diff --git a/bookwyrm/settings.py b/bookwyrm/settings.py
index b2f90487b..00ce9e4aa 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/settings.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/settings.py
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ BASE_DIR = os.path.dirname(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)))
 LOCALE_PATHS = [
     os.path.join(BASE_DIR, "locale"),
 ]
+LANGUAGE_COOKIE_NAME = env.str("LANGUAGE_COOKIE_NAME", "django_language")
 
 DEFAULT_AUTO_FIELD = "django.db.models.AutoField"
 
diff --git a/bookwyrm/views/helpers.py b/bookwyrm/views/helpers.py
index f31b41ff3..f28d01023 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/views/helpers.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/views/helpers.py
@@ -7,8 +7,9 @@ from dateutil.parser import ParserError
 
 from requests import HTTPError
 from django.http import Http404
+from django.utils import translation
 
-from bookwyrm import activitypub, models
+from bookwyrm import activitypub, models, settings
 from bookwyrm.connectors import ConnectorException, get_data
 from bookwyrm.status import create_generated_note
 from bookwyrm.utils import regex
@@ -144,3 +145,11 @@ def load_date_in_user_tz_as_utc(date_str: str, user: models.User) -> datetime:
         return date.replace(tzinfo=user_tz).astimezone(dateutil.tz.UTC)
     except ParserError:
         return None
+
+
+def set_language(user, response):
+    """Updates a user's language"""
+    if user.preferred_language:
+        translation.activate(user.preferred_language)
+    response.set_cookie(settings.LANGUAGE_COOKIE_NAME, user.preferred_language)
+    return response
diff --git a/bookwyrm/views/login.py b/bookwyrm/views/login.py
index e96d421a0..91fda35a3 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/views/login.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/views/login.py
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ from django.views.decorators.debug import sensitive_variables, sensitive_post_pa
 
 from bookwyrm import forms, models
 from bookwyrm.settings import DOMAIN
+from bookwyrm.views.helpers import set_language
 
 
 # pylint: disable=no-self-use
@@ -55,8 +56,8 @@ class Login(View):
             login(request, user)
             user.update_active_date()
             if request.POST.get("first_login"):
-                return redirect("get-started-profile")
-            return redirect(request.GET.get("next", "/"))
+                return set_language(user, redirect("get-started-profile"))
+            return set_language(user, redirect(request.GET.get("next", "/")))
 
         # maybe the user is pending email confirmation
         if models.User.objects.filter(
diff --git a/bookwyrm/views/preferences/edit_user.py b/bookwyrm/views/preferences/edit_user.py
index 275304d76..a1b5b3638 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/views/preferences/edit_user.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/views/preferences/edit_user.py
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ from django.utils.decorators import method_decorator
 from django.views import View
 
 from bookwyrm import forms
+from bookwyrm.views.helpers import set_language
 
 
 # pylint: disable=no-self-use
@@ -33,9 +34,9 @@ class EditUser(View):
             data = {"form": form, "user": request.user}
             return TemplateResponse(request, "preferences/edit_user.html", data)
 
-        save_user_form(form)
+        user = save_user_form(form)
 
-        return redirect("user-feed", request.user.localname)
+        return set_language(user, redirect("user-feed", request.user.localname))
 
 
 def save_user_form(form):