diff --git a/moku/forms/user.py b/moku/forms/user.py
index 8ac4eda..b3e1037 100644
--- a/moku/forms/user.py
+++ b/moku/forms/user.py
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ from django.contrib.auth.forms import UserCreationForm
 from django.utils.translation import gettext_lazy as _
 from django_recaptcha.fields import ReCaptchaField
 
-from moku.models.user import User, UserSettings
+from moku.models.user import User
 
 
 class UserForm(UserCreationForm):
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ class UserSettingsForm(forms.ModelForm):
     """Form for creating or updating user settings."""
 
     class Meta:
-        model = UserSettings
+        model = User
         fields = ("language",)
         labels = {"language": _("language")}
 
diff --git a/moku/middleware.py b/moku/middleware.py
index b36b5eb..ebdb090 100644
--- a/moku/middleware.py
+++ b/moku/middleware.py
@@ -8,6 +8,6 @@ class MokuLanguageMiddleware:
         self.get_response = get_response
 
     def __call__(self, request):
-        if request.user.is_authenticated and hasattr(request.user, "settings"):
-            translation.activate(request.user.settings.language)
+        if request.user.is_authenticated:
+            translation.activate(request.user.language)
         return self.get_response(request)
diff --git a/moku/migrations/0011_user_language_delete_usersettings.py b/moku/migrations/0011_user_language_delete_usersettings.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ef398b1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/moku/migrations/0011_user_language_delete_usersettings.py
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+# Generated by Django 5.0.3 on 2024-03-27 16:23
+
+from django.db import migrations, models
+
+
+def migrate_language_setting(apps, schema_editor):
+    User = apps.get_model("moku", "User")
+    for user in User.objects.all():
+        if hasattr(user, "settings"):
+            user.language = user.settings.language
+            user.save()
+
+
+class Migration(migrations.Migration):
+
+    dependencies = [
+        ('moku', '0010_alter_recipe_title'),
+    ]
+
+    operations = [
+        migrations.AddField(
+            model_name='user',
+            name='language',
+            field=models.CharField(choices=[('en', 'english'), ('lio', 'lami lioa'), ('tok', 'toki pona')], default='en', help_text='what language do you want to use moku.blog in?', max_length=16, verbose_name='language'),
+        ),
+        migrations.RunPython(migrate_language_setting, reverse_code=migrations.RunPython.noop),
+        migrations.DeleteModel(
+            name='UserSettings',
+        ),
+    ]
diff --git a/moku/models/__init__.py b/moku/models/__init__.py
index 63c8160..49757a0 100644
--- a/moku/models/__init__.py
+++ b/moku/models/__init__.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 from moku.models.blog import BlogPost
 from moku.models.post import Post
 from moku.models.recipe import Recipe, RecipeStep
-from moku.models.user import User, UserSettings
+from moku.models.user import User
 
-__all__ = ["BlogPost", "Post", "Recipe", "RecipeStep", "User", "UserSettings"]
+__all__ = ["BlogPost", "Post", "Recipe", "RecipeStep", "User"]
diff --git a/moku/models/user.py b/moku/models/user.py
index 6ffaa10..d9a40f0 100644
--- a/moku/models/user.py
+++ b/moku/models/user.py
@@ -60,6 +60,13 @@ class User(AbstractUser):
         upload_to=user_avatar_filename,
         help_text=_("a little picture to show up on your profile."),
     )
+    language = models.CharField(
+        verbose_name=_("language"),
+        max_length=16,
+        choices=settings.LANGUAGES,
+        default="en",
+        help_text=_("what language do you want to use moku.blog in?"),
+    )
     last_seen_at = models.DateTimeField(
         verbose_name=_("last seen at"),
         blank=True,
@@ -85,18 +92,3 @@ class User(AbstractUser):
         if not self.bio:
             return ""
         return full_markdown(self.bio)
-
-
-class UserSettings(models.Model):
-    """Represents settings for a single user."""
-
-    user = models.OneToOneField(
-        "User", related_name="settings", on_delete=models.CASCADE
-    )
-    language = models.CharField(
-        verbose_name=_("language"),
-        max_length=16,
-        choices=settings.LANGUAGES,
-        default="en",
-        help_text=_("what language do you want to use moku.blog in?"),
-    )
diff --git a/moku/views/user.py b/moku/views/user.py
index 00ae139..6a16385 100644
--- a/moku/views/user.py
+++ b/moku/views/user.py
@@ -45,23 +45,12 @@ class EditSettingsView(LoginRequiredMixin, FormView):
     page_title = _("settings")
 
     def form_valid(self, form):
-        form.instance.user = self.request.user
-        try:
-            form.save()
-        except IntegrityError:
-            messages.error(
-                self.request, _("uh oh. i think something went a little bit oopsie.")
-            )
-            return self.form_invalid(form)
+        form.save()
         messages.success(self.request, _("settings updated!"))
         return redirect("settings")
 
     def get_form(self):
-        if hasattr(self.request.user, "settings"):
-            return self.form_class(
-                instance=self.request.user.settings, **self.get_form_kwargs()
-            )
-        return super().get_form()
+        return self.form_class(instance=self.request.user, **self.get_form_kwargs())
 
 
 class ProfileView(View):