Change the language in superwhisper, and stop it writing English when you spoke something else
By Ryleigh Newman · Published
superwhisper sets the dictation language inside each mode, not in one global setting. Edit the mode and set Language to the one you speak. If it is on Automatic and your Spanish, German or Japanese comes out as English text, the docs' most reliable fix is the same: pick a fixed language.
I make YapToText, a different dictation app for the Mac, so read what I say about superwhisper with that in mind. Every fact about superwhisper here is from its own docs, read on October 10, 2026. The pages are Transcribed in English instead of my language, Intro to Modes and Voice models.
This app is completely free. You don't have to make an account. There are no subscriptions, no difficult downloads, and nothing is locked. Made for Apple silicon Macs. Source on GitHub.
This guide in other languages: العربية, Čeština, Dansk, Deutsch, Ελληνικά, Español, Suomi, Français, עברית, हिन्दी, Magyar, Bahasa Indonesia, Italiano, 日本語, 한국어, Norsk, Nederlands, Polski, Português, Română, Русский, Slovenčina, Svenska, ไทย, Türkçe, Українська, Tiếng Việt, 简体中文, 繁體中文
Change the language
- Open superwhisper's settings and click Modes.
- Open the mode you dictate with.
- Set Language to your language.
- If you dictate in several languages, make one mode for each and switch between them.
The languages on offer depend on the mode's voice model, so a language you expect can be missing until you change the model. The superwhisper modes page covers switching modes with a shortcut.
Which models cover which languages
From superwhisper's docs page Voice models, read October 10, 2026. The model guide covers the rest.
| Voice model | Languages |
|---|---|
| S1-Voice, cloud | 100+ |
| Multilingual Whisper models, local | 100+ |
| Parakeet Multilanguage, local | 24 |
| Cohere Transcribe, local | 14: English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Greek, Dutch, Polish, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese and Arabic |
| Parakeet, and the Whisper (English) models | English only |
It writes English when I spoke another language
The docs say this happens with Language set to Automatic, at the transcription stage, before any AI processing. You can confirm it in History, which shows the raw transcription.
- Fix 1, the reliable one. Set a fixed language in the mode.
- Fix 2, if you must keep Automatic. Open Settings, Vocabulary, and add one phrase written in your language that means and it can also include words in Spanish, with your own language named. The docs' Spanish example is y también puede incluir palabras en español.
- Keep the list short. A long vocabulary list can hurt transcription.
Use Automatic only when you mix languages inside one dictation. The docs explain why it slips: the model gets a guidance prompt with your audio, and with Automatic that prompt can nudge it toward English.
Translating instead of transcribing
Some voice models can translate your speech into English, and the option appears in the mode when the model and language allow it. The docs suggest a multilingual Whisper model such as Whisper Medium or Whisper Large for that. For any other target language, they say to set up translation with AI processing in a Custom mode.
Languages in YapToText
YapToText supports 29 languages plus auto-detect, with Whisper running on the Mac. That is fewer than superwhisper's widest models. Each mode can carry its own language, and the default is your Mac's system language, not auto-detect. The Mac dictation languages page compares the lists across apps, and the bilingual dictation guide covers switching between two languages.
This app is completely free. You don't have to make an account. There are no subscriptions, no difficult downloads, and nothing is locked. Made for Apple silicon Macs. Source on GitHub.
The short version
- Where. Settings, Modes, the mode, Language.
- Several languages. One mode each.
- English by mistake. Stop using Automatic.
- Still Automatic. Add the vocabulary hint, in your language.
- Missing language. Change the voice model.
If superwhisper changes this setting, open an issue on GitHub and I will update this page. Every one gets read.
This app is completely free. You don't have to make an account. There are no subscriptions, no difficult downloads, and nothing is locked. Made for Apple silicon Macs. Source on GitHub.
Related
Sources
- https://superwhisper.com/docs/common-issues/language-detection (checked 2026-10-10)
- https://superwhisper.com/docs/modes/modes (checked 2026-10-10)
- https://superwhisper.com/docs/models/voice (checked 2026-10-10)
- https://github.com/ryleighnewman/YapToText (checked 2026-10-10)
- https://apps.apple.com/us/app/yaptotext/id6786382289 (checked 2026-10-10)
Questions
How do I change the language in superwhisper?
Open Settings, Modes, edit your mode, and set Language. The language is set per mode.
Why does superwhisper transcribe in English when I speak another language?
With Language on Automatic, the model sometimes defaults to English. Its docs say to set a fixed language in the mode.
Does superwhisper support German, French, Japanese and Korean?
Yes. S1-Voice and the multilingual Whisper models cover 100+ languages, and Cohere Transcribe lists all four among its 14.
Can superwhisper handle two languages in one dictation?
Use Automatic for that, and add the vocabulary hint phrase in your language to help detection.
Can superwhisper translate speech?
Some voice models can translate into English. For other target languages, its docs say to use AI processing in a Custom mode.