diff --git a/nvim/.config/sh/env.d/set-up-spellfile.sh b/nvim/.config/sh/env.d/set-up-spellfile.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..39eac18
--- /dev/null
+++ b/nvim/.config/sh/env.d/set-up-spellfile.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env sh
+# Set up a non-english spell dictionary if it doesn't exist yet.
+
+if [ ! -e "${XDG_DATA_HOME:-$HOME/.local/share}/nvim/site/spell/de.utf-8.spl" ]; then
+    echo "Neovim spell dictionary not yet installed, downloading..."
+    mkdir -p "${XDG_DATA_HOME:-$HOME/.local/share}/nvim/site/spell/"
+    wget -q 'https://ftp.nluug.nl/pub/vim/runtime/spell/de.utf-8.spl' -O  "${XDG_DATA_HOME:-$HOME/.local/share}/nvim/site/spell/de.utf-8.spl"
+    echo "Done."
+fi
+
+