Office Settings & Configuration

How to Fix Extra Spanish Words Added by Word Dictate

Olivia Miller Oct 9, 2026 870 views

Question details

The user needs to prevent Microsoft Word's Dictate feature from inserting unexpected Spanish words when using speech-to-text.

How to Fix Extra Spanish Words Added by Word Dictate

Product: Microsoft Word
Device & OS: Windows
Scenario: Using the Dictate feature in Spanish, especially after pausing, manually entering punctuation, or restarting the dictation process.
Observed behavior: Unexpected Spanish words are automatically added to the document during dictation, often linked to speech-recognition bugs in Insider Preview builds.

Before you start

Ensure your microphone is functioning properly and verify that your Windows operating system is fully updated before making changes to your Office application settings.

Solution 1Recommended

Configure Windows Language Settings and Test Dictation

Ensuring the correct language packs are fully installed on your operating system can help the dictation engine process speech accurately.

Sometimes the speech recognition engine struggles if the exact language pack is not fully integrated into your Windows settings, leading to misinterpretations and extra words.

Open Windows Language Settings

Press the Windows Key + I to open Windows Settings, then navigate to Time & Language.

Install the Spanish Language Pack

Select Language & Region, click on 'Add a language', search for Spanish, and install the language pack completely.

Test in a Blank Document

Open a blank Microsoft Word document, activate the Dictate feature, and test if the unexpected words still appear after pausing.

Configure Windows Language Settings and Test Dictation

Internet Connection: Make sure you have a stable internet connection, as Word Dictate relies on cloud services for accurate transcription.

Solution 2

Opt Out of the Office Insider Program

Beta and preview builds of Microsoft 365 often contain bugs. Reverting to a stable, generally released build can fix dictation errors.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Word Dictate add random words when I pause?

This usually occurs when the speech recognition engine misinterprets background noise, breathing, or a sigh as spoken words. It is also a known bug in certain early Office Insider Preview builds.

Will leaving the Office Insider program delete my saved documents?

No, leaving the Office Insider program and reverting to a stable build only affects the Microsoft Office application software itself. Your saved documents and files will remain completely untouched.

How do I add punctuation automatically in Word Dictate?

You can enable Auto Punctuation by clicking the Dictation Settings (gear icon) on the Dictation toolbar and toggling on the 'Enable auto-punctuation' option, which reduces the need to speak punctuation marks out loud.

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