diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/pinakes/app/data/model/Models.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/pinakes/app/data/model/Models.kt
index bad397f..f1063c6 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/pinakes/app/data/model/Models.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/pinakes/app/data/model/Models.kt
@@ -248,6 +248,17 @@ data class GenreNode(
     val children: List<GenreNode> = emptyList(),
 )
 
+/**
+ * A distinct language value present in the catalogue, from GET /catalog/languages
+ * (#282). `libri.lingua` is free text, so the app must offer these real values —
+ * not a hardcoded ISO-code list that never matched the stored strings.
+ */
+@Serializable
+data class LanguageValue(
+    val language: String = "",
+    val count: Int = 0,
+)
+
 // ---------- Loans / reservations ----------
 @Serializable
 data class LoansData(
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/pinakes/app/data/network/PinakesApi.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/pinakes/app/data/network/PinakesApi.kt
index dbcf9da..64d1694 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/pinakes/app/data/network/PinakesApi.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/pinakes/app/data/network/PinakesApi.kt
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import com.pinakes.app.data.model.Envelope
 import com.pinakes.app.data.model.ForgotRequest
 import com.pinakes.app.data.model.GenreNode
 import com.pinakes.app.data.model.HealthPayload
+import com.pinakes.app.data.model.LanguageValue
 import com.pinakes.app.data.model.LoanItem
 import com.pinakes.app.data.model.LoansData
 import com.pinakes.app.data.model.LoginRequest
@@ -113,6 +114,10 @@ interface PinakesApi {
     @GET("catalog/genres")
     suspend fun genres(): Envelope<List<GenreNode>>
 
+    // #282: real catalogue language values for the language filter.
+    @GET("catalog/languages")
+    suspend fun languages(): Envelope<List<LanguageValue>>
+
     // ---- Reviews ----
     /** Aggregate rating + the user's own review + a page of other users' reviews for a book. */
     @GET("catalog/books/{id}/reviews")
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/pinakes/app/data/repository/CatalogRepository.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/pinakes/app/data/repository/CatalogRepository.kt
index 969461e..274c25c 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/pinakes/app/data/repository/CatalogRepository.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/pinakes/app/data/repository/CatalogRepository.kt
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import com.pinakes.app.data.model.AvailabilityCalendar
 import com.pinakes.app.data.model.BookDetail
 import com.pinakes.app.data.model.BookSummary
 import com.pinakes.app.data.model.GenreNode
+import com.pinakes.app.data.model.LanguageValue
 import com.pinakes.app.data.network.ApiResult
 import com.pinakes.app.data.network.ErrorCodes
 import com.pinakes.app.data.network.NetworkModule
@@ -147,6 +148,13 @@ class CatalogRepository(
         return apiCall { api.genres() }
     }
 
+    // #282: real catalogue language values, so the language filter offers what
+    // the collection actually holds instead of a hardcoded ISO-code list.
+    suspend fun languages(): ApiResult<List<LanguageValue>> {
+        val api = network.api()
+        return apiCall { api.languages() }
+    }
+
     /**
      * Per-day availability for [id] (~180 days from today) used to drive the colored
      * loan-request calendar. Mirrors the website's availability view.
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/pinakes/app/ui/screens/search/SearchFilterSheet.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/pinakes/app/ui/screens/search/SearchFilterSheet.kt
index a7ccd44..055ccb1 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/pinakes/app/ui/screens/search/SearchFilterSheet.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/pinakes/app/ui/screens/search/SearchFilterSheet.kt
@@ -195,12 +195,14 @@ fun SearchFilterSheet(
                     label = { Text(stringResource(R.string.filters_all_languages)) },
                     colors = chipColors,
                 )
-                SearchLanguageOptions.forEach { opt ->
-                    val selected = state.language == opt.code
+                // #282: real catalogue language values (free text), loaded from
+                // GET /catalog/languages, instead of a hardcoded ISO-code list.
+                state.languages.forEach { lang ->
+                    val selected = state.language == lang.language
                     FilterChip(
                         selected = selected,
-                        onClick = { onLanguageChange(if (selected) null else opt.code) },
-                        label = { Text(stringResource(opt.labelRes)) },
+                        onClick = { onLanguageChange(if (selected) null else lang.language) },
+                        label = { Text(lang.language) },
                         leadingIcon = if (selected) {
                             { Icon(Icons.Outlined.Check, contentDescription = null, modifier = Modifier.height(18.dp)) }
                         } else null,
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/pinakes/app/ui/screens/search/SearchViewModel.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/pinakes/app/ui/screens/search/SearchViewModel.kt
index 081472c..058613c 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/pinakes/app/ui/screens/search/SearchViewModel.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/pinakes/app/ui/screens/search/SearchViewModel.kt
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import androidx.lifecycle.viewModelScope
 import com.pinakes.app.R
 import com.pinakes.app.data.model.BookSummary
 import com.pinakes.app.data.model.GenreNode
+import com.pinakes.app.data.model.LanguageValue
 import com.pinakes.app.data.network.ApiResult
 import com.pinakes.app.data.repository.CatalogRepository
 import com.pinakes.app.data.repository.SearchFilters
@@ -40,6 +41,7 @@ data class SearchUiState(
     val language: String? = null,
     val sort: BookSort = BookSort.NEWEST,
     val genres: List<GenreNode> = emptyList(),
+    val languages: List<LanguageValue> = emptyList(),
     val items: List<BookSummary> = emptyList(),
     val nextCursor: String? = null,
     val totalCount: Int? = null,
@@ -66,18 +68,6 @@ data class SearchUiState(
         get() = query.isBlank() && !hasActiveFilters && items.isEmpty() && !loading && error == null
 }
 
-/** Languages offered in the filter sheet. `code` is sent to the API; `labelRes` is shown. */
-data class LanguageOption(val code: String, @StringRes val labelRes: Int)
-
-val SearchLanguageOptions: List<LanguageOption> = listOf(
-    LanguageOption("ita", R.string.lang_italian),
-    LanguageOption("eng", R.string.lang_english),
-    LanguageOption("fra", R.string.lang_french),
-    LanguageOption("deu", R.string.lang_german),
-    LanguageOption("spa", R.string.lang_spanish),
-    LanguageOption("lat", R.string.lang_latin),
-)
-
 @HiltViewModel
 class SearchViewModel @Inject constructor(private val catalog: CatalogRepository) : ViewModel() {
 
@@ -97,6 +87,7 @@ class SearchViewModel @Inject constructor(private val catalog: CatalogRepository
 
     init {
         loadGenres()
+        loadLanguages()
         // Catalog lands on the full listing — browse-all (empty query, no filters).
         runSearch(reset = true)
     }
@@ -110,6 +101,17 @@ class SearchViewModel @Inject constructor(private val catalog: CatalogRepository
         }
     }
 
+    // #282: populate the language filter from the real catalogue values instead
+    // of a hardcoded ISO-code list that never matched the free-text libri.lingua.
+    private fun loadLanguages() {
+        viewModelScope.launch {
+            when (val res = catalog.languages()) {
+                is ApiResult.Success -> _state.update { it.copy(languages = res.data) }
+                is ApiResult.Failure -> { /* non-fatal: filter simply has no language chips */ }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
     fun onQueryChange(value: String) {
         _state.update { it.copy(query = value) }
         // Debounced auto-search as the user types.