Voice Typing Tips for Non-Native English Speakers

Good news: modern AI transcription handles accents far better than older systems. Here's how to get the best results when English isn't your first language.

Why Whisper Works Better

Whisper was trained on 680,000 hours of multilingual audio, including heavily accented English. It recognizes speech patterns that older systems couldn't handle.

Tips for Better Accuracy

• Slightly slower pace: Not slow, just deliberate
• Clear consonants: Endings of words matter
• Natural rhythm: Don't over-enunciate—it sounds unnatural
• Use larger models: Medium or Large handle accents better

Common Challenges

Th Sounds

The "th" sound doesn't exist in many languages. Whisper usually figures it out from context. "De" becomes "the," "tink" becomes "think."

Vowel Differences

Vowel sounds vary significantly across languages. Context helps here too—Whisper knows "I went to the bitch" is probably "beach."

Word Stress

English stress patterns are irregular. Whisper handles this well because it understands word-level context, not just sounds.

Native Language Option

Consider dictating in your native language if Whisper supports it (99 languages). The accuracy might be higher, and you can translate after if needed.

Custom Vocabulary

Add your frequently used terms to a custom dictionary. This helps with names, technical terms, and words you use often.