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This thread is resolved. Here is a description of the problem and solution.

Problem:

The client needs to add sub-languages in the WPML language switcher and display the slug as desired, such as

https://w****apps.com/en/can/

when clicking on Canada.

Solution:

We explained that WPML does not support sub-languages like */en/europe/* or */en/can/* as they are considered pages within English, not new languages.

We offered two solutions:

Option 1: Keep them as Pages/Categories
Create them as pages or categories within the English site and translate them accordingly.

Option 2: Use Language Variants
For different English versions (Canada, UK, US), WPML allows the creation of custom languages, which are treated as separate languages and not nested under /en/. For example:

/en-ca/ → English (Canada)

/en-gb/ → English (UK)

/en-us/ → English (US)

To add a custom language in WPML, follow these steps after a full site backup:
- Go to WPML >> Languages >> Site Languages
- Click on the Edit Languages link
- Add a new language (example: English (Canada), code en-ca)

For more details, please refer to the following documentation:

If this solution does not apply to your case, or if it seems outdated, we highly recommend checking related known issues at https://wpml.org/known-issues/, verifying the version of the permanent fix, and confirming that you have installed the latest versions of themes and plugins. If further assistance is needed, please open a new support ticket.

This is the technical support forum for WPML - the multilingual WordPress plugin.

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Last updated by Bigul 3 weeks, 3 days ago.

Assisted by: Bigul.

Author Posts
August 20, 2025 at 1:41 pm #17334490

josephineG

Background of the issue:
I need help with my website hidden link.

I have already created pages for sub-languages, such as
hidden link and hidden link.

I want to add sub-languages in the WPML language switcher and have the slug show like
hidden link when I click on Canada.

Symptoms:
I am unsure if there is an option in the WPML plugin to add sub-languages in the language switcher and display the slug as desired.

Questions:
Is there an option in WPML to add sub-languages in the language switcher?
How can I configure the WPML language switcher to show slugs like hidden link?

August 20, 2025 at 3:16 pm #17334803

Bigul
WPML Supporter since 01/2013

Languages: English (English )

Timezone: Europe/Vienna (GMT+02:00)

Hello,

Welcome to the WPML support forum. I will do my best to assist you in resolving the issue.

Please note that WPML (and other multilingual plugins) do not support sub-languages like */en/europe/* or */en/can/*. Because it is complicated to handle and only possible with extensive customization, which will make an impact on site performance.

In standard practice and from an SEO perspective, these kinds of URLs are essentially pages within English, not new languages.

Example:

/en/europe/ → an English page “Europe”

/en/can/ → an English page “Canada”

So there are two ways to handle this:

Option 1: Keep them as Pages/Categories

If these are just sections of the English site (Europe, Canada, etc.), the simple way is to create them as pages or categories inside English and then translate them.

Option 2: Use Language Variants

If you want different English versions (Canada, UK, US), WPML allows custom languages. These will look like:

/en-ca/ → English (Canada)

/en-gb/ → English (UK)

/en-us/ → English (US)

Each custom language is treated as a separate whole language, but not nested under /en/.

To add a custom language in WPML. Please try the following steps after a full site backup.

- Go to WPML >> Languages >> Site Languages
- Click on the Edit Languages link
- Add a new language (example: English (Canada), code en-ca)

Please refer to the following documentation for more details, and let us know your feedback.

https://wpml.org/documentation/getting-started-guide/language-setup/editing-wpmls-languages-table/

hidden link

--
Thanks!

Bigul