How to switch between Arabic and English in DanDin

The short answer

Most of the time you do not need to switch at all. DanDin has three language modes, and the default, "Arabic + English", handles both: speak Arabic, English or both in one dictation, and DanDin works out the language of each sentence by itself. Arabic comes out in Arabic letters and English in English letters. If you want one language only, move your pointer over the small DanDin pill. A gear button appears. Click it to open Dictation options. The Language row is the last row, below a line, with three options: "Arabic + English", "Arabic only" and "English only". You can also change it in the main window under Settings, then Language, then Dictation language. Your choice is saved after you quit, and a fresh install starts on "Arabic + English". You cannot change it in the middle of a dictation. In English only, the Translate to English switch dims, because you are already speaking English.

Which language mode should I pick?

Pick the one that matches how you write, not how you talk. The default suits most people who move between the two languages all day.

DanDin's three language modes, as named in the app (version 1.3.1), and what each one writes.

Mode	Hint in Settings	What you get
"Arabic + English", the default	Each word in its own language	Arabic sentences in Arabic letters, English sentences in English letters. A switch of language starts a new line
"Arabic only"	English words in Arabic letters	Every word in Arabic letters. An English word is written the way it sounded, never translated
"English only"	Everything in English	Everything comes out in English

Swipe the table to see every column

Choose "Arabic only" if you want a page with no Latin letters on it at all, for example a formal Arabic letter. Choose "English only" if you only ever dictate in English. Otherwise leave it on the default.

Where is the language setting?

There are two ways in. The quick one is on the pill:

1. Move your pointer over the DanDin pill

   The pill is the small bar DanDin keeps on your screen. When your pointer is over it, a gear button appears beside it. It does not appear while a dictation is running.

2. Click the gear to open Dictation options

   A short menu opens with the things you can change before you speak.

3. Find Language at the bottom

   It is the last row, below a dividing line.

4. Pick one of the three modes

   The new mode is used from your next dictation.

The other way is the main DanDin window: open Settings, then Language, then Dictation language. Both places change the same setting.

Can't find the pill? Just start a dictation. On a Mac, hold the Fn key (the Globe key). On Windows, hold Ctrl and the Windows key together. Talk, then let go.

What happens when I mix Arabic and English?

In the default mode, each sentence is written in the language you said it in. A whole English sentence comes out in English, on its own line, and the next Arabic sentence starts a new line in Arabic.

English words inside an Arabic sentence are handled too. DanDin is built to keep an English word in English letters when it hears it as English, so «عندي meeting الساعة ثلاثة» keeps the word meeting as you said it. A borrowed word that people normally write in Arabic letters, like الباكيج, قروب or ايميل, stays the way you said it.

"Built to" is the honest wording. This is how DanDin is designed, not a promise that it never slips. If you switch language in the middle of one breath, the result can go either way. Nobody has published accuracy figures for mixed Arabic and English speech, us included, so we do not give you a number.

Is this different from other dictation apps?

Yes, and it is the reason the default exists. Wispr Flow's help centre says: "Flow detects one language per dictation, not per word." (read on 8 October 2026). That means one language for the whole dictation. DanDin's default works out the language for each sentence, so a dictation that starts in Arabic and moves to English comes out in both scripts. For a full side by side, see DanDin vs Wispr Flow.

Does DanDin remember my choice?

Yes. The mode is saved, so it is still there after you quit DanDin or restart your computer. A fresh install starts on "Arabic + English", in both the Arabic and the English version of the app.

How does the language mode affect Translate to English?

Dictation options also has a switch called Translate to English. It takes your Arabic speech and writes English text. When the mode is "English only", that switch is dimmed and a short line appears under it: "You are speaking English now." Nothing is broken. There is no Arabic to translate, so the switch steps out of the way. In the other two modes it works as normal.

If something still looks wrong

Check the mode first. That is the answer most of the time.

• The words are right but the commas and lists are not. That is the Auto format switch in the same menu, not the language.
• You changed the mode and pressed Retry, and nothing changed. Retry sends the same recording in the mode it was recorded in. To get it in the new mode, say it again.
• One word keeps coming out in the wrong letters. Send the sentence you said and the text you got to support@dandin.com. That kind of report helps us fix it.