How to Make Google Home Bilingual

Add a second language to use with your Google Home devices

by
Fionna Agomuoh
Fionna Agomuoh
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Fionna Agomuoh is a former freelance contributor to Lifewire. Her writing has appeared in Newsweek, International Business Times, and others.
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Fionna Agomuoh
Updated on August 19, 2021
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Michael Barton Heine Jr
Lifewire Technology Review Board Member
Michael Heine is a CompTIA-certified writer, editor, and Network Engineer with 25+ years' experience working in the television, defense, ISP, telecommunications, and education industries.
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Article reviewed on Dec 29, 2020
Michael Barton Heine Jr

What to Know

  • Open the Google Home app on your phone. Tap your profile.
  • Select Assistant settings > Assistant > Languages.
  • Tap Add a language and select a second language from the list.

This article explains how to add a second language to the Google Home app on your mobile phone. Languages that work with Google Home include English, French, German, Chinese, Danish, Italian, Japanese, Russian, Dutch, Norwegian, Spanish, and dialects within these languages.

How to Add a Second Language to Google Home

Google Home smart speakers answer questions, play music, and control parts of your home. Google Assistant is the driving force behind Google Home, just like Alexa for Amazon devices and Siri for Apple devices.

Google Assistant isn't limited to English-language commands. It's possible to add any two supported languages and speak to your device in either one. Here's a look at adding a second language to Google Assistant to control your Google Home devices.

Use the Google Home app for iOS or Android to add a second language to your speaker. The process is similar for either operating system.

  1. Open the Google Home app on your smartphone.

  2. Select your profile icon in the upper-right corner.

  3. Select Assistant settings > Assistant > Languages.

    The google Home app with the account, Assistant Settings, and Languages options highlighted

  4. Select Add a language to choose a second language for Google Home to recognize. Then select a language from the list.

    If you haven't set any languages yet, tap Add a language on both lines to select two languages.

  5. Tap the back arrow to view the two languages you now have set.

    Google Assistant settings with Add Language and the back arrow highlighted

    To remove the second language, go back into the language settings, select the language you no longer want to be supported, then tap None.

  6. Say, "OK Google" to the Google Home device in either of your chosen languages. Google Assistant answers in the language you use.

More on Multiple Languages With Google Home

You can't use a combination of languages in your instructions. For example, suppose you set English and Spanish as your languages. In that case, Google Home won't understand, "Hey Google, set a timer por favor."

If other family members who use the speaker want to use a second language, each user must set up Voice Match with the device in each language. This way, Google Assistant will recognize and respond to each user in their preferred language.

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