Java HashMap associative multi dimensional array can not create or add elements

HashMap<String, HashMap<String, String>> myArray = new HashMap<String, HashMap<String, String>>();

if (!myArray.containsKey("en")) {
    myArray.put("en", new HashMap<String, String>());
}
myArray.get("en").put("name", "english name");

In Java you have to be explicit about when you are creating an object. In this case first we check if there is already a HashMap object stored in our outer HashMap under the key "en". If not, we create an empty one.

Now to put a new value into it we have to first get it from the outer HashMap, then put the new value.

HashMap<String, HashMap<String, String>> myArray = new HashMap<String, HashMap<String, String>>();
HashMap<String, String> value = new HashMap<String, String>();
value.put("name", "English name");
value.put("desc", "English description");
value.put("keys", "English keywords");

myArray.put("en" , value);

value = new HashMap<String, String>();
value.put("name", "French name");
value.put("desc", "French description");
value.put("keys", "French keywords");

myArray.put("fr" , value);

Unfortunately, there's no concise syntax for constructing populated maps in Java. You'll have to write it out long-hand. A separate helper method can make it a little simpler:

HashMap<String, String> makeMap(String name, String desc, String keys) {
    HashMap<String, String> map = new HashMap<>();
    // Before Java 7, above must be: new HashMap<String, String>();
    map.put("name", name);
    map.put("desc", desc);
    map.put("keys", keys);
}

Then:

HashMap<String, HashMap<String, String>> myArray = new HashMap<>();
myArray.put("en",
    makeMap("english name", "english description", "english keywords"));
// etc.

You would retrieve it with:

english_name = myArray.get("en").get("name");