diff --git a/docs/Config.md b/docs/Config.md
index 5f35dc72..20221fa2 100644
--- a/docs/Config.md
+++ b/docs/Config.md
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ Changes to the user config will only take place after closing and re-opening laz
 ```yml
 gui:
   scrollHeight: 2
+  language: 'auto' # one of 'auto' | 'en' | 'pl' | 'nl' | 'de' | 'tr'
   theme:
     activeBorderColor:
     - green
diff --git a/pkg/app/app.go b/pkg/app/app.go
index ffc73494..c1b426b8 100644
--- a/pkg/app/app.go
+++ b/pkg/app/app.go
@@ -34,7 +34,10 @@ func NewApp(config *config.AppConfig) (*App, error) {
 	}
 	var err error
 	app.Log = log.NewLogger(config, "23432119147a4367abf7c0de2aa99a2d")
-	app.Tr = i18n.NewTranslationSet(app.Log)
+	app.Tr, err = i18n.NewTranslationSetFromConfig(app.Log, config.UserConfig.Gui.Language)
+	if err != nil {
+		return app, err
+	}
 	app.OSCommand = commands.NewOSCommand(app.Log, config)
 
 	// here is the place to make use of the docker-compose.yml file in the current directory
diff --git a/pkg/commands/dummies.go b/pkg/commands/dummies.go
index c32e8f76..416a57dd 100644
--- a/pkg/commands/dummies.go
+++ b/pkg/commands/dummies.go
@@ -42,10 +42,11 @@ func NewDummyDockerCommand() *DockerCommand {
 
 // NewDummyDockerCommandWithOSCommand creates a new dummy DockerCommand for testing
 func NewDummyDockerCommandWithOSCommand(osCommand *OSCommand) *DockerCommand {
+	newAppConfig := NewDummyAppConfig()
 	return &DockerCommand{
 		Log:       NewDummyLog(),
 		OSCommand: osCommand,
-		Tr:        i18n.NewTranslationSet(NewDummyLog()),
-		Config:    NewDummyAppConfig(),
+		Tr:        i18n.NewTranslationSet(NewDummyLog(), newAppConfig.UserConfig.Gui.Language),
+		Config:    newAppConfig,
 	}
 }
diff --git a/pkg/config/app_config.go b/pkg/config/app_config.go
index 8c8fa8a9..00f62208 100644
--- a/pkg/config/app_config.go
+++ b/pkg/config/app_config.go
@@ -79,6 +79,9 @@ type GuiConfig struct {
 	// scrolling the main panel
 	ScrollHeight int `yaml:"scrollHeight,omitempty"`
 
+	// Language determines which language the GUI displayed.
+	Language string `yaml:"language,omitempty"`
+
 	// ScrollPastBottom determines whether you can scroll past the bottom of the
 	// main view
 	ScrollPastBottom bool `yaml:"scrollPastBottom,omitempty"`
@@ -311,6 +314,7 @@ func GetDefaultConfig() UserConfig {
 	return UserConfig{
 		Gui: GuiConfig{
 			ScrollHeight:      2,
+			Language:          "auto",
 			ScrollPastBottom:  false,
 			IgnoreMouseEvents: false,
 			Theme: ThemeConfig{
diff --git a/pkg/i18n/i18n.go b/pkg/i18n/i18n.go
index bdc62ab1..914ec1ba 100644
--- a/pkg/i18n/i18n.go
+++ b/pkg/i18n/i18n.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/imdario/mergo"
 
 	"github.com/cloudfoundry/jibber_jabber"
+	"github.com/go-errors/errors"
 	"github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
 )
 
@@ -16,16 +17,28 @@ type Localizer struct {
 	S        TranslationSet
 }
 
-// NewTranslationSet creates a new Localizer
-func NewTranslationSet(log *logrus.Entry) *TranslationSet {
-	userLang := detectLanguage(jibber_jabber.DetectLanguage)
+func NewTranslationSetFromConfig(log *logrus.Entry, configLanguage string) (*TranslationSet, error) {
+	if configLanguage == "auto" {
+		language := detectLanguage(jibber_jabber.DetectLanguage)
+		return NewTranslationSet(log, language), nil
+	}
 
-	log.Info("language: " + userLang)
+	for key := range GetTranslationSets() {
+		if key == configLanguage {
+			return NewTranslationSet(log, configLanguage), nil
+		}
+	}
+
+	return NewTranslationSet(log, "en"), errors.New("Language not found: " + configLanguage)
+}
+
+func NewTranslationSet(log *logrus.Entry, language string) *TranslationSet {
+	log.Info("language: " + language)
 
 	baseSet := englishSet()
 
 	for languageCode, translationSet := range GetTranslationSets() {
-		if strings.HasPrefix(userLang, languageCode) {
+		if strings.HasPrefix(language, languageCode) {
 			_ = mergo.Merge(&baseSet, translationSet, mergo.WithOverride)
 		}
 	}