diff --git a/pyfpdb/Card.py b/pyfpdb/Card.py
index 0496b47f..1a8b12e8 100755
--- a/pyfpdb/Card.py
+++ b/pyfpdb/Card.py
@@ -15,17 +15,8 @@
 #along with this program. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 #In the "official" distribution you can find the license in agpl-3.0.txt.
 
-import locale
-lang=locale.getdefaultlocale()[0][0:2]
-if lang=="en":
-    def _(string): return string
-else:
-    import gettext
-    try:
-        trans = gettext.translation("fpdb", localedir="locale", languages=[lang])
-        trans.install()
-    except IOError:
-        def _(string): return string
+import L10n
+_ = L10n.get_translation()
 
 # From fpdb_simple
 card_map = { "0": 0, "2": 2, "3" : 3, "4" : 4, "5" : 5, "6" : 6, "7" : 7, "8" : 8,
diff --git a/pyfpdb/Database.py b/pyfpdb/Database.py
index 20480221..870a2743 100644
--- a/pyfpdb/Database.py
+++ b/pyfpdb/Database.py
@@ -20,6 +20,9 @@ Create and manage the database objects.
 #    along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
 #    Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307 USA
 
+import L10n
+_ = L10n.get_translation()
+
 ########################################################################
 
 # TODO:  - rebuild indexes / vacuum option
@@ -46,18 +49,6 @@ import logging
 # logging has been set up in fpdb.py or HUD_main.py, use their settings:
 log = logging.getLogger("db")
 
-import locale
-lang=locale.getdefaultlocale()[0][0:2]
-if lang=="en":
-    def _(string): return string
-else:
-    import gettext
-    try:
-        trans = gettext.translation("fpdb", localedir="locale", languages=[lang])
-        trans.install()
-    except IOError:
-        def _(string): return string
-
 #    FreePokerTools modules
 import SQL
 import Card
diff --git a/pyfpdb/EverleafToFpdb.py b/pyfpdb/EverleafToFpdb.py
index 1b27c555..22977a26 100755
--- a/pyfpdb/EverleafToFpdb.py
+++ b/pyfpdb/EverleafToFpdb.py
@@ -18,22 +18,13 @@
 #    Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307 USA
 ########################################################################
 
+import L10n
+_ = L10n.get_translation()
+
 import sys
 import logging
 from HandHistoryConverter import *
 
-import locale
-lang=locale.getdefaultlocale()[0][0:2]
-if lang=="en":
-    def _(string): return string
-else:
-    import gettext
-    try:
-        trans = gettext.translation("fpdb", localedir="locale", languages=[lang])
-        trans.install()
-    except IOError:
-        def _(string): return string
-
 # Class for converting Everleaf HH format.
 
 class Everleaf(HandHistoryConverter):
diff --git a/pyfpdb/Filters.py b/pyfpdb/Filters.py
index 136c0ab6..a4afb24a 100644
--- a/pyfpdb/Filters.py
+++ b/pyfpdb/Filters.py
@@ -15,6 +15,9 @@
 #along with this program. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 #In the "official" distribution you can find the license in agpl-3.0.txt.
 
+import L10n
+_ = L10n.get_translation()
+
 import threading
 import pygtk
 pygtk.require('2.0')
@@ -30,18 +33,6 @@ import logging
 # logging has been set up in fpdb.py or HUD_main.py, use their settings:
 log = logging.getLogger("filter")
 
-import locale
-lang=locale.getdefaultlocale()[0][0:2]
-if lang=="en":
-    def _(string): return string
-else:
-    import gettext
-    try:
-        trans = gettext.translation("fpdb", localedir="locale", languages=[lang])
-        trans.install()
-    except IOError:
-        def _(string): return string
-
 import Configuration
 import Database
 import SQL
diff --git a/pyfpdb/FullTiltPokerSummary.py b/pyfpdb/FullTiltPokerSummary.py
index 4c141b95..ba8b85cb 100644
--- a/pyfpdb/FullTiltPokerSummary.py
+++ b/pyfpdb/FullTiltPokerSummary.py
@@ -17,6 +17,9 @@
 
 """pokerstars-specific summary parsing code"""
 
+import L10n
+_ = L10n.get_translation()
+
 from decimal import Decimal
 import datetime
 
@@ -25,18 +28,6 @@ from HandHistoryConverter import *
 import PokerStarsToFpdb
 from TourneySummary import *
 
-import locale
-lang=locale.getdefaultlocale()[0][0:2]
-if lang=="en":
-    def _(string): return string
-else:
-    import gettext
-    try:
-        trans = gettext.translation("fpdb", localedir="locale", languages=[lang])
-        trans.install()
-    except IOError:
-        def _(string): return string
-
 class FullTiltPokerSummary(TourneySummary):
     limits = { 'No Limit':'nl', 'Pot Limit':'pl', 'Limit':'fl', 'LIMIT':'fl' }
     games = {                          # base, category
diff --git a/pyfpdb/FulltiltToFpdb.py b/pyfpdb/FulltiltToFpdb.py
index 129dc5a7..7c964564 100755
--- a/pyfpdb/FulltiltToFpdb.py
+++ b/pyfpdb/FulltiltToFpdb.py
@@ -18,17 +18,8 @@
 #    Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307 USA
 ########################################################################
 
-import locale
-lang=locale.getdefaultlocale()[0][0:2]
-if lang=="en":
-    def _(string): return string
-else:
-    import gettext
-    try:
-        trans = gettext.translation("fpdb", localedir="locale", languages=[lang])
-        trans.install()
-    except IOError:
-        def _(string): return string
+import L10n
+_ = L10n.get_translation()
 
 import logging
 from HandHistoryConverter import *
diff --git a/pyfpdb/fpdb.pyw b/pyfpdb/fpdb.pyw
index 548003de..c81b7f16 100755
--- a/pyfpdb/fpdb.pyw
+++ b/pyfpdb/fpdb.pyw
@@ -23,18 +23,6 @@ import sys
 import re
 import Queue
 
-import locale
-lang=locale.getdefaultlocale()[0][0:2]
-if lang=="en":
-    def _(string): return string
-else:
-    import gettext
-    try:
-        trans = gettext.translation("fpdb", localedir="locale", languages=[lang])
-        trans.install()
-    except IOError:
-        def _(string): return string
-
 # if path is set to use an old version of python look for a new one:
 # (does this work in linux?)
 if os.name == 'nt' and sys.version[0:3] not in ('2.5', '2.6', '2.7') and '-r' not in sys.argv:
diff --git a/pyfpdb/fpdb_import.py b/pyfpdb/fpdb_import.py
index 65de8181..cea95321 100755
--- a/pyfpdb/fpdb_import.py
+++ b/pyfpdb/fpdb_import.py
@@ -15,6 +15,9 @@
 #along with this program. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 #In the "official" distribution you can find the license in agpl-3.0.txt.
 
+import L10n
+_ = L10n.get_translation()
+
 #    Standard Library modules
 
 import os  # todo: remove this once import_dir is in fpdb_import
@@ -35,18 +38,6 @@ log = logging.getLogger("importer")
 import pygtk
 import gtk
 
-import locale
-lang=locale.getdefaultlocale()[0][0:2]
-if lang=="en":
-    def _(string): return string
-else:
-    import gettext
-    try:
-        trans = gettext.translation("fpdb", localedir="locale", languages=[lang])
-        trans.install()
-    except IOError:
-        def _(string): return string
-
 #    fpdb/FreePokerTools modules
 import Database
 import Configuration