Directory macros/latex/required/babel/base
Babel 25.11
2025-07-13
Babel
is the multilingual framework to localize documents. It fully supports pdfLaTeX and the Unicode engines LuaLaTeX and XeLaTeX. A few languages even work with Plain formats.
Its aim is to provide a localization framework for different languages, scripts, and cultures based on the latest advances in Unicode (including the CLDR, Common Language Repository Data), the W3C (where applicable) and other technologies, as well as on international standards.
Babel supports approximately from 170 to 300 languages, depending on the engine (with various levels of coverage), across about 45 scripts, including complex and RTL ones. Its high-level interface with fontscpec
allows for seamless integration with OpenType technologies in LuaLaTeX and XeLaTeX, enabling the use of advanced typographic features.
The latest stable version is available on https://ctan.org/pkg/babel.
Changes in version 25.11 are described in:
https://latex3.github.io/babel/news/whats-new-in-babel-25.11.html
Apart from the manual, you can find information and examples in:
https://latex3.github.io/babel/
The best way to install and/or update it is with the help of package managers.
Reporting bugs
If you wish to report a problem or bug in any of these packages please use the Issue Tracker for LaTeX2ε on GitHub and follow the guidelines that pop up if you press the New issue
button.
In particular, to check that you are really seeing a bug, please write a short, self-contained document that shows the problem. This should include the latexbug
package, which will warn if your test file is not suitable for one or the other reason. See the CONTRIBUTING guide for further details, or if you need to obtain the latexbug
package.
If the bug turns out to be with third-party software then please contact the developer, and not us!
You may also report them to the current maintainer more informally on:
https://latex3.github.io/babel/contact.html
Bugs related to specific languages are best reported to their respective authors.
Summary of latest changes
25.11 (2025-07-13)
- Fix error with
import
in\PassOptionsToLocale
and lazy loading. - Changes related to Austrian German.
25.10 (2025-06-10)
- A locale in
\DocumentMetada
not recognized bybabel
raised a cryptic error (see issue #343). - Fixed error with
\ShowLocaleProperties
with some locales with Unicode engines. - With
\DocumentMetadata
\foreignlanguage enters in horizontal
mode. - New transform, for Russian:
transliteration.gost779b
.
### Previous changes
Download the contents of this package in one zip archive (2.4M).
babel – Multilingual support for LaTeX, LuaLaTeX, XeLaTeX, and Plain TeX
Babel is the multilingual environment for LaTeX (tailored for LuaTeX, pdfTeX and XeTeX), and sometimes Plain. Its aim is to provide a comprehensive localization framework for different languages, scripts and cultures based on the latest advances on international standards (Unicode, W3C, OpenType). It supports about 300 languages (with various levels of coverage) across about 45 scripts, including complex (like CJK, Indic) and RTL ones.
Besides the traditional .ldf files, there are many locales built on a modern core that utilizes descriptive .ini files, with tools providing precise control over hyphenation and line breaking, captions, date formats (across various calendars), spacing, transliteration, numbering and other locale-specific typographical rules.
Package | babel |
Home page | https://latex3.github.io/babel/ |
Bug tracker | https://github.com/latex3/babel/issues |
Repository | https://github.com/latex3/babel |
Version | 25.11 2025-07-13 |
Licenses | The LaTeX Project Public License 1.3 |
Copyright | 1989–2012 Johannes Braams et al. 2012–2025 Javier Bezos and Johannes L. Braams |
Maintainer | Javier Bezos López Johannes L. Braams (inactive) |
TDS archive | babel-base.tds.zip |
Contained in | TeX Live as babel MiKTeX as babel |
Topics | Experimental LaTeX3 Multi-lingual |
See also | polyglossia |
