Forrest logo
tool overview
On this page you find all important commands for the CLI tool say. If the command you are looking for is missing please ask our AI.

say

The "say" command line tool is a built-in utility in macOS and some Linux distributions. It allows users to convert text into speech. It utilizes the default text-to-speech engine of the operating system to read out the specified text. The "say" command can be used in scripts, Terminal, or other command line interfaces. It supports various options like specifying the voice, rate, pitch, volume, and even output file formats. Users can select from a range of voices in different languages provided by the operating system. The "say" command is especially useful for visually impaired individuals, automating tasks, creating audio files, and for practical applications such as reading out documents or notifications.

List of commands for say:

  • say:tldr:06289 say: Read a file aloud.
    $ say --input-file=${filename-txt}
    try on your machine
    explain this command
  • say:tldr:1c13f say: Say a phrase with a custom voice and speech rate.
    $ say --voice=${voice} --rate=${words_per_minute} "${I'm sorry Dave, I can't let you do that-}"
    try on your machine
    explain this command
  • say:tldr:1e7cb say: Say a phrase aloud.
    $ say "${I like to ride my bike-}"
    try on your machine
    explain this command
  • say:tldr:2900b say: List the available voices (different voices speak in different languages).
    $ say --voice="?"
    try on your machine
    explain this command
  • say:tldr:9d78d say: Say something in Polish.
    $ say --voice=${Zosia} "${Litwo, ojczyzno moja!}"
    try on your machine
    explain this command
  • say:tldr:d23a9 say: Create an audio file of the spoken text.
    $ say --output-file=${filename-aiff} "${Here's to the Crazy Ones-}"
    try on your machine
    explain this command
tool overview