Summary

  • Google is rolling out a beta feature allowing users to select a secondary language for speech input, enabling conversations in multiple languages with Gemini and Gemini Live.
  • Gemini Live now supports over 45 languages, and users in the latest beta can actively choose their secondary language. for speech in Gemini settings, allowing interaction in two languages.
  • To add a second language, head to the Gemini app → tap on your profile icon on the top right → tap Settings → Languages → select a language under ‘Second language (speech only).’

Google Gemini is set to become a more versatile smart assistant, with support for multilingualism now starting to go live in beta.

The functionality, which extends to both Gemini and Gemini Live, will let you select more than one language for speech, allowing you to probe and gain answers in the language of your choice.

two phones running google gemini app and gemini live on a laptop keyboard


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This isn’t the first time we’ve heard about support for additional languages — it first surfaced back in December. However, it’s only now that the feature has begun showing some of its functionality, in addition to Google updating its support page to say that “Gemini Live is available in over 45 languages,” as highlighted by Android Authority.

It’s worth noting that support text for adding a second language has only made its way to the ‘iPhone & iPad’ section of the support page, but we’re already seeing it live with Gemini version 1.0.686588308 and Google app beta version 16.9.39.sa.arm64 on Android, prompting us to believe that it should arrive on the stable channel soon.

You can only add one secondary language, at least for now

Screenshots of Gemini's new second language selector (for speech only).

To add a second language on your Android device, simply head to the Gemini app → tap on your profile icon on the top right → tap Settings → Languages → select a language under ‘Second language (speech only).’ Once added, you can now pose your queries to Gemini in either of the two languages. This can be done directly on the Gemini overlay, within the app, and when talking to Gemini Live.

It’s worth noting that, at the moment, you can only add one secondary language to Gemini. Additionally, Gemini defaults to the language that you speak first. In our testing, we found that even if you start talking to Gemini in the second language exclusively, it doesn’t pick up on the cue. However, if you explicitly tell it to speak the second language, it will switch.

Screenshots highlighting the post-Live summary that looks like a regular Gemini chat.

The exact timeline for the feature to land in stable remains unclear.