Abstract: A franking machine for franking mail items has a user interface for operating the franking machine, in particular for inputting and displaying franking parameters and operating steps. In practice, it has often proven to be difficult to operate a franking machine if all texts are displayed in a foreign language. In particular maintenance of a franking machine then also entails serious difficulties. That becomes a problem in particular when the texts in that respect are still displayed in completely foreign characters, for example in the Chinese language. In order to overcome problems of that kind, the franking machine according to the invention has language-switching circuit for switching over the language used in the user interface, which are such that language switching can be effected at any time.