diff --git a/packages/core/src/application_module.ts b/packages/core/src/application_module.ts
index fa8e44affb641..2030c6363173f 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/application_module.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/application_module.ts
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@ import {SCHEDULER} from './render3/component_ref';
 import {setLocaleId} from './render3/i18n';
 import {NgZone} from './zone';
 
+declare const $localize: {locale?: string};
+
 export function _iterableDiffersFactory() {
   return defaultIterableDiffers;
 }
@@ -33,22 +35,38 @@ export function _keyValueDiffersFactory() {
 }
 
 export function _localeFactory(locale?: string): string {
-  if (locale) {
-    if (ivyEnabled) {
-      setLocaleId(locale);
-    }
-    return locale;
+  locale = locale || getGlobalLocale();
+  if (ivyEnabled) {
+    setLocaleId(locale);
   }
-  // Use `goog.LOCALE` as default value for `LOCALE_ID` token for Closure Compiler.
-  // Note: default `goog.LOCALE` value is `en`, when Angular used `en-US`. In order to preserve
-  // backwards compatibility, we use Angular default value over Closure Compiler's one.
+  return locale;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Work out the locale from the potential global properties.
+ *
+ * * Closure Compiler: use `goog.LOCALE`.
+ * * Ivy enabled: use `$localize.locale`
+ */
+export function getGlobalLocale(): string {
   if (ngI18nClosureMode && typeof goog !== 'undefined' && goog.LOCALE !== 'en') {
-    if (ivyEnabled) {
-      setLocaleId(goog.LOCALE);
-    }
+    // * The default `goog.LOCALE` value is `en`, while Angular used `en-US`.
+    // * In order to preserve backwards compatibility, we use Angular default value over
+    //   Closure Compiler's one.
     return goog.LOCALE;
+  } else {
+    // KEEP `typeof $localize !== 'undefined' && $localize.locale` IN SYNC WITH THE LOCALIZE
+    // COMPILE-TIME INLINER.
+    //
+    // * During compile time inlining of translations the expression will be replaced
+    //   with a string literal that is the current locale. Other forms of this expression are not
+    //   guaranteed to be replaced.
+    //
+    // * During runtime translation evaluation, the developer is required to set `$localize.locale`
+    //   if required, or just to provide their own `LOCALE_ID` provider.
+    return (ivyEnabled && typeof $localize !== 'undefined' && $localize.locale) ||
+        DEFAULT_LOCALE_ID;
   }
-  return DEFAULT_LOCALE_ID;
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/packages/core/test/application_module_spec.ts b/packages/core/test/application_module_spec.ts
index 640063465837f..ea97692f3f9c1 100644
--- a/packages/core/test/application_module_spec.ts
+++ b/packages/core/test/application_module_spec.ts
@@ -7,11 +7,74 @@
  */
 
 import {LOCALE_ID} from '@angular/core';
+import {ivyEnabled} from '@angular/private/testing';
+
+import {getLocaleId} from '../src/render3';
+import {global} from '../src/util/global';
+import {TestBed} from '../testing';
 import {describe, expect, inject, it} from '../testing/src/testing_internal';
 
 {
   describe('Application module', () => {
     it('should set the default locale to "en-US"',
        inject([LOCALE_ID], (defaultLocale: string) => { expect(defaultLocale).toEqual('en-US'); }));
+
+    if (ivyEnabled) {
+      it('should set the ivy locale with the configured LOCALE_ID', () => {
+        TestBed.configureTestingModule({providers: [{provide: LOCALE_ID, useValue: 'fr'}]});
+        const before = getLocaleId();
+        const locale = TestBed.inject(LOCALE_ID);
+        const after = getLocaleId();
+        expect(before).toEqual('en-us');
+        expect(locale).toEqual('fr');
+        expect(after).toEqual('fr');
+      });
+
+      describe('$localize.locale', () => {
+        beforeEach(() => initLocale('de'));
+        afterEach(() => restoreLocale());
+
+        it('should set the ivy locale to `$localize.locale` value if it is defined', () => {
+          // Injecting `LOCALE_ID` should also initialize the ivy locale
+          const locale = TestBed.inject(LOCALE_ID);
+          expect(locale).toEqual('de');
+          expect(getLocaleId()).toEqual('de');
+        });
+
+        it('should set the ivy locale to an application provided LOCALE_ID even if `$localize.locale` is defined',
+           () => {
+             TestBed.configureTestingModule({providers: [{provide: LOCALE_ID, useValue: 'fr'}]});
+             const locale = TestBed.inject(LOCALE_ID);
+             expect(locale).toEqual('fr');
+             expect(getLocaleId()).toEqual('fr');
+           });
+      });
+    }
   });
 }
+
+let hasGlobalLocalize: boolean;
+let hasGlobalLocale: boolean;
+let originalLocale: string;
+
+function initLocale(locale: string) {
+  hasGlobalLocalize = Object.getOwnPropertyNames(global).includes('$localize');
+  if (!hasGlobalLocalize) {
+    global.$localize = {};
+  }
+  hasGlobalLocale = Object.getOwnPropertyNames(global.$localize).includes('locale');
+  originalLocale = global.$localize.locale;
+  global.$localize.locale = locale;
+}
+
+function restoreLocale() {
+  if (hasGlobalLocale) {
+    global.$localize.locale = originalLocale;
+  } else {
+    delete global.$localize.locale;
+  }
+
+  if (!hasGlobalLocalize) {
+    delete global.$localize;
+  }
+}
diff --git a/packages/localize/src/localize/src/localize.ts b/packages/localize/src/localize/src/localize.ts
index ad0f31cd8e2fa..e94d9853a8cde 100644
--- a/packages/localize/src/localize/src/localize.ts
+++ b/packages/localize/src/localize/src/localize.ts
@@ -20,6 +20,22 @@ export interface LocalizeFn {
    * different translations.
    */
   translate?: TranslateFn;
+  /**
+   * The current locale of the translated messages.
+   * 
+   * The compile-time translation inliner is able to replace the following code:
+   * 
+   * ```
+   * $localize && $localize.locale
+   * ```
+   * 
+   * with a string literal of the current locale. E.g.
+   * 
+   * ```
+   * "fr"
+   * ```
+   */
+  locale?: string;
 }
 
 export interface TranslateFn {