diff --git a/doc_src/cmds/_.rst b/doc_src/cmds/_.rst
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c1b73464e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc_src/cmds/_.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+.. _cmd-_:
+
+_ - call fish's translations
+============================
+
+Synopsis
+--------
+
+::
+
+    _ STRING...
+
+Description
+-----------
+
+``_`` translates its arguments into the current language, if possible.
+
+It is equivalent to ``gettext fish STRING``, meaning it can only be used to look up fish's own translations.
+
+It requires fish to be built with gettext support. If that support is disabled, or there is no translation it will simply echo the argument back.
+
+The language depends on the current locale, set with ``$LANG`` and ``$LC_MESSAGES``.
+
+
+Options
+-------
+
+``_`` has no options.
+
+Examples
+--------
+
+
+
+::
+
+    > _ File
+    Datei
diff --git a/share/functions/_.fish b/share/functions/_.fish
deleted file mode 100644
index ee4e25b37..000000000
--- a/share/functions/_.fish
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,22 +0,0 @@
-#
-# Alias for gettext or a fallback if gettext isn't installed.
-#
-# Use ggettext if available.
-# This is the case on OpenIndiana, where the default gettext
-# interprets `\n` itself, so
-#    printf (_ 'somemessage\n')
-# won't print a newline.
-if command -sq ggettext
-    function _ --description "Alias for the ggettext command"
-        command ggettext fish $argv
-    end
-else if command -sq gettext
-    function _ --description "Alias for the gettext command"
-        command gettext fish $argv
-    end
-else
-    function _ --description "Fallback alias for the gettext command"
-        echo -n $argv
-    end
-end
-
diff --git a/src/builtin.cpp b/src/builtin.cpp
index 3914f59a5..af5388ab4 100644
--- a/src/builtin.cpp
+++ b/src/builtin.cpp
@@ -327,6 +327,15 @@ int builtin_false(parser_t &parser, io_streams_t &streams, wchar_t **argv) {
     return STATUS_CMD_ERROR;
 }
 
+int builtin_gettext(parser_t &parser, io_streams_t &streams, wchar_t **argv) {
+    UNUSED(parser);
+    UNUSED(streams);
+    for (int i = 1; i < builtin_count_args(argv); i++) {
+        streams.out.append(_(argv[i]));
+    }
+    return STATUS_CMD_OK;
+}
+
 // END OF BUILTIN COMMANDS
 // Below are functions for handling the builtin commands.
 // THESE MUST BE SORTED BY NAME! Completion lookup uses binary search.
@@ -338,6 +347,7 @@ static const builtin_data_t builtin_datas[] = {
     {L".", &builtin_source, N_(L"Evaluate contents of file")},
     {L":", &builtin_true, N_(L"Return a successful result")},
     {L"[", &builtin_test, N_(L"Test a condition")},
+    {L"_", &builtin_gettext, N_(L"Translate a string")},
     {L"and", &builtin_generic, N_(L"Execute command if previous command succeeded")},
     {L"argparse", &builtin_argparse, N_(L"Parse options in fish script")},
     {L"begin", &builtin_generic, N_(L"Create a block of code")},
@@ -393,7 +403,8 @@ static const builtin_data_t builtin_datas[] = {
     {L"true", &builtin_true, N_(L"Return a successful result")},
     {L"ulimit", &builtin_ulimit, N_(L"Set or get the shells resource usage limits")},
     {L"wait", &builtin_wait, N_(L"Wait for background processes completed")},
-    {L"while", &builtin_generic, N_(L"Perform a command multiple times")}};
+    {L"while", &builtin_generic, N_(L"Perform a command multiple times")},
+};
 
 #define BUILTIN_COUNT (sizeof builtin_datas / sizeof *builtin_datas)