Cortana begins speaking in Chinese unofficially

By Chuong Nguyen
published

It appears that a simple mod has made Cortana into a Chinese speaking assistant ahead of Microsoft's official support for the language. Though the procedure allows Cortana to respond in Chinese, you do have to ask your questions in English at this time.

The folks over at Windows Blog Italia managed to show off the Chinese feature in the video below:

It should be noted that Microsoft does not officially support Chinese in Cortana at this time.

Microsoft already promised that Chinese language support will be coming to Cortana soon, so this is promising sign of progress in making Cortana accessible in China.

Thanks, Guy, for the tip.

Source: Windows Blog Italia

Chuong Nguyen
Chuong Nguyen

Chuong's passion for gadgets began with the humble PDA. Since then, he has covered a range of consumer and enterprise devices, raning from smartphones to tablets, laptops to desktops and everything in between for publications like Pocketnow, Digital Trends, Wareable, Paste Magazine, and TechRadar in the past before joining the awesome team at Windows Central. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, when not working, he likes exploring the diverse and eclectic food scene, taking short jaunts to wine country, soaking in the sun along California's coast, consuming news, and finding new hiking trails. 

128 Comments
  • This should help get people to be willing to try the platform at least.
  • No it won't. Once Cortana is out of beta she probably will be speaking Chinese. It's one of the most spoken languages. Remember, 8.1 isn't officially out and cortana is still in beta
  • The most spoken*
  • English is the most spoken language. Chinese is the most spoken primary language, but there are more people speaking English around the World, mostly as a second language. Nobody besides people who work directly with China learn Chinese; the French, German, Italian, Japanese, Russian, Spanish, etc learn English and frequently use it to communicate with eachother
  • by population, how many - chinese vs whole world
  • Still Chinese is the most spoken language. Bing it
  • Chinese is far more widely spoken than English with over a 1.6billion gap.
  • 8.1 is officially out
  • Beyond the developer preview globally? Really?
  • 930 and 630/635
  • 8.1 is in fact the RTM version. The world is waiting for Cyan update rather.
  • not everywhere
  • I doubt it will speak Arabic even tho Arabic is one of the most spoken languages
  • She will speak Hindi too. its one of the most spoken language.
  • Yeah This ^^^
  • I cant imagine her speaking Hindi... It'll be funny if it happens!
  • The best ever experience for most of us Indians. If they release Cortana in Hindi wp market share would be touching sky here. Just imagine the dictating in Hindi !
  • I'm sorry but as soon as it started shipping on phones it's out. Just because Microsoft are to lazy to actually release it to the entire windows phone community doesn't mean it isn't out. They're just being slack.
  • It's not
  • Microsoft already released it. its up to nokia and the carriers now
  • Duh. "Nokia" (devices) IS Microsoft.
  • 8.1 is not officially out. Then tell me what os version lumia 630 and 930 has? They have beta version? A big no official 8.1 is out now.
  • Question is, how do you make it do that now?
  • Atlast!
  • Does it would be available in Indonesian language?
  • Hmm... Interesting... Though I think making Cortana speak many language will be difficult... And if she does, she'll feel robotic... At least make English speaking Cortana Worldwide!
  • Depends who is developing. If Microsoft work with speakers of respective languages who know well the local areas where these languages are mainly spoken.. aiming for quality should deliver a good product. If it's a bunch of English speakers using pre developed computerized voices and calling it a full release... well.. I would hope they aim for quality - they surely should and I believe will. The Chinese voice they were looking for needed to "sound like it is smiling".
  • I hope it's available in Japanese. But first I really want Word Flow to support other languages.
  • It works in Spanish. :)
  • What? Using the voice of Hanazawa Kana? No way, wwwwwwwww
  • Works in Portuguese
  • Works in Finnish
  • supports turkish
  • If Microsoft pushes their plan to reintroduce Windows Phone in Japan, Cortana in Nihonggo can be next.
  • Korean and Khmer don't work either.
  • Vote in uservoice bro! Kita udah bikin di WP uservoice biar cortana speaking our Bahasa! Yay!
  • When will cortana talk in spanish?
  • This
  • I've never seen any Chinese user on wpcentral... Not even elsewhere on YouTube (comments on WP videos etc)... And you'll find an Indian every 2-3 comments. Still no cortana for India. Common MSFT..
  • Remember that cortana is a beta version, and wp8.1 a preview for devs
  • 8.1 is done, finished!
  • because you wouldnt understand shit when they are writting.. in china you dont see to many english speaking people hanging around the homepages there
  • Because they don't waste their time on stupid stuff lol
    Btw a Chinese team have already rooted Nokia Lumia 920 so....
  • Don't be so biased, ok ? I'm a Chinese and I can speak English. Chinese is my mother tongue, most of us usually use Chinese to communicate with others. On the other hand, Chinese is one part of our culture, so we have to keep it.
  • how am I biased? I just know that the Internet does not just exist of latin based languages.
  • Of course. Every person in the world can use internet. If I type Chinese here, you would not know anything of that. English is a common language.
  • Well i dont think you even understood my initial post.
  • I didn't aim at you. Just continuing this conversation. Sorry for putting on wrong place. Why could you know people were Chinese or not if we all type English?
  • Alfred Lee, adrian1338 most likely meant other people who don't speak chinese would just see chinese characters.
  • I see, but only few people did that. Most of us are typing English here.
  • Well because they didn't speak chienese here.
  • It's because you never noticed before, for instance,I'm a Chinese..
  • They are just hiding, and they read articles without leaving a comment like me. More importantly, YouTube is blocked in China.
  • more importantly, u cant tell who is behind that nickname... its the internet, nothing is real lol
  • With the internet, the world won't know that you're only just a cat with a cute mustache.
  • No YouTube? Strange!
  • We Chinese have YouKu just like YouTube
  • I think one of the writers for wpcentral is Chinese. Chassit
  • You don't see doesn't mean we don't exist here. The fact that wpcentral is in English is the main reason why Chinese wp users usually don't come here. Most people in China won't visit English websites as that is not a language they use frequently.
  • How would you know if somebody is Chinese or not?
    P.S: I'm a foreigner living in China!
  • I'm Chinese.
  • Furthermore, most Chinese read and analyze, and look into other source, so they don't need to keep on babbling in the comments. Therefore, you rarely sense us Chinese here.
  • And with no disrespect, the reason there are many Indian commentators are due to them asking "how about India?" In almost every article. They're a lovely bunch of people that supports WP full-heartedly.
  • India +925
  • I am Chinese
  • I am not a Chinese, but almost every single person i know said i am one. Am i eligible?
  • Are you suggesting that Indians use the internet more than the Chinese.? I'm, sorry, but the Chinese are far more connected. You don't see the Chinese because they populate the huge part of the internet that is basically all Chinese language. They don't need to use English at all! I can understand why there are more English responses from Indians: There just isn't that big a community or indian language side to the internet as there is for Chinese. This all makes sense as the roll out for Cortana is concentrated on USA, China and the UK. Other countries are secondary.
  • I'm Chinese. Many times I just watch the news not comment. There are a lot of Chinese Nokia fans they buy and use WP
  • I want to cortana speak in spanish, but i think is far away...
  • A ver, queda bastante para que este en español pero todavía es una beta, cuando salga oficialmente es cuando hay que estar ahí pendientes( hablo en español porque eres, no?)
  • Yo también quisiera tener Cortana en español, aun que mi idioma materna es inglés. Aveces quiero usar mi teléfono en español. Que bien que por lo menos WordFlow funciona en español. :)
  • Pues lo único que queda es esperar jaja
  • Creo que falta bastante para tener a Cortana en español, me interesa bastante saber que tipo de voz elegirán para esta versión, ya que al usar mi móvil con la localización de Estados Unidos me he acostumbrado mucho a la voz de Jen Taylor.
  • Cantonese, please!
  • I second that. We need a user voice for exactly that. Get Cortana speaking Cantonese.
  • Along with that, whose voice do you guys want to voice Cortana in Cantonese?
  • Haha, I didn't know she could sing!?
  • Cortana singing??? How????
  • Try sing me a song, and she could....
  • Thx
    I'll try
  • Proly sounds sexy as hell no matter what language you throw at her. Not sure about Klingon though.
  • I'd like to hear it [Cortana] in French.
  • I want in PT-BR. :[
  • Eu tambem!
  • Omg , unbelievable !!
  • If Chinese support will come with Cortana. Does this mean they will have to hire another person to record the Chinese voice?
  • Some people are discussing this, the voice sounds beautiful
  • Yeah it does. Lovely voice.
  • Chinese Cortana sounds pretty natural...most likely it's recorded. And it kinda sounds like it's the same Cortana that speaks english, that's pretty neat.
  • That's a song so must have been pre-recorded.  What's more interesting is to see a normal computer generated speech.
  • What needed to do is bring out the real WP 8.1 and dragging is, y'all Ova do rite what is going on MS. Don't say it's coming that day and it don't.... Y'all need to tight up
  • Hope they follow ADDuplex data and add Brazilian Portuguese next.
  • Yeah, indian Hindi too :)
  • +Hindi
  • I don't think that will happen. Most likely, you guys will get (american) English..
  • We'll, most probably get English but not American. That makes no sense for waiting this long then.
  • Don't expect hindi thats way too far. If they add Indian english that will be a great thing.
  • Wow I'm liking the amount of effort being put into Cortana. 
  • While we're on the subject of XBM.. I'd like to sat that I've stopped looking for that bi weekly update, as I don't long for it as much......
    ............ With that said,, I give MS credit because the app has improved tremendously.... Still needs work, but I can comfortably work with it now.
  • Just watched the video and was blown away at how natural it sounded in comparison to english version to Cortana. Even if it is a recording, I am liking the work the Cortana team is putting in - as i'm guessing it was one of the team that made the mod?
     
  • To make it speak Chinese do I need to change the region to China ? Haha
  • No,You needn't.you should use a proxy server to activate Cortana to speak Chinese. Also you need to speak Chinese to make her responded you in Chinese.
  • Cue....angry non-US users wanting Cortana now. (Hint: We get it! Microsoft does too! Patience!)
  • Being English, speaking English, I would have hoped I could use the already available English version in the UK. But no, I have to wait until they've released the Chinese version.
  • The English version is not completed as it needs to take into account the various English accents, vernacular/customs, etc. You must be referring to the USA English version which doesn't completely sit well with my English accent and naming conventions. Btw, Chinese and English Cortana should be coming at the same time.
  • PLEAAAAASE, give me the link to download this wallpaper in the Live tiles of the image, I'm in love with him. PLEASE
  • ching chong!
  • Why are you being racist? (very foolish of you)
  • Isn't windows phone's market share like zero in China?
  • Could I say actually you needn't use English at all. She will also responded you if you speak Chinese, she could even sing a song in Chinese.(I speak Chinese so I have already tried that ;)
  • Applause for the team! :D
  • Hi Chuong. You can share your wallpaper? Is very beautiful
  • Sounds miles better than the Chinese-speaking Siri, who sounds like a 40~50-year-old woman.
  • Considering India has the second largest market base after US of Windows Phone, MS should aim to release Cortana in India after US....
  • Sorry mate. Looks like that's tightly scheduled for next year. They still can't seem to get the UK version rolled out yet so I can only imagine the delays for other regions/ This is typical Microsoft stupidity, unfortunately.
  • +1
  • I want it in Czech language :D
  • Please roll out Cortana speaking English for all Countries. I hate to change my Language and Region. I can live with Cortana not being available in German. I'm capable of saying "Play Artist Iron Maiden" to Cortana. But don't let us wait for such a long time!
  • Yes, that will be cool.... I asked Cortana if she will sing me a song.... That's really cool
  • Facebook also blocked in China
  • Gz china. Also, Taiwan, hk, and Macao.
  • Imagine her in Hindi or Punjabi :P
  • Wow, that's cool....
  • Sounds really nice.
  • Does anyone have the background picture?
  • I don't speak Chinese myself, but when it's officially available in Chinese, can one say to her in both English and Chinese?
  • Can anyone please tell me how to create or get that wallpaper on the above show mobile background,was that pattern created by using any app or is it just a picture ? wpcentral people said they created it by using "Polyscreen" app but i tried that app and i cant get those vibrant colours and shapes.
  • I hope for Arabic please Even after 2 years No Problem