> For clean Markdown of any page, append .md to the page URL. > For a complete documentation index, see https://developers.deepgram.com/llms.txt. > For AI client integration (Claude Code, Cursor, etc.), connect to the MCP server at https://developers.deepgram.com/_mcp/server. # Nova-3 Language Prompting Pre-recorded Streaming:Nova Nova-3 multilingual (`model=nova-3&language=multi`) transcribes 55 languages with one model, including speech that switches languages mid-conversation. The optional `language_hint` parameter biases detection toward the languages you expect. Without hints, the model auto-detects the spoken language. Nova-3 multilingual uses the same `/v1/listen` endpoints, model string, and API key you already use for pre-recorded and streaming transcription. ## Supported Languages | Language | Code | | -------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------- | | Afrikaans | `af` | | Arabic | `ar` | | Belarusian | `be` | | Bengali | `bn` | | Bosnian | `bs` | | Bulgarian | `bg` | | Catalan | `ca` | | Chinese (Cantonese, Traditional) | `zh-HK` | | Chinese (Mandarin, Simplified) | `zh`, `zh-CN`, `zh-Hans` | | Croatian | `hr` | | Czech | `cs` | | Danish | `da` | | Dutch | `nl` | | English | `en`, `en-US`, `en-GB`, `en-AU`, `en-NZ`, `en-IN`, `en-CA` | | Estonian | `et` | | Finnish | `fi` | | Flemish | `nl-BE` | | French | `fr` | | Galician | `gl` | | German | `de` | | Greek | `el` | | Gujarati | `gu` | | Hebrew | `he` | | Hindi | `hi` | | Hungarian | `hu` | | Indonesian | `id` | | Italian | `it` | | Japanese | `ja` | | Kannada | `kn` | | Korean | `ko` | | Latvian | `lv` | | Lithuanian | `lt` | | Macedonian | `mk` | | Malay | `ms` | | Marathi | `mr` | | Norwegian | `no` | | Persian | `fa` | | Polish | `pl` | | Portuguese | `pt` | | Romanian | `ro` | | Russian | `ru` | | Serbian | `sr` | | Slovak | `sk` | | Slovenian | `sl` | | Spanish | `es` | | Swedish | `sv` | | Tagalog | `tl` | | Tamil | `ta` | | Telugu | `te` | | Thai | `th` | | Turkish | `tr` | | Ukrainian | `uk` | | Vietnamese | `vi` | | Xhosa | `xh` | | Zulu | `zu` | > **Info** > > Locale subtags (for example, `en-GB` or `pt-BR`) are accepted as hints, resolve to the base language, and are returned as the base code in `languages_hinted`. ## The `language_hint` Parameter `language_hint` *string or array of strings* (optional, repeatable) Pass one or more `language_hint` values to bias detection toward specific languages. Repeat the parameter to pass several hints, for example `language_hint=en&language_hint=es`. Hints bias detection; they do not restrict it, so the model still transcribes any supported language it hears. | Behavior | Description | | ------------------ | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Single hint** | Biases toward one language. Use it when you know the language ahead of time. | | **Multiple hints** | Biases toward a set of languages. Use it for bilingual or multilingual audio. | | **No hint** | The model auto-detects the language. Use it when the language is unknown. | > **Warning** > > `language_hint` only applies when `language=multi`; with any other `language` value it is ignored. Nova-2 does not support `language_hint`. A hint that is not one of the codes in the Supported Languages table fails the request with HTTP 400 `INVALID_QUERY_PARAMETER`; for streaming, the WebSocket connection is rejected with HTTP 400. Set hints per request for pre-recorded audio, or in the connection URL for streaming audio. Hints stay fixed for the life of a streaming connection. ## Usage Scenarios The examples below use the streaming endpoint. The same `language_hint` values work on pre-recorded requests to `https://api.deepgram.com/v1/listen`. ### 1. Known Single Language When you know the speaker's language ahead of time (for example, a Spanish-language call center), set a single `language_hint`. ``` wss://api.deepgram.com/v1/listen?model=nova-3&language=multi&language_hint=es&encoding=linear16&sample_rate=16000 ``` ### 2. Known Subset of Languages When speakers may use one of several languages (for example, a bilingual English/Spanish support line), pass multiple hints. The model biases toward the set and still transcribes whichever language is spoken. ``` wss://api.deepgram.com/v1/listen?model=nova-3&language=multi&language_hint=en&language_hint=es&encoding=linear16&sample_rate=16000 ``` ### 3. Unknown Language When you don't know which language the speaker will use, omit `language_hint`. The model auto-detects the language from the audio. ``` wss://api.deepgram.com/v1/listen?model=nova-3&language=multi&encoding=linear16&sample_rate=16000 ``` ### 4. Code-Switching When speakers switch between languages mid-conversation, hint every language you expect, or send no hints. Nova-3 multilingual handles mid-sentence language switches natively. ``` wss://api.deepgram.com/v1/listen?model=nova-3&language=multi&language_hint=en&language_hint=es&language_hint=fr&encoding=linear16&sample_rate=16000 ``` ## Language Fields in the Response With `language=multi`, each alternative in the response includes these fields: | Field | Type | Description | | ------------------ | --------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | `languages` | string array (BCP-47) | Languages detected in the transcript, sorted by word count (descending). Also returned on each utterance when `utterances=true`. | | `languages_hinted` | string array | The `language_hint` values for the request or connection, normalized: canonical case (`ES` → `es`, `zh-hk` → `zh-HK`), and a regional code the model has no tag for becomes its base language (`en-GB` → `en`). Returned on every Nova-3 multilingual response; an empty array when no hint was sent. | | `words[].language` | string (BCP-47) | The detected language of each word. | Pre-recorded responses return these fields in `results.channels[].alternatives[]`. Streaming responses return them in `channel.alternatives[]` on every interim and final result. ### Pre-Recorded Example **`cURL`** ```bash cURL curl \ --request POST \ --header 'Authorization: Token YOUR_DEEPGRAM_API_KEY' \ --header 'Content-Type: audio/wav' \ --data-binary @youraudio.wav \ --url 'https://api.deepgram.com/v1/listen?model=nova-3&language=multi&language_hint=en&language_hint=es' ``` The response, trimmed to the language fields: ```json { "results": { "channels": [ { "alternatives": [ { "transcript": "después de revisar su póliza de automóvil veo que actualmente cuenta con cobertura integral con un deducible de quinientos dólares", "confidence": 1.0, "languages": ["es"], "languages_hinted": ["en", "es"], "words": [ { "word": "después", "start": 0.32, "end": 0.79999995, "confidence": 1.0, "language": "es" }, { "word": "de", "start": 0.79999995, "end": 0.88, "confidence": 0.99902344, "language": "es" }, { "word": "revisar", "start": 0.88, "end": 1.36, "confidence": 1.0, "language": "es" }, { "word": "su", "start": 1.36, "end": 1.52, "confidence": 1.0, "language": "es" }, { "word": "póliza", "start": 1.52, "end": 2.0, "confidence": 1.0, "language": "es" }, { "word": "de", "start": 2.0, "end": 2.1599998, "confidence": 0.99902344, "language": "es" }, { "word": "automóvil", "start": 2.1599998, "end": 2.96, "confidence": 0.9958008, "language": "es" }, { "word": "veo", "start": 2.96, "end": 3.28, "confidence": 0.9995117, "language": "es" }, { "word": "que", "start": 3.28, "end": 3.4399998, "confidence": 1.0, "language": "es" }, { "word": "actualmente", "start": 3.4399998, "end": 4.0, "confidence": 1.0, "language": "es" }, { "word": "cuenta", "start": 4.0, "end": 4.3199997, "confidence": 1.0, "language": "es" }, { "word": "con", "start": 4.3199997, "end": 4.56, "confidence": 1.0, "language": "es" }, { "word": "cobertura", "start": 4.56, "end": 5.12, "confidence": 1.0, "language": "es" }, { "word": "integral", "start": 5.12, "end": 5.7599998, "confidence": 1.0, "language": "es" }, { "word": "con", "start": 5.7599998, "end": 6.0, "confidence": 0.9550781, "language": "es" }, { "word": "un", "start": 6.0, "end": 6.16, "confidence": 0.99902344, "language": "es" }, { "word": "deducible", "start": 6.16, "end": 6.72, "confidence": 0.9482422, "language": "es" }, { "word": "de", "start": 6.72, "end": 6.8799996, "confidence": 1.0, "language": "es" }, { "word": "quinientos", "start": 6.8799996, "end": 7.3599997, "confidence": 0.9946289, "language": "es" }, { "word": "dólares", "start": 7.3599997, "end": 9.36, "confidence": 0.9970703, "language": "es" } ] } ] } ] } } ``` ### Streaming Example Open a WebSocket connection with hints in the URL: ``` wss://api.deepgram.com/v1/listen?model=nova-3&language=multi&language_hint=en&language_hint=es&encoding=linear16&sample_rate=16000 ``` Each `Results` message, interim and final, includes the language fields: ```json { "type": "Results", "channel_index": [0, 1], "duration": 2.91, "start": 2.84, "is_final": true, "speech_final": true, "channel": { "alternatives": [ { "transcript": "veo que actualmente cuenta con cobertura integral", "confidence": 1.0, "languages": ["es"], "languages_hinted": ["en", "es"], "words": [ { "word": "veo", "start": 2.9199998, "end": 3.32, "confidence": 0.97314453, "language": "es" }, { "word": "que", "start": 3.32, "end": 3.3999999, "confidence": 1.0, "language": "es" }, { "word": "actualmente", "start": 3.3999999, "end": 4.04, "confidence": 1.0, "language": "es" }, { "word": "cuenta", "start": 4.04, "end": 4.3599997, "confidence": 1.0, "language": "es" }, { "word": "con", "start": 4.3599997, "end": 4.52, "confidence": 1.0, "language": "es" }, { "word": "cobertura", "start": 4.52, "end": 5.08, "confidence": 1.0, "language": "es" }, { "word": "integral", "start": 5.08, "end": 5.4799995, "confidence": 1.0, "language": "es" } ] } ] } } ``` Use the `languages` field to route downstream processing, for example to pick the TTS voice or LLM prompt language that matches what the speaker said. ## Related Resources * [Multilingual Codeswitching](/docs/multilingual-code-switching) — Codeswitching on Nova-2, Nova-3, and Flux * [Flux Multilingual & Language Prompting](/docs/flux/language-prompting) — Language hints for Flux on `/v2/listen` * [Models & Languages Overview](/docs/models-languages-overview#nova-3) — All models and supported languages * [Pre-Recorded API Reference](/reference/speech-to-text/listen-pre-recorded) — `POST /v1/listen` * [Streaming API Reference](/reference/speech-to-text/listen-streaming) — `WS /v1/listen`