diff --git a/packages/ludic.i18n/index.ludic b/packages/ludic.i18n/index.ludic
index b4ab8e80..dda50feb 100644
--- a/packages/ludic.i18n/index.ludic
+++ b/packages/ludic.i18n/index.ludic
@@ -16,4 +16,5 @@ import "keyed.ludic"
 import "keyed_render.ludic"
 import "keyed_args.ludic"
 import "mixed.ludic"
+import "nest.ludic"
 import "plural.ludic"
diff --git a/packages/ludic.i18n/keyed_render.ludic b/packages/ludic.i18n/keyed_render.ludic
index cda9f5ab..d62131bf 100644
--- a/packages/ludic.i18n/keyed_render.ludic
+++ b/packages/ludic.i18n/keyed_render.ludic
@@ -27,12 +27,15 @@ function kr_make(i18n_st: mut I18nState, s: string) -> string {
   let args = new []string
   var start = 1
   var i = 1
+  var depth = 0
   while i <= len(s) {
     if i < len(s) and s[i] == I18N_ESC {
       i += 2                                # an escaped byte belongs to its argument
       continue
     }
-    if i >= len(s) or s[i] == I18N_SEP {
+    if i < len(s) and s[i] == I18N_OPEN { depth += 1 }            # a bracketed line's own 31s are its own
+    if i < len(s) and s[i] == I18N_CLOSE and depth > 0 { depth -= 1 }
+    if i >= len(s) or (s[i] == I18N_SEP and depth == 0) {
       var e = i
       if e > len(s) { e = len(s) }
       push(args, kr_unescape(s[start..e]))
@@ -57,7 +60,7 @@ function kr_fill(i18n_st: mut I18nState, t: string, args: []string) -> string {
     if h >= 1 {
       var v = ""
       if h < len(args) { v = args[h] }
-      if i18n_is_key(v) or kx_mixed(v) { v = L(i18n_st, v) } else if i18n_st.on and kr_words(v) { v = L(i18n_st, v) }
+      if i18n_is_key(v) or kx_mixed(v) or kx_nested(v) { v = L(i18n_st, v) } else if i18n_st.on and kr_words(v) { v = L(i18n_st, v) }
       r = r + t[seg..i] + v
       i = hole_end(t, i)
       seg = i
diff --git a/packages/ludic.i18n/nest.ludic b/packages/ludic.i18n/nest.ludic
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..440fed1d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/ludic.i18n/nest.ludic
@@ -0,0 +1,77 @@
+# nest.ludic - a line bracketed inside another (bytes 29 .. 30 round it: a game's txt_key / txt_line, a
+# key's line in another's hole or glued to words): each bracket made into its text first, outermost in, then
+# the whole. A line wholly inside one bracket is made already, and not looked up again as English;
+# a key whole takes this path only through its arguments, which keyed() has unescaped by then
+export const I18N_OPEN: int = 29
+export const I18N_CLOSE: int = 30
+
+export function kx_nested(s: string) -> bool {
+  let p: string = s
+  for i in 0 .. len(p) { if p[i] == I18N_OPEN or p[i] == I18N_CLOSE { return true } }
+  return false
+}
+
+# what L does with such a line: made once per distinct line in this language, kept with the keys
+function kx_nest_line(i18n_st: mut I18nState, s: string) -> string {
+  if i18n_st.kc == null { kc_clear(i18n_st) }
+  let ci = Dict.get_or(i18n_st.kc, s, -1)
+  if ci >= 0 { return i18n_st.kc_out[ci] }
+  let q: string = s
+  var r = kx_flat(i18n_st, s)
+  if not (q[0] == I18N_OPEN and q[len(q) - 1] == I18N_CLOSE) { r = L(i18n_st, r) }
+  if Dict.size(i18n_st.kc) >= CACHE_MAX { kc_clear(i18n_st) }
+  @alloc_ok("a line with a line inside it, made into text: kept, up to CACHE_MAX")
+  Dict.set(i18n_st.kc, s, len(i18n_st.kc_out))
+  @alloc_ok("a line with a line inside it: as above")
+  push(i18n_st.kc_out, r)
+  return r
+}
+
+# each outermost bracket made into its text (what is inside is made the same way, by L), then any
+# bracket left without a partner taken out
+@alloc_ok("a line with a line inside it (a cache miss): once per distinct line")
+function kx_flat(i18n_st: mut I18nState, s: string) -> string {
+  let p: string = s
+  var r = ""
+  var seg = 0
+  var i = 0
+  while i < len(p) {
+    let c = kx_close(p, i)
+    if p[i] == I18N_OPEN and c > i {
+      r = r + s[seg..i] + L(i18n_st, s[i + 1..c])
+      seg = c + 1
+      i = c + 1
+    } else {
+      i += 1
+    }
+  }
+  return kx_strip(r + s[seg..len(p)])
+}
+
+# where the bracket opening at i closes, or -1 when it never does
+function kx_close(p: string, i: int) -> int {
+  var depth = 0
+  for j in i .. len(p) {
+    if p[j] == I18N_OPEN { depth += 1 }
+    if p[j] == I18N_CLOSE {
+      depth -= 1
+      if depth == 0 { return j }
+    }
+  }
+  return -1
+}
+
+# a close with no open before it (or an open with no close): no stray byte drawn
+@alloc_ok("as above")
+function kx_strip(s: string) -> string {
+  let p: string = s
+  var r = ""
+  var seg = 0
+  for i in 0 .. len(p) {
+    if p[i] == I18N_OPEN or p[i] == I18N_CLOSE {
+      r = r + s[seg..i]
+      seg = i + 1
+    }
+  }
+  return r + s[seg..len(p)]
+}
diff --git a/packages/ludic.i18n/tests/nest_test.ludic b/packages/ludic.i18n/tests/nest_test.ludic
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..1be2f917
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/ludic.i18n/tests/nest_test.ludic
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+# nest_test.ludic - a line bracketed inside another (bytes 29 .. 30) is made first, innermost out, in the
+# language in use; a line wholly in one bracket is not looked up again, and a stray bracket draws nothing
+import "ludic.i18n"
+program I18nNestTest {
+  numbers float
+  function q(s: string) -> string { return "\"" + s + "\"" }
+  function po_line(id: string, tr: string) -> string { return "msgid " + q(id) + "\nmsgstr " + q(tr) + "\n\n" }
+  function en() -> string { return po_line("hud.day", "Day {1}") + po_line("pause.quit", "Quit") + po_line("shop.ada", "Ada: {1}") }
+  function tt() -> string { return po_line("hud.day", "{1}. Gun") + po_line("pause.quit", "Cik") + po_line("Settings", "Ayarlar") }
+  function b(s: string) -> string {
+    let o = buffer(1)
+    o[0] = I18N_OPEN
+    let c = buffer(1)
+    c[0] = I18N_CLOSE
+    return text_of(o, 1) + s + text_of(c, 1)
+  }
+  function start(i18n_st: mut I18nState) -> void {
+    i18n_off(i18n_st)
+    i18n_loud(i18n_st, false)
+    i18n_base_text(i18n_st, en())
+  }
+
+  test "a bracketed line is made first, and a line wholly in one bracket is its text" (i18n_st: mut I18nState) {
+    start(i18n_st)
+    let day = b(trf(k"hud.day", "3", "", "", ""))
+    expect(L(i18n_st, day) == "Day 3")
+    expect(L(i18n_st, "[E] " + day) == "[E] Day 3")
+    expect(L(i18n_st, trf(k"shop.ada", day, "", "", "")) == "Ada: Day 3")
+    expect(L(i18n_st, b(trf(k"shop.ada", day, "", "", ""))) == "Ada: Day 3")
+    i18n_load_text(i18n_st, tt())
+    expect(L(i18n_st, "Settings " + day) == "Settings 3. Gun")     # the rest is English, looked up as it was
+    expect(L(i18n_st, b("Settings")) == "Ayarlar")
+  }
+
+  test "a bracket with no partner draws nothing of itself" (i18n_st: mut I18nState) {
+    start(i18n_st)
+    let c = buffer(1)
+    c[0] = I18N_CLOSE
+    expect(L(i18n_st, "Quit" + text_of(c, 1)) == "Quit")
+    expect(kx_nested("Quit") == false)
+  }
+}
diff --git a/packages/ludic.i18n/translate.ludic b/packages/ludic.i18n/translate.ludic
index fe946450..6ea88c52 100644
--- a/packages/ludic.i18n/translate.ludic
+++ b/packages/ludic.i18n/translate.ludic
@@ -1,8 +1,10 @@
 # translate.ludic - what the game draws, in the language in use: a key (keyed_render.ludic); else, the old
 # English form, exact, else a pattern, else padding taken off, else a paragraph a sentence at a time
 export function L(i18n_st: mut I18nState, s: string) -> string {
-  if kx_mixed(s) { return kx_line(i18n_st, s) }
-  if i18n_is_key(s) { return keyed(i18n_st, s) }
+  let mixed = kx_mixed(s)
+  if i18n_is_key(s) and not mixed { return keyed(i18n_st, s) }   # a key whole: its arguments are made in it
+  if kx_nested(s) { return kx_nest_line(i18n_st, s) }
+  if mixed { return kx_line(i18n_st, s) }
   if not i18n_st.on { return s }
   let ci = Dict.get_or(i18n_st.cache, s, -1)
   if ci >= 0 { return i18n_st.cache_out[ci] }