diff --git a/gnu/home/services.scm b/gnu/home/services.scm
index 1aeca95e5a..2a3cb44952 100644
--- a/gnu/home/services.scm
+++ b/gnu/home/services.scm
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 
 (define-module (gnu home services)
   #:use-module (gnu services)
+  #:use-module ((gnu packages package-management) #:select (guix))
   #:use-module (guix channels)
   #:use-module (guix monads)
   #:use-module (guix store)
@@ -28,7 +29,7 @@ (define-module (gnu home services)
   #:use-module (guix ui)
   #:use-module (guix discovery)
   #:use-module (guix diagnostics)
-
+  #:use-module (guix i18n)
   #:use-module (srfi srfi-1)
   #:use-module (ice-9 match)
 
@@ -41,7 +42,9 @@ (define-module (gnu home services)
             home-run-on-change-service-type
             home-provenance-service-type
 
-            fold-home-service-types)
+            fold-home-service-types
+
+            %initialize-gettext)
 
   #:re-export (service
                service-type
@@ -274,25 +277,38 @@ (define home-files-service-type
                 (description "Configuration files for programs that
 will be put in @file{~/.guix-home/files}.")))
 
+(define %initialize-gettext
+  #~(begin
+      (bindtextdomain %gettext-domain
+                      (string-append #$guix "/share/locale"))
+      (textdomain %gettext-domain)
+      (setlocale LC_ALL "")))
+
 (define (compute-on-first-login-script _ gexps)
   (program-file
    "on-first-login"
-   #~(let* ((xdg-runtime-dir (or (getenv "XDG_RUNTIME_DIR")
-                                 (format #f "/run/user/~a" (getuid))))
-            (flag-file-path (string-append
-                             xdg-runtime-dir "/on-first-login-executed"))
-            (touch (lambda (file-name)
-                     (call-with-output-file file-name (const #t)))))
-       ;; XDG_RUNTIME_DIR dissapears on logout, that means such trick
-       ;; allows to launch on-first-login script on first login only
-       ;; after complete logout/reboot.
-       (if (file-exists? xdg-runtime-dir)
-           (unless (file-exists? flag-file-path)
-             (begin #$@gexps (touch flag-file-path)))
-           (display "XDG_RUNTIME_DIR doesn't exists, on-first-login script
+   #~(begin
+       (use-modules (guix i18n))
+       #$%initialize-gettext
+
+       (let* ((xdg-runtime-dir (or (getenv "XDG_RUNTIME_DIR")
+                                   (format #f "/run/user/~a" (getuid))))
+              (flag-file-path (string-append
+                               xdg-runtime-dir "/on-first-login-executed"))
+              (touch (lambda (file-name)
+                       (call-with-output-file file-name (const #t)))))
+         ;; XDG_RUNTIME_DIR dissapears on logout, that means such trick
+         ;; allows to launch on-first-login script on first login only
+         ;; after complete logout/reboot.
+         (if (file-exists? xdg-runtime-dir)
+             (unless (file-exists? flag-file-path)
+               (begin #$@gexps (touch flag-file-path)))
+             ;; TRANSLATORS: 'on-first-login' is the name of a service and
+             ;; shouldn't be translated
+             (display (G_ "XDG_RUNTIME_DIR doesn't exists, on-first-login script
 won't execute anything.  You can check if xdg runtime directory exists,
 XDG_RUNTIME_DIR variable is set to appropriate value and manually execute the
-script by running '$HOME/.guix-home/on-first-login'")))))
+script by running '$HOME/.guix-home/on-first-login'")))))))
 
 (define (on-first-login-script-entry on-first-login)
   "Return, as a monadic value, an entry for the on-first-login script
@@ -385,6 +401,10 @@ (define home-activation-service-type
 
 (define (compute-on-change-gexp eval-gexps? pattern-gexp-tuples)
   #~(begin
+      (use-modules (guix i18n))
+
+      #$%initialize-gettext
+
       (define (equal-regulars? file1 file2)
         "Check if FILE1 and FILE2 are bit for bit identical."
         (let* ((cmp-binary #$(file-append
@@ -449,21 +469,23 @@ (define expressions-to-eval
                               "/gnu/store/non-existing-generation")
                           "/" (car x)))
                   (file2 (string-append (getenv "GUIX_NEW_HOME") "/" (car x)))
-                  (_ (format #t "Comparing ~a and\n~10t~a..." file1 file2))
+                  (_ (format #t (G_ "Comparing ~a and\n~10t~a...") file1 file2))
                   (any-changes? (something-changed? file1 file2))
-                  (_ (format #t " done (~a)\n"
+                  (_ (format #t (G_ " done (~a)\n")
                              (if any-changes? "changed" "same"))))
              (if any-changes? (cadr x) "")))
          '#$pattern-gexp-tuples))
 
       (if #$eval-gexps?
           (begin
-            (display "Evaling on-change gexps.\n\n")
+            ;;; TRANSLATORS: 'on-change' is the name of a service type, it
+            ;;; probably shouldn't be translated.
+            (display (G_ "Evaluating on-change gexps.\n\n"))
             (for-each primitive-eval expressions-to-eval)
-            (display "On-change gexps evaluation finished.\n\n"))
+            (display (G_ "On-change gexps evaluation finished.\n\n")))
           (display "\
-On-change gexps won't be evaluated, disabled by service
-configuration.\n"))))
+On-change gexps won't be evaluated; evaluation has been disabled in the
+service configuration"))))
 
 (define home-run-on-change-service-type
   (service-type (name 'home-run-on-change)
diff --git a/gnu/home/services/symlink-manager.scm b/gnu/home/services/symlink-manager.scm
index f4251e1e6a..314da3ba3e 100644
--- a/gnu/home/services/symlink-manager.scm
+++ b/gnu/home/services/symlink-manager.scm
@@ -41,7 +41,9 @@ (define (update-symlinks-script)
        (use-modules (ice-9 ftw)
                     (ice-9 curried-definitions)
                     (ice-9 match)
-                    (srfi srfi-1))
+                    (srfi srfi-1)
+                    (guix i18n))
+       #$%initialize-gettext
        (define ((simplify-file-tree parent) file)
          "Convert the result produced by `file-system-tree' to less
 verbose and more suitable for further processing format.
@@ -139,20 +141,21 @@ (define ((file-tree-traverse preordering) node)
               (backup-file
                (lambda (path)
                  (mkdir-p backup-dir)
-                 (format #t "Backing up ~a..." (get-target-path path))
+                 (format #t (G_ "Backing up ~a...") (get-target-path path))
                  (mkdir-p (dirname (get-backup-path path)))
                  (rename-file (get-target-path path) (get-backup-path path))
-                 (display " done\n")))
+                 (display (G_ " done\n"))))
 
               (cleanup-symlinks
                (lambda ()
                  (let ((to-delete ((file-tree-traverse #f) old-tree)))
                    (display
-                    "Cleaning up symlinks from previous home-environment.\n\n")
+                    (G_
+                    "Cleaning up symlinks from previous home-environment.\n\n"))
                    (map
                     (match-lambda
                       (('dir . ".")
-                       (display "Cleanup finished.\n\n"))
+                       (display (G_ "Cleanup finished.\n\n")))
 
                       (('dir . path)
                        (if (and
@@ -160,12 +163,13 @@ (define ((file-tree-traverse preordering) node)
                             (directory? (get-target-path path))
                             (empty-directory? (get-target-path path)))
                            (begin
-                             (format #t "Removing ~a..."
+                             (format #t (G_ "Removing ~a...")
                                      (get-target-path path))
                              (rmdir (get-target-path path))
-                             (display " done\n"))
+                             (display (G_ " done\n")))
                            (format
-                            #t "Skipping ~a (not an empty directory)... done\n"
+                            #t
+                            (G_ "Skipping ~a (not an empty directory)... done\n")
                             (get-target-path path))))
 
                       (('file . path)
@@ -175,12 +179,12 @@ (define ((file-tree-traverse preordering) node)
                          ;; up later during create-symlinks phase.
                          (if (symlink-to-store? (get-target-path path))
                              (begin
-                               (format #t "Removing ~a..." (get-target-path path))
+                               (format #t (G_ "Removing ~a...") (get-target-path path))
                                (delete-file (get-target-path path))
-                               (display " done\n"))
+                               (display (G_ " done\n")))
                              (format
                               #t
-                              "Skipping ~a (not a symlink to store)... done\n"
+                              (G_ "Skipping ~a (not a symlink to store)... done\n")
                               (get-target-path path))))))
                     to-delete))))
 
@@ -191,9 +195,9 @@ (define ((file-tree-traverse preordering) node)
                     (match-lambda
                       (('dir . ".")
                        (display
-                        "New symlinks to home-environment will be created soon.\n")
+                        (G_ "New symlinks to home-environment will be created soon.\n"))
                        (format
-                        #t "All conflicting files will go to ~a.\n\n" backup-dir))
+                        #t (G_ "All conflicting files will go to ~a.\n\n") backup-dir))
 
                       (('dir . path)
                        (let ((target-path (get-target-path path)))
@@ -203,20 +207,20 @@ (define ((file-tree-traverse preordering) node)
 
                          (if (file-exists? target-path)
                              (format
-                              #t "Skipping   ~a (directory already exists)... done\n"
+                              #t (G_ "Skipping   ~a (directory already exists)... done\n")
                               target-path)
                              (begin
-                               (format #t "Creating   ~a..." target-path)
+                               (format #t (G_ "Creating   ~a...") target-path)
                                (mkdir target-path)
-                               (display " done\n")))))
+                               (display (G_ " done\n"))))))
 
                       (('file . path)
                        (when (file-exists? (get-target-path path))
                          (backup-file path))
-                       (format #t "Symlinking ~a -> ~a..."
+                       (format #t (G_ "Symlinking ~a -> ~a...")
                                (get-target-path path) (get-source-path path))
                        (symlink (get-source-path path) (get-target-path path))
-                       (display " done\n")))
+                       (display (G_ " done\n"))))
                     to-create)))))
 
          (when old-tree
@@ -227,7 +231,7 @@ (define ((file-tree-traverse preordering) node)
          (symlink new-home new-he-path)
          (rename-file new-he-path he-path)
 
-         (display " done\nFinished updating symlinks.\n\n")))))
+         (display (G_" done\nFinished updating symlinks.\n\n"))))))
 
 
 (define (update-symlinks-gexp _)
diff --git a/po/guix/POTFILES.in b/po/guix/POTFILES.in
index a8ce6c3e8f..ee77bb7317 100644
--- a/po/guix/POTFILES.in
+++ b/po/guix/POTFILES.in
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ gnu/packages.scm
 gnu/services.scm
 gnu/system.scm
 gnu/services/shepherd.scm
+gnu/services/home.scm
+gnu/services/home/symlink-manager.scm
 gnu/system/file-systems.scm
 gnu/system/image.scm
 gnu/system/linux-container.scm
