diff --git a/lib/Cake/Console/Command/Task/ExtractTask.php b/lib/Cake/Console/Command/Task/ExtractTask.php
index 4986960e6..366c2d871 100644
--- a/lib/Cake/Console/Command/Task/ExtractTask.php
+++ b/lib/Cake/Console/Command/Task/ExtractTask.php
@@ -251,13 +251,17 @@ class ExtractTask extends AppShell {
 	protected function _addTranslation($category, $domain, $msgid, $details = array()) {
 		if (empty($this->_translations[$category][$domain][$msgid])) {
 			$this->_translations[$category][$domain][$msgid] = array(
-				'msgid_plural' => false
+				'msgid_plural' => false,
+				'msgctxt' => ''
 			);
 		}
 
 		if (isset($details['msgid_plural'])) {
 			$this->_translations[$category][$domain][$msgid]['msgid_plural'] = $details['msgid_plural'];
 		}
+		if (isset($details['msgctxt'])) {
+			$this->_translations[$category][$domain][$msgid]['msgctxt'] = $details['msgctxt'];
+		}
 
 		if (isset($details['file'])) {
 			$line = 0;
@@ -374,6 +378,8 @@ class ExtractTask extends AppShell {
 			$this->_parse('__dc', array('domain', 'singular', 'category'));
 			$this->_parse('__dn', array('domain', 'singular', 'plural'));
 			$this->_parse('__dcn', array('domain', 'singular', 'plural', 'count', 'category'));
+
+			$this->_parse('__x', array('context', 'singular'));
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -427,6 +433,9 @@ class ExtractTask extends AppShell {
 					if (isset($plural)) {
 						$details['msgid_plural'] = $plural;
 					}
+					if (isset($context)) {
+						$details['msgctxt'] = $context;
+					}
 					$this->_addTranslation($categoryName, $domain, $singular, $details);
 				} else {
 					$this->_markerError($this->_file, $line, $functionName, $count);
@@ -551,6 +560,7 @@ class ExtractTask extends AppShell {
 			foreach ($domains as $domain => $translations) {
 				foreach ($translations as $msgid => $details) {
 					$plural = $details['msgid_plural'];
+					$context = $details['msgctxt'];
 					$files = $details['references'];
 					$occurrences = array();
 					foreach ($files as $file => $lines) {
@@ -560,11 +570,15 @@ class ExtractTask extends AppShell {
 					$occurrences = implode("\n#: ", $occurrences);
 					$header = '#: ' . str_replace(DS, '/', str_replace($paths, '', $occurrences)) . "\n";
 
+					$sentence = '';
+					if ($context) {
+						$sentence .= "msgctxt \"{$context}\"\n";
+					}
 					if ($plural === false) {
-						$sentence = "msgid \"{$msgid}\"\n";
+						$sentence .= "msgid \"{$msgid}\"\n";
 						$sentence .= "msgstr \"\"\n\n";
 					} else {
-						$sentence = "msgid \"{$msgid}\"\n";
+						$sentence .= "msgid \"{$msgid}\"\n";
 						$sentence .= "msgid_plural \"{$plural}\"\n";
 						$sentence .= "msgstr[0] \"\"\n";
 						$sentence .= "msgstr[1] \"\"\n\n";
diff --git a/lib/Cake/I18n/I18n.php b/lib/Cake/I18n/I18n.php
index 43cb4b1d5..a91828301 100644
--- a/lib/Cake/I18n/I18n.php
+++ b/lib/Cake/I18n/I18n.php
@@ -188,10 +188,13 @@ class I18n {
  * @param integer $count Count Count is used with $plural to choose the correct plural form.
  * @param string $language Language to translate string to.
  *    If null it checks for language in session followed by Config.language configuration variable.
+ * @param string $context Context The context of the translation, e.g a verb or a noun.
  * @return string translated string.
  * @throws CakeException When '' is provided as a domain.
  */
-	public static function translate($singular, $plural = null, $domain = null, $category = self::LC_MESSAGES, $count = null, $language = null) {
+	public static function translate($singular, $plural = null, $domain = null, $category = self::LC_MESSAGES,
+		$count = null, $language = null, $context = null
+	) {
 		$_this = I18n::getInstance();
 
 		if (strpos($singular, "\r\n") !== false) {
@@ -254,8 +257,10 @@ class I18n {
 			}
 		}
 
-		if (!empty($_this->_domains[$domain][$_this->_lang][$_this->category][$singular])) {
-			if (($trans = $_this->_domains[$domain][$_this->_lang][$_this->category][$singular]) || ($plurals) && ($trans = $_this->_domains[$domain][$_this->_lang][$_this->category][$plural])) {
+		if (!empty($_this->_domains[$domain][$_this->_lang][$_this->category][$singular][$context])) {
+			if (($trans = $_this->_domains[$domain][$_this->_lang][$_this->category][$singular][$context]) ||
+				($plurals) && ($trans = $_this->_domains[$domain][$_this->_lang][$_this->category][$plural][$context])
+			) {
 				if (is_array($trans)) {
 					if (isset($trans[$plurals])) {
 						$trans = $trans[$plurals];
@@ -469,6 +474,7 @@ class I18n {
 		// Binary files extracted makes non-standard local variables
 		if ($data = file_get_contents($filename)) {
 			$translations = array();
+			$context = null;
 			$header = substr($data, 0, 20);
 			$header = unpack('L1magic/L1version/L1count/L1o_msg/L1o_trn', $header);
 			extract($header);
@@ -488,6 +494,10 @@ class I18n {
 					if (strpos($msgstr, "\000")) {
 						$msgstr = explode("\000", $msgstr);
 					}
+
+					if ($msgid != '') {
+						$msgstr = array($context => $msgstr);
+					}
 					$translations[$msgid] = $msgstr;
 
 					if (isset($msgid_plural)) {
@@ -515,12 +525,15 @@ class I18n {
 		$type = 0;
 		$translations = array();
 		$translationKey = '';
+		$translationContext = null;
 		$plural = 0;
 		$header = '';
 
 		do {
 			$line = trim(fgets($file));
 			if ($line === '' || $line[0] === '#') {
+				$translationContext = null;
+
 				continue;
 			}
 			if (preg_match("/msgid[[:space:]]+\"(.+)\"$/i", $line, $regs)) {
@@ -529,31 +542,33 @@ class I18n {
 			} elseif (preg_match("/msgid[[:space:]]+\"\"$/i", $line, $regs)) {
 				$type = 2;
 				$translationKey = '';
+			} elseif (preg_match("/msgctxt[[:space:]]+\"(.+)\"$/i", $line, $regs)) {
+				$translationContext = $regs[1];
 			} elseif (preg_match("/^\"(.*)\"$/i", $line, $regs) && ($type == 1 || $type == 2 || $type == 3)) {
 				$type = 3;
 				$translationKey .= stripcslashes($regs[1]);
 			} elseif (preg_match("/msgstr[[:space:]]+\"(.+)\"$/i", $line, $regs) && ($type == 1 || $type == 3) && $translationKey) {
-				$translations[$translationKey] = stripcslashes($regs[1]);
+				$translations[$translationKey][$translationContext] = stripcslashes($regs[1]);
 				$type = 4;
 			} elseif (preg_match("/msgstr[[:space:]]+\"\"$/i", $line, $regs) && ($type == 1 || $type == 3) && $translationKey) {
 				$type = 4;
-				$translations[$translationKey] = '';
+				$translations[$translationKey][$translationContext] = '';
 			} elseif (preg_match("/^\"(.*)\"$/i", $line, $regs) && $type == 4 && $translationKey) {
-				$translations[$translationKey] .= stripcslashes($regs[1]);
+				$translations[$translationKey][$translationContext] .= stripcslashes($regs[1]);
 			} elseif (preg_match("/msgid_plural[[:space:]]+\".*\"$/i", $line, $regs)) {
 				$type = 6;
 			} elseif (preg_match("/^\"(.*)\"$/i", $line, $regs) && $type == 6 && $translationKey) {
 				$type = 6;
 			} elseif (preg_match("/msgstr\[(\d+)\][[:space:]]+\"(.+)\"$/i", $line, $regs) && ($type == 6 || $type == 7) && $translationKey) {
 				$plural = $regs[1];
-				$translations[$translationKey][$plural] = stripcslashes($regs[2]);
+				$translations[$translationKey][$translationContext][$plural] = stripcslashes($regs[2]);
 				$type = 7;
 			} elseif (preg_match("/msgstr\[(\d+)\][[:space:]]+\"\"$/i", $line, $regs) && ($type == 6 || $type == 7) && $translationKey) {
 				$plural = $regs[1];
-				$translations[$translationKey][$plural] = '';
+				$translations[$translationKey][$translationContext][$plural] = '';
 				$type = 7;
 			} elseif (preg_match("/^\"(.*)\"$/i", $line, $regs) && $type == 7 && $translationKey) {
-				$translations[$translationKey][$plural] .= stripcslashes($regs[1]);
+				$translations[$translationKey][$translationContext][$plural] .= stripcslashes($regs[1]);
 			} elseif (preg_match("/msgstr[[:space:]]+\"(.+)\"$/i", $line, $regs) && $type == 2 && !$translationKey) {
 				$header .= stripcslashes($regs[1]);
 				$type = 5;
@@ -563,9 +578,10 @@ class I18n {
 			} elseif (preg_match("/^\"(.*)\"$/i", $line, $regs) && $type == 5) {
 				$header .= stripcslashes($regs[1]);
 			} else {
-				unset($translations[$translationKey]);
+				unset($translations[$translationKey][$translationContext]);
 				$type = 0;
 				$translationKey = '';
+				$translationContext = null;
 				$plural = 0;
 			}
 		} while (!feof($file));
diff --git a/lib/Cake/Test/Case/Console/Command/Task/ExtractTaskTest.php b/lib/Cake/Test/Case/Console/Command/Task/ExtractTaskTest.php
index e93a31eb4..7013771fb 100644
--- a/lib/Cake/Test/Case/Console/Command/Task/ExtractTaskTest.php
+++ b/lib/Cake/Test/Case/Console/Command/Task/ExtractTaskTest.php
@@ -162,6 +162,10 @@ class ExtractTaskTest extends CakeTestCase {
 		$this->assertContains('msgid "double \\"quoted\\""', $result, 'Strings with quotes not handled correctly');
 		$this->assertContains("msgid \"single 'quoted'\"", $result, 'Strings with quotes not handled correctly');
 
+		$pattern = '/\#: (\\\\|\/)extract\.ctp:33\n';
+		$pattern .= 'msgctxt "mail"/';
+		$this->assertRegExp($pattern, $result);
+
 		// extract.ctp - reading the domain.pot
 		$result = file_get_contents($this->path . DS . 'domain.pot');
 
diff --git a/lib/Cake/Test/Case/I18n/I18nTest.php b/lib/Cake/Test/Case/I18n/I18nTest.php
index 35ff4b056..7e7af0aff 100644
--- a/lib/Cake/Test/Case/I18n/I18nTest.php
+++ b/lib/Cake/Test/Case/I18n/I18nTest.php
@@ -75,15 +75,15 @@ class I18nTest extends CakeTestCase {
 		$this->assertEquals('Dom 1 Foo', I18n::translate('dom1.foo', false, 'dom1'));
 		$this->assertEquals('Dom 1 Bar', I18n::translate('dom1.bar', false, 'dom1'));
 		$domains = I18n::domains();
-		$this->assertEquals('Dom 1 Foo', $domains['dom1']['cache_test_po']['LC_MESSAGES']['dom1.foo']);
+		$this->assertEquals('Dom 1 Foo', $domains['dom1']['cache_test_po']['LC_MESSAGES']['dom1.foo']['']);
 
 		// reset internally stored entries
 		I18n::clear();
 
 		// now only dom1 should be in cache
 		$cachedDom1 = Cache::read('dom1_' . $lang, '_cake_core_');
-		$this->assertEquals('Dom 1 Foo', $cachedDom1['LC_MESSAGES']['dom1.foo']);
-		$this->assertEquals('Dom 1 Bar', $cachedDom1['LC_MESSAGES']['dom1.bar']);
+		$this->assertEquals('Dom 1 Foo', $cachedDom1['LC_MESSAGES']['dom1.foo']['']);
+		$this->assertEquals('Dom 1 Bar', $cachedDom1['LC_MESSAGES']['dom1.bar']['']);
 		// dom2 not in cache
 		$this->assertFalse(Cache::read('dom2_' . $lang, '_cake_core_'));
 
@@ -92,11 +92,11 @@ class I18nTest extends CakeTestCase {
 
 		// verify dom2 was cached through manual read from cache
 		$cachedDom2 = Cache::read('dom2_' . $lang, '_cake_core_');
-		$this->assertEquals('Dom 2 Foo', $cachedDom2['LC_MESSAGES']['dom2.foo']);
-		$this->assertEquals('Dom 2 Bar', $cachedDom2['LC_MESSAGES']['dom2.bar']);
+		$this->assertEquals('Dom 2 Foo', $cachedDom2['LC_MESSAGES']['dom2.foo']['']);
+		$this->assertEquals('Dom 2 Bar', $cachedDom2['LC_MESSAGES']['dom2.bar']['']);
 
 		// modify cache entry manually to verify that dom1 entries now will be read from cache
-		$cachedDom1['LC_MESSAGES']['dom1.foo'] = 'FOO';
+		$cachedDom1['LC_MESSAGES']['dom1.foo'][''] = 'FOO';
 		Cache::write('dom1_' . $lang, $cachedDom1, '_cake_core_');
 		$this->assertEquals('FOO', I18n::translate('dom1.foo', false, 'dom1'));
 	}
@@ -1879,6 +1879,22 @@ class I18nTest extends CakeTestCase {
 		$this->assertSame($expected, $result['day']);
 	}
 
+/**
+ * Test basic context support
+ *
+ * @return void
+ */
+	public function testContext() {
+		Configure::write('Config.language', 'nld');
+
+		$this->assertSame("brief", __x('mail', 'letter'));
+		$this->assertSame("letter", __x('character', 'letter'));
+		$this->assertSame("bal", __x('spherical object', 'ball'));
+		$this->assertSame("danspartij", __x('social gathering', 'ball'));
+		$this->assertSame("balans", __('balance'));
+		$this->assertSame("saldo", __x('money', 'balance'));
+	}
+
 /**
  * Singular method
  *
diff --git a/lib/Cake/Test/test_app/Locale/nld/LC_MESSAGES/default.po b/lib/Cake/Test/test_app/Locale/nld/LC_MESSAGES/default.po
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..dfee4f93e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/Cake/Test/test_app/Locale/nld/LC_MESSAGES/default.po
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+msgctxt "character"
+msgid "letter"
+msgid_plural "letters"
+msgstr[0] "letter"
+msgstr[1] "letters"
+
+msgctxt "mail"
+msgid "letter"
+msgid_plural "letters"
+msgstr[0] "brief"
+msgstr[1] "brieven"
+
+msgctxt "spherical object"
+msgid "ball"
+msgstr "bal"
+
+msgctxt "social gathering"
+msgid "ball"
+msgstr "danspartij"
+
+msgid "ball"
+msgstr "bal"
+
+msgid "balance"
+msgstr "balans"
+
+msgctxt "money"
+msgid "balance"
+msgstr "saldo"
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lib/Cake/Test/test_app/View/Pages/extract.ctp b/lib/Cake/Test/test_app/View/Pages/extract.ctp
index e2180fe33..bee786c9c 100644
--- a/lib/Cake/Test/test_app/View/Pages/extract.ctp
+++ b/lib/Cake/Test/test_app/View/Pages/extract.ctp
@@ -29,3 +29,5 @@ __('Hot features!'
 
 // Category
 echo __c('You have a new message (category: LC_TIME).', 5);
+
+echo __x('mail', 'letter');
diff --git a/lib/Cake/basics.php b/lib/Cake/basics.php
index f5984b2b7..d8b30be03 100644
--- a/lib/Cake/basics.php
+++ b/lib/Cake/basics.php
@@ -748,6 +748,30 @@ if (!function_exists('__c')) {
 
 }
 
+if (!function_exists('__x')) {
+
+/**
+ * Returns a translated string if one is found; Otherwise, the submitted message.
+ *
+ * @param string $context Context of the text
+ * @param string $singular Text to translate
+ * @param mixed $args Array with arguments or multiple arguments in function
+ * @return mixed translated string
+ * @link http://book.cakephp.org/2.0/en/core-libraries/global-constants-and-functions.html#__
+ */
+	function __x($context, $singular, $args = null) {
+		if (!$singular) {
+			return;
+		}
+
+		App::uses('I18n', 'I18n');
+		$translated = I18n::translate($singular, null, null, null, null, null, $context);
+		$arguments = func_get_args();
+		return I18n::insertArgs($translated, array_slice($arguments, 1));
+	}
+
+}
+
 if (!function_exists('LogError')) {
 
 /**