diff --git a/src/Cms/AppTranslations.php b/src/Cms/AppTranslations.php
index c7bdd6a8d1..e5e74a20fa 100644
--- a/src/Cms/AppTranslations.php
+++ b/src/Cms/AppTranslations.php
@@ -31,7 +31,10 @@ protected function i18n(): void
 				$this->multilang() === true &&
 				$language = $this->languages()->find($locale)
 			) {
-				$data = [...$data, ...$language->translations()];
+				$data = [
+					...$data,
+					...$language->variables()->toArray()
+				];
 			}
 
 
@@ -139,7 +142,10 @@ public function translation(string|null $locale = null): Translation
 
 		// inject current language translations
 		if ($language = $this->language($locale)) {
-			$inject = [...$inject, ...$language->translations()];
+			$inject = [
+				...$inject,
+				...$language->variables()->toArray()
+			];
 		}
 
 		// load from disk instead
@@ -164,14 +170,14 @@ public function translations(): Translations
 		// injects languages translations
 		if ($languages = $this->languages()) {
 			foreach ($languages as $language) {
-				$languageCode         = $language->code();
-				$languageTranslations = $language->translations();
+				$languageCode      = $language->code();
+				$languageVariables = $language->variables()->toArray();
 
 				// merges language translations with extensions translations
-				if (empty($languageTranslations) === false) {
+				if (empty($languageVariables) === false) {
 					$translations[$languageCode] = [
 						...$translations[$languageCode] ?? [],
-						...$languageTranslations
+						...$languageVariables
 					];
 				}
 			}
diff --git a/src/Cms/Core.php b/src/Cms/Core.php
index fa3544ed46..31151faa38 100644
--- a/src/Cms/Core.php
+++ b/src/Cms/Core.php
@@ -357,6 +357,7 @@ public function roots(): array
 			'commands'          => fn (array $roots) => $roots['site'] . '/commands',
 			'config'            => fn (array $roots) => $roots['site'] . '/config',
 			'controllers'       => fn (array $roots) => $roots['site'] . '/controllers',
+			'language:variables' => null,
 			'languages'         => fn (array $roots) => $roots['site'] . '/languages',
 			'licenses'          => fn (array $roots) => $roots['site'] . '/licenses',
 			'license'           => fn (array $roots) => $roots['config'] . '/.license',
diff --git a/src/Cms/Language.php b/src/Cms/Language.php
index fde1f5d782..7e0259eeaf 100644
--- a/src/Cms/Language.php
+++ b/src/Cms/Language.php
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 use Kirby\Toolkit\Locale;
 use Kirby\Toolkit\Str;
 use Stringable;
+use Throwable;
 
 /**
  * The `$language` object represents
@@ -51,8 +52,8 @@ class Language implements Stringable
 	protected bool $single;
 	protected array $slugs;
 	protected array $smartypants;
-	protected array $translations;
 	protected string|null $url;
+	protected LanguageVariables $variables;
 
 	/**
 	 * Creates a new language object
@@ -73,7 +74,6 @@ public function __construct(array $props)
 		$this->single       = $props['single'] ?? false;
 		$this->slugs        = $props['slugs'] ?? [];
 		$this->smartypants  = $props['smartypants'] ?? [];
-		$this->translations = $props['translations'] ?? [];
 		$this->url          = $props['url'] ?? null;
 
 		if ($locale = $props['locale'] ?? null) {
@@ -81,6 +81,8 @@ public function __construct(array $props)
 		} else {
 			$this->locale = [LC_ALL => $this->code];
 		}
+
+		$this->variables = new LanguageVariables($this, $props['variables'] ?? $props['translations'] ?? []);
 	}
 
 	/**
@@ -135,7 +137,7 @@ public function clone(array $props = []): static
 			'name'         => $this->name,
 			'slugs'        => $this->slugs,
 			'smartypants'  => $this->smartypants,
-			'translations' => $this->translations,
+			'variables' => $this->variables->toArray(),
 			'url'          => $this->url,
 		], $props));
 	}
@@ -225,6 +227,7 @@ public function delete(): bool
 		LanguageRules::delete($this);
 
 		// apply before hook
+		/** @var \Kirby\Cms\Language $language */
 		$language = $kirby->apply(
 			'language.delete:before',
 			['language' => $this]
@@ -237,6 +240,9 @@ public function delete(): bool
 			throw new Exception(message: 'The language could not be deleted');
 		}
 
+		// delete custom translations file if defined
+		$language->variables()->delete();
+
 		// if needed, convert content storage to single lang
 		foreach ($kirby->models() as $model) {
 			if ($language->isLast() === true) {
@@ -483,7 +489,11 @@ public function rules(): array
 	 */
 	public function save(): static
 	{
-		$existingData = Data::read($this->root(), fail: false);
+		try {
+			$existingData = Data::read($this->root(), fail: false);
+		} catch (Throwable) {
+			$existingData = [];
+		}
 
 		$data = [
 			...$existingData,
@@ -492,12 +502,19 @@ public function save(): static
 			'direction'    => $this->direction(),
 			'locale'       => Locale::export($this->locale()),
 			'name'         => $this->name(),
-			'translations' => $this->translations(),
+			'variables' => $this->variables()->toArray(),
 			'url'          => $this->url,
 		];
 
 		ksort($data);
 
+		// save translations to the custom root and remove translations
+		// to prevent duplication write into the language file
+		if ($this->variables()->root() !== null) {
+			$this->variables()->save($data['translations'] ?? []);
+			$data['translations'] = [];
+		}
+
 		Data::write($this->root(), $data);
 
 		return $this;
@@ -558,11 +575,14 @@ public function toArray(): array
 	}
 
 	/**
-	 * Returns the translation strings for this language
+	 * Alias for Language::variables()
+	 *
+	 * @deprecated 5.0.0 Use `::variables()` instead
+	 * @todo 7.0.0 Remove the method
 	 */
-	public function translations(): array
+	public function translations(): LanguageVariables
 	{
-		return $this->translations;
+		return $this->variables();
 	}
 
 	/**
@@ -589,6 +609,7 @@ public function update(array|null $props = null): static
 		$props['slug'] = Str::slug($props['slug'] ?? null);
 
 		// trigger before hook
+		/** @var \Kirby\Cms\Language $language */
 		$language = $kirby->apply(
 			'language.update:before',
 			[
@@ -601,7 +622,7 @@ public function update(array|null $props = null): static
 		$language = $language->clone($props);
 
 		if (isset($props['translations']) === true) {
-			$language->translations = $props['translations'];
+			$language->variables = $language->variables->update($props['translations'] ?? null);
 		}
 
 		// validate the language rules after before hook was applied
@@ -655,4 +676,12 @@ public function variable(
 			key:      $key
 		);
 	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Returns the language variables object for this language
+	 */
+	public function variables(): LanguageVariables
+	{
+		return $this->variables;
+	}
 }
diff --git a/src/Cms/LanguageVariable.php b/src/Cms/LanguageVariable.php
index 935a59861d..12df2a7298 100644
--- a/src/Cms/LanguageVariable.php
+++ b/src/Cms/LanguageVariable.php
@@ -48,12 +48,12 @@ public static function create(
 			);
 		}
 
-		$kirby        = App::instance();
-		$language     = $kirby->defaultLanguage();
-		$translations = $language->translations();
+		$kirby     = App::instance();
+		$language  = $kirby->defaultLanguage();
+		$variables = $language->variables()->toArray();
 
 		if ($kirby->translation()->get($key) !== null) {
-			if (isset($translations[$key]) === true) {
+			if (isset($variables[$key]) === true) {
 				throw new DuplicateException(
 					message: 'The variable already exists'
 				);
@@ -64,9 +64,9 @@ public static function create(
 			);
 		}
 
-		$translations[$key] = $value ?? '';
+		$variables[$key] = $value ?? '';
 
-		$language = $language->update(['translations' => $translations]);
+		$language = $language->update(['variables' => $variables]);
 
 		return $language->variable($key);
 	}
@@ -80,11 +80,9 @@ public function delete(): bool
 	{
 		// go through all languages and remove the variable
 		foreach ($this->kirby->languages() as $language) {
-			$variables = $language->translations();
-
-			unset($variables[$this->key]);
-
-			$language->update(['translations' => $variables]);
+			$variables = $language->variables();
+			$variables->remove($this->key);
+			$language->update(['variables' => $variables->toArray()]);
 		}
 
 		return true;
@@ -96,7 +94,7 @@ public function delete(): bool
 	public function exists(): bool
 	{
 		$language = $this->kirby->defaultLanguage();
-		return isset($language->translations()[$this->key]) === true;
+		return $language->variables()->get($this->key) !== null;
 	}
 
 	/**
@@ -130,19 +128,19 @@ public function language(): Language
 	 */
 	public function update(string|array|null $value = null): static
 	{
-		$translations             = $this->language->translations();
-		$translations[$this->key] = $value ?? '';
+		$variables = $this->language->variables();
+		$variables->set($this->key, $value);
 
-		$language = $this->language->update(['translations' => $translations]);
+		$language = $this->language->update(['variables' => $variables->toArray()]);
 
 		return $language->variable($this->key);
 	}
 
 	/**
-	 * Returns the value if the variable has been translated.
+	 * Returns the value if the variable has been translated
 	 */
 	public function value(): string|array|null
 	{
-		return $this->language->translations()[$this->key] ?? null;
+		return $this->language->variables()->get($this->key);
 	}
 }
diff --git a/src/Cms/LanguageVariables.php b/src/Cms/LanguageVariables.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e214546b18
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/Cms/LanguageVariables.php
@@ -0,0 +1,133 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace Kirby\Cms;
+
+use Kirby\Data\Data;
+use Kirby\Exception\Exception;
+use Kirby\Filesystem\F;
+use Throwable;
+
+/**
+ * Manages the variables string for a language,
+ * either from the language file or `language:variables` root
+ * @since 5.0.0
+ *
+ * @package   Kirby Cms
+ * @author    Ahmet Bora <ahmet@getkirby.com>
+ * @link      https://getkirby.com
+ * @copyright Bastian Allgeier
+ * @license   https://getkirby.com/license
+ */
+class LanguageVariables
+{
+	public function __construct(
+		protected Language $language,
+		protected array $data = []
+	) {
+		$this->data = [...$this->load(), ...$this->data];
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Deletes the current language variables file
+	 * if custom root defined
+	 */
+	public function delete(): void
+	{
+		if ($file = $this->root()) {
+			if (F::remove($file) !== true) {
+				throw new Exception('The language variables could not be deleted');
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Returns a single variable string by key
+	 */
+	public function get(string $key, string|null $default = null): string|null
+	{
+		return $this->data[$key] ?? $default;
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Loads the language variables based on custom roots
+	 */
+	public function load(): array
+	{
+		if ($file = static::root()) {
+			try {
+				return Data::read($file);
+			} catch (Throwable) {
+				// skip when an exception thrown
+			}
+		}
+
+		return [];
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Saves the language variables in the custom root
+	 * @return $this
+	 * @internal
+	 */
+	public function save(array $variables = []): static
+	{
+		$this->data = $variables;
+
+		if ($root = $this->root()) {
+			Data::write($root, $this->data);
+		}
+
+		return $this;
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Returns custom variables root path if defined
+	 */
+	public function root(): string|null
+	{
+		if ($root = App::instance()->root('language:variables')) {
+			return $root . '/' . $this->language->code() . '.php';
+		}
+
+		return null;
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Removes a variable key
+	 *
+	 * @return $this
+	 */
+	public function remove(string $key): static
+	{
+		unset($this->data[$key]);
+		return $this;
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Sets the variable key
+	 *
+	 * @return $this
+	 */
+	public function set(string $key, string|null $value = null): static
+	{
+		$this->data[$key] = $value;
+		return $this;
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Returns variables
+	 */
+	public function toArray(): array
+	{
+		return $this->data;
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Updates the variables data
+	 */
+	public function update(array $data = []): static
+	{
+		$this->data = $data;
+		return $this;
+	}
+}
diff --git a/src/Panel/Controller/View/LanguageViewController.php b/src/Panel/Controller/View/LanguageViewController.php
index 886074b0db..2485166a52 100644
--- a/src/Panel/Controller/View/LanguageViewController.php
+++ b/src/Panel/Controller/View/LanguageViewController.php
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ public function load(): View
 			next:         $this->next(),
 			prev:         $this->prev(),
 			title:        $this->language->name(),
-			translations: $this->translations(),
+			translations: $this->variables(),
 			url:          $this->language->url(),
 		);
 	}
@@ -119,11 +119,11 @@ public function prev(): array|null
 		return null;
 	}
 
-	public function translations(): array
+	public function variables(): array
 	{
 		$strings      = [];
-		$foundation   = $this->kirby->defaultLanguage()?->translations() ?? [];
-		$translations = $this->language->translations();
+		$foundation   = $this->kirby->defaultLanguage()->variables()->toArray();
+		$variables    = $this->language->variables()->toArray();
 
 		// TODO: update following line and adapt for update and
 		// delete options when `languageVariables.*` permissions available
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ public function translations(): array
 		foreach (array_keys($foundation) as $key) {
 			$strings[] = [
 				'key'     => $key,
-				'value'   => $translations[$key] ?? null,
+				'value'   => $variables[$key] ?? null,
 				'options' => [
 					[
 						'click'    => 'update',