> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.callkaro.ai/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Custom Pronunciations > Control how your AI agent pronounces specific words ## Overview Custom Pronunciations allow you to control exactly how your AI agent pronounces specific words, names, or phrases. This ensures brand names, technical terms, and proper nouns are spoken correctly during calls. Set phonetic spellings to guide the AI's text-to-speech engine for accurate pronunciation. *** ## How It Works You create a pronunciation dictionary where: * **Word:** The text as it appears (what the agent sees) * **Pronunciation:** How it should be spoken (phonetic spelling) When the agent encounters the word in conversation, it uses your phonetic spelling for pronunciation. **Example:** ``` Word: "Callkaro" Pronunciation: "Call-kah-ro" Agent sees: "Welcome to Callkaro" Agent says: "Welcome to Call-kah-ro" ``` *** ## When to Use Ensure your company or product name is pronounced correctly **Examples:** * `Nike` → `Ny-kee` * `Adidas` → `Ah-dee-dahs` * `Xiaomi` → `Shao-mee` Help agent pronounce people's names correctly **Examples:** * `Saoirse` → `Ser-sha` * `Niamh` → `Neev` * `Siobhan` → `Shi-vawn` Clarify pronunciation of industry jargon or technical words **Examples:** * `SQL` → `S-Q-L` or `Sequel` * `GitHub` → `Git-Hub` * `OAuth` → `O-Auth` Control how acronyms are read **Examples:** * `API` → `A-P-I` * `CEO` → `C-E-O` * `FAQ` → `F-A-Q` Match local pronunciation preferences **Examples:** * `Mumbai` → `Mum-buy` (not "Mum-bye") * `Delhi` → `Dil-lee` (not "Del-high") *** ## Configuration In your agent configuration, scroll to the **Custom Pronunciations** section Click the **"+"** button to add a new pronunciation **Key:** Type the exact word as it appears in your content **Example:** `Callkaro` This should match exactly how the word appears in your system prompt or conversations. **Value:** Write how the word should be pronounced **Example:** `Call-kah-ro` Use hyphens to separate syllables and emphasize the stressed syllable. Click **"Add"** to save the pronunciation *** ## Best Practices Break words into clear syllables using hyphens **Good:** * `Mercedes` → `Mer-say-deez` * `Hyundai` → `Hun-day` **Avoid:** * `Mercedes` → `Mersaydeez` (unclear syllables) Emphasize which syllable should be stressed **Examples:** * `Amazon` → `AM-uh-zon` * `Google` → `GOO-gul` * `Microsoft` → `MY-kro-soft` Use common English sounds that TTS engines understand **Good:** * `Nguyen` → `Win` * `Queue` → `Kyoo` **Avoid:** * Complex phonetic symbols like IPA * Overly technical notation Use Test Call to hear how your pronunciations sound **Process:** 1. Add pronunciation 2. Run test call 3. Listen carefully 4. Adjust if needed 5. Test again If a word appears in multiple forms, add all variants **Example:** ``` Callkaro → Call-kah-ro Callkaro's → Call-kah-roz ``` *** ## Examples by Category ### Company & Brand Names ``` Nike → Ny-kee Adidas → Ah-dee-dahs Xiaomi → Shao-mee IKEA → Eye-KEE-uh Huawei → Wah-way Louis Vuitton → Loo-ee Vwee-ton Hermes → Air-mez Porsche → Por-shuh ``` *** ### Indian Names ``` Rajesh → Rah-jesh Priya → Pree-yah Aditya → Ah-dit-yah Shreya → Shray-ah Vignesh → Vig-nesh Kavya → Kav-yah ``` *** ### Technical Terms ``` API → A-P-I SQL → S-Q-L AWS → A-W-S OAuth → O-auth GitHub → Git-hub PostgreSQL → Post-gres-Q-L Kubernetes → Koo-ber-net-eez ``` *** ### Product Names ``` iPhone → Eye-fone MacBook → Mac-book PlayStation → Play-stay-shun Xbox → Ecks-box ``` *** ### Place Names (Indian Cities) ``` Mumbai → Mum-buy Bengaluru → Ben-guh-loo-roo Hyderabad → High-der-uh-bad Ahmedabad → Ah-med-uh-bad Thiruvananthapuram → Thi-roo-vuh-nun-thuh-poo-rum ``` *** ## Advanced Techniques ### Numbers & Codes For reference numbers or IDs that should be spelled out: ``` A1234 → A one two three four #5678 → Hash five six seven eight ``` *** ### Emphasis & Pauses Some TTS engines respond to punctuation: ``` URGENT! → UR-jent (pause) Important → im-POR-tant ``` *** ### Alternative Pronunciations For words with regional variations: **US English:** ``` Schedule → SKED-jool ``` **British English:** ``` Schedule → SHED-yool ``` **Indian English:** ``` Schedule → SHED-yool ``` *** ## Common Mistakes to Avoid **Wrong:** ``` Nguyen → /ŋʷɪ̃ˀən/ ``` **Right:** ``` Nguyen → Win ``` TTS engines don't understand IPA symbols. Use simple English sounds. **Incomplete:** ``` Call → Kawl ``` **Complete:** ``` Call → Kawl Calls → Kawlz Calling → Kawl-ing Called → Kawld ``` **Inconsistent:** ``` Google → GOO-gul Facebook → facebook ``` **Consistent:** ``` Google → GOO-gul Facebook → FACE-book ``` Use the same style (hyphens, caps) for all entries. *** ## Testing Your Pronunciations Configure all the words you want to customize Make sure the words appear in your agent's system prompt or will be used in conversations Use the Test Call feature to hear your agent speak Pay attention to how each customized word is pronounced Edit pronunciations that don't sound quite right **Example Iterations:** ``` Attempt 1: Callkaro → Call-ka-ro (sounds too clipped) Attempt 2: Callkaro → Call-kah-roh (better, but "roh" sounds odd) Final: Callkaro → Call-kah-ro (perfect!) ``` *** ## Troubleshooting **Possible Causes:** * Word doesn't appear in conversations * TTS engine ignoring the guidance * Spelling mismatch **Solutions:** 1. Verify the word appears exactly as entered in your content 2. Try different phonetic spellings 3. Test with a simpler pronunciation 4. Check if word is part of a compound phrase **Issue:** Pronunciation sounds unnatural or incorrect **Solutions:** * Try different syllable breaks * Experiment with capitalization for emphasis * Use more common sound approximations * Listen to how native speakers say it and approximate that **Example:** ``` Try 1: Hyundai → High-un-die (too literal) Try 2: Hyundai → Hun-dye (better but rushed) Final: Hyundai → Hun-day (natural!) ``` **Issue:** Word is pronounced correctly inconsistently **Cause:** The word might appear in different contexts or forms **Solution:** Add all possible variations: ``` API → A-P-I APIs → A-P-I-z API's → A-P-I-z ``` **Possible Causes:** * Voice provider doesn't support SSML modifications * TTS engine limitations **Workaround:** Try replacing the word entirely in your system prompt: **Instead of:** ``` "Welcome to Nguyen Restaurant" + Custom Pronunciation: Nguyen → Win ``` **Use:** ``` "Welcome to Win Restaurant" (in system prompt) ``` *** ## Managing Pronunciations ### Editing 1. Click the **Edit** icon next to any pronunciation 2. Modify the word or pronunciation 3. Click **Save** ### Deleting 1. Click the **Delete** icon next to any pronunciation 2. Pronunciation is immediately removed *** ## Language-Specific Tips ### Hindi/Indian Languages For transliterated words: ``` Namaste → Nuh-muh-stay Dhanyavaad → Dhan-yuh-vaad Aadhaar → Aah-daar ``` *** ### Technical Products For tech products with unique names: ``` Redis → REH-dis Nginx → Engine-X Apache → Uh-PATCH-ee PostgreSQL → POST-gres-Q-L ``` *** ## Getting Help Use Test Call feature to verify custom pronunciations sound natural Our team can help optimize pronunciations for your industry or language