Dictate in Catalan on a Mac: setup, commands and accents

To dictate in Catalan on a Mac, open System Settings → Keyboard, go to Dictation (Dictat on a Catalan-language Mac), click Edit next to Languages, and select Catalan (Spain). Start Dictation and pick Catalan from the language shown next to the cursor. Catalan has the basic Dictation feature only: Apple does not list it for on-device dictation, automatic punctuation or emoji, so you say each punctuation mark yourself, and Apple does not say Catalan dictation works without a connection. Apple publishes a fully translated Catalan command list.

The steps come from Apple's Dictate messages and documents on Mac for macOS 27 Golden Gate, and its Catalan edition, Dictar els missatges i documents al Mac. If your screen differs, search System Settings for "Dictation" or "Dictat".

How do you turn on Catalan dictation?

1. Choose Apple menu → System Settings, then click Keyboard (Teclat) in the sidebar.
2. Go to Dictation (Dictat) and turn it on.
3. Click Edit (Edita) next to Languages (Idiomes) and select Catalan (Spain). Keep Spanish or English selected too if you dictate in them.
4. In a text field, start Dictation with the Microphone key, your Dictation shortcut, or Edit → Start Dictation (Edita → Inicia el dictat).
5. Check that the language next to the cursor is Catalan. To switch, click it, or press the Globe key (tecla del globus terraqüi) and choose.

Apple's guide describes switching by hand, not automatic detection of a language change, so switch before you move between Catalan and Spanish.

Which Catalan regions and features does Apple list?

From Apple's macOS feature availability page for macOS Golden Gate, checked on 3 October 2026:

Apple's Dictation list names one Catalan option, Catalan (Spain), with no other region and no separate Valencian option. Valencian appears on the same page only in the list for VoiceOver, Live Speech and Read & Speak. Apple does not say how Catalan (Spain) dictation handles Valencian or other regional speech, so test it with your own sentences.

What that means in practice:

• Say every punctuation mark. Apple's guide says Dictation adds "commas, periods, and question marks" only in supported languages, and Catalan is not on that list.
• Check where your Catalan dictation is processed. Apple's guide says the text below the Dictation switch in Keyboard settings tells you whether general dictation is processed on your Mac or sent to Siri servers. Read it before you dictate anything confidential. Is Mac Dictation private? explains that note.
• Use the emoji picker. Catalan is not on the emoji dictation list.

How do you say punctuation in Catalan?

Apple's Catalan command list, Ordres per dictar text al Mac, is fully translated. The entries you will use most:

Two details from Apple's Catalan pages:

• Two wordings for a new paragraph. The command list says paràgraf nou; the Catalan Dictation guide tells you to say nou paràgraf. Apple does not say whether both work; try both.
• The middle dot is not the l·l dot. Apple's page shows a wide dot (・) for punt volat, not the narrow dot used in words such as col·legi. Apple does not say how Dictation writes l·l, so check it.

Catalan keyboard and accents

Dictation language and keyboard layout are separate settings. Apple's Write in another language on Mac has you add keyboards under Keyboard → Text Input → Edit. It says an added input source's language also joins "your list of Dictation languages (if available)", and that Control-Space selects the last input source you used.

Apple's Dictation guide does not say you need any particular keyboard to dictate Catalan, and it does not describe how Dictation handles à, è, é, í, ï, ò, ó, ú, ü and ç. Check them in your test. To fix a letter by hand, Apple's accent marks page says you can press and hold a letter key to open the accent menu, though accent marks are not available in every app.

If a word comes out wrong, Apple says ambiguous text is underlined in blue: click it and pick an alternative. The Catalan edition's example is getting malva when you meant marbre.

What about other dictation apps?

Apple's Dictation is free and is the first thing to try for Catalan.

Google's voice typing help lists Catalan for voice typing in Google Docs in Chrome, Edge or Safari, and notes that "Punctuation might not be available in every language". Dictate in Google Docs on a Mac covers the steps. Microsoft's Dictate your documents in Word does not list Catalan among its spoken languages.

SuprFlow's requirements page lists 19 languages, and Catalan is not one of them. Do not buy SuprFlow for Catalan dictation.

A 10-minute test for your Catalan

1. Write four made-up sentences: two ordinary, one with an English product or person name, and one with a date, an amount and a negation. For example: La reunió amb Jordan Chen és el 14 de maig. L’import és de 2.750 euros, no de 2.570.
2. Dictate them into Notes with Catalan active, saying coma and punt.
3. Check every accent, apostrophes such as l’ and d’, any l·l, the name, the figures and the negation.
4. Say paràgraf nou once and nou paràgraf once, and see which your Mac obeys.

Questions people ask

How do I use Catalan dictation on a Mac?

Add Catalan (Spain) under System Settings → Keyboard → Dictation → Languages → Edit, start Dictation, and choose Catalan from the language shown next to the cursor.

Can I dictate in Valencian on a Mac?

Apple's Dictation list names Catalan (Spain) only and has no separate Valencian option. Apple does not say how it handles Valencian speech, so test Catalan (Spain) with your own text.

Why does my Mac not add commas in Catalan dictation?

Apple does not list Catalan for auto-punctuation. Say coma for a comma and punt for a full stop, both from Apple's Catalan command list.

Does Catalan dictation work offline on a Mac?

Apple does not list Catalan for on-device dictation. The text below the Dictation switch in Keyboard settings tells you how your Mac processes it.

Related guides

• Mac dictation languages: what Apple supports in each one
• Dictate in Spanish on a Mac
• Dictate in French on a Mac
• Dictate in Portuguese on a Mac
• Mac dictation commands and punctuation
• Is Mac Dictation private?

Sources

• Apple — Dictate messages and documents on Mac
• Apple — Dictar els missatges i documents al Mac
• Apple — Ordres per dictar text al Mac
• Apple — macOS feature availability
• Apple — Write in another language on Mac
• Apple — Enter characters with accent marks on Mac
• Google — Type and edit with your voice
• Microsoft — Dictate your documents in Word
• SuprFlow — System requirements