# Vim with non english \`spelllang\`

**URL:** https://discourse.nixos.org/t/vim-with-non-english-spelllang/80860
**Category:** Help
**Created:** [October 30, 2026, 6:28pm UTC](https://discourse.nixos.org/t/vim-with-non-english-spelllang/80860 "2026-10-30T18:28:57Z")
**Posts on this page:** 2
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![Borgvall](https://discourse.nixos.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/dc4da7/32.png) [@Borgvall](https://discourse.nixos.org/u/Borgvall)
#### Post date: [October 30, 2026, 6:28pm UTC](https://discourse.nixos.org/t/vim-with-non-english-spelllang/80860/1 "2026-10-30T18:28:57Z")

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I am using (classic) vim with the option `spelllang=de`. See my [`vim.nix`](https://github.com/Borgvall/nixos/blob/554b4c619286c85ead5e0532171a3143d7b501fc/vim.nix). The problem is, that the German dictionary is not part of `pkgs.vim-full`. Unless I have installed them in my home directory, I get a warning.

Can I install the (German) spell list system-wide? Is there a package containing it?

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### Author: ![Borgvall](https://discourse.nixos.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/dc4da7/32.png) [@Borgvall](https://discourse.nixos.org/u/Borgvall)
#### Post date: [October 30, 2026, 8:29pm UTC](https://discourse.nixos.org/t/vim-with-non-english-spelllang/80860/2 "2026-10-30T20:29:35Z")

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I have created two commits, now:

1. [Feat(vim): install German spell dictionary](https://github.com/Borgvall/nixos/commit/bd6a5de8a679736420e75733be094b235a0f242d)
2. [Fix(vim): do not set spelllang=de in customRC](https://github.com/Borgvall/nixos/commit/de3b9d063c83466cb8ad77ddf9bbd533c5ef418b)

This allows me to `:set spelllang=de` for specific buffers. I would call it a partial success. I am intentionally not downloading the spell files, because I do not want my configuration failing, if an upstream vim mirror changes/removes the files.