diff --git a/cmd/init.go b/cmd/init.go
index b8c2595..598c75c 100644
--- a/cmd/init.go
+++ b/cmd/init.go
@@ -257,18 +257,32 @@ func initConstants() *constants {
 }
 
 // initI18n initializes a new i18n instance with the selected language map
-// loaded from the filesystem.
+// loaded from the filesystem. English is a loaded first as the default map
+// and then the selected language is loaded on top of it so that if there are
+// missing translations in it, the default English translations show up.
 func initI18n(lang string, fs stuffbin.FileSystem) *i18n.I18n {
-	b, err := fs.Read(fmt.Sprintf("/i18n/%s.json", lang))
+	const def = "en"
+
+	b, err := fs.Read(fmt.Sprintf("/i18n/%s.json", def))
 	if err != nil {
-		lo.Fatalf("error loading i18n language file: %v", err)
+		lo.Fatalf("error reading default i18n language file: %s: %v", def, err)
 	}
 
+	// Initialize with the default language.
 	i, err := i18n.New(b)
 	if err != nil {
 		lo.Fatalf("error unmarshalling i18n language: %v", err)
 	}
 
+	// Load the selected language on top of it.
+	b, err = fs.Read(fmt.Sprintf("/i18n/%s.json", lang))
+	if err != nil {
+		lo.Fatalf("error reading i18n language file: %v", err)
+	}
+	if err := i.Load(b); err != nil {
+		lo.Fatalf("error loading i18n language file: %v", err)
+	}
+
 	return i
 }
 
diff --git a/internal/i18n/i18n.go b/internal/i18n/i18n.go
index 391301a..c22b4b5 100644
--- a/internal/i18n/i18n.go
+++ b/internal/i18n/i18n.go
@@ -43,6 +43,21 @@ func New(b []byte) (*I18n, error) {
 	}, nil
 }
 
+// Load loads a JSON language map into the instance overwriting
+// existing keys that conflict.
+func (i *I18n) Load(b []byte) error {
+	var l map[string]string
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(b, &l); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	for k, v := range l {
+		i.langMap[k] = v
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
 // Name returns the canonical name of the language.
 func (i *I18n) Name() string {
 	return i.name