In recent years, virtual reality (VR) has become increasingly affordable, allowing for its broader development across various fields. Due to its ability to provide an immersive experience, VR has gained significant attention in the field of second language education. However, how VR can be used for language learning remains unclear. To address the gap, we conducted a content analysis based on the co-occurrence network of keywords generated by the bibliometric analysis software CiteSpace, covering 498 articles from the Web of Science (WoS) from 2003 to 2023. Findings revealed that previous studies tend to use VR for language therapies and interventions, vocabulary acquisition and memorization, language skills training (listening, speaking, reading and writing), general learning competence enhancement (collaborative competence and intercultural competence), and students’ self-efficacy and learning engagement improvement. Implications were discussed, as well as suggestions for future studies.