML Accessible Language Selection Form

A form should feel easy to use. The visitor sees a question, gives an answer, and needs to know what will happen next.

What You Need to Know

The submitted language codes differ from their display names; language attributes help identify each option’s pronunciation.

Try the Example

Take a look at the example. We’ll explain the important lines right below it.

<form action="/settings" method="post">
    <label for="reading-language">Reading language</label>
    <select id="reading-language" name="language">
        <option value="en" lang="en">English</option>
        <option value="es" lang="es">Español</option>
        <option value="fr" lang="fr">Français</option>
    </select>
    <button type="submit">Save language</button>
</form>

Let’s Read the Code

lang: Lang identifies the language used in a document or passage.
<form>: The form groups controls and identifies where submitted data goes.
<label>: The label tells people what the input is for. A matching for/id pair makes the label clickable.
for: For connects a label or output with a control by ID.

Read the named elements and attributes together. They explain how the browser connects this feature to the rest of the page.

What Happens in the Browser?

The HTML controls work in the browser, but saving an answer requires the example action path to be handled by a real server.

Where does the answer go? The example uses the submitted name(s) language. Those names help the receiving server identify each answer. A label is for people; a name attribute is for the form data; an ID connects elements in the page.

Your Turn

Add one language option and give it a suitable BCP 47 language code.

Common Beginner Mistakes

Copying the example without giving the fields a clear label and a usable name.
Choosing a language does not translate the page unless an application supplies translated content.

Key Takeaways

A control needs a clear label and, when submitted, a meaningful name and value.
lang: Lang identifies the language used in a document or passage.
A meaningful HTML element is usually a stronger starting point than adding an ARIA role to a generic div. Also check what happens using only the keyboard.