# German speech-to-text API (Deutsch)

> KolWrite transcribes German audio and video with one REST call: send "language": "de" and get segments with word timings and speaker labels as JSON, TXT or SRT. Oracle models translate German into English or 99 other languages.

Last updated: 2026-10-08 · HTML: https://console.kolwrite.com/speech-to-text/german

## Transcribe German with one request

Set `language` to `de` and start a job. Poll `GET /transcribe/{jobId}` for the result, or pass a `webhook_url`.

```bash
curl https://app.kolwrite.com/transcribe \
  -H "x-api-key: $KOLWRITE_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"audio_url": "https://example.com/besprechung-de.m4a", "model": "oracle", "language": "de", "include_diarization": true, "output_format": "json"}'
```

Translate German audio into English in the same job (Oracle models only):

```bash
curl https://app.kolwrite.com/transcribe \
  -H "x-api-key: $KOLWRITE_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"audio_url": "https://example.com/besprechung-de.m4a", "model": "oracle_mini", "language": "de", "translate_to": "en", "output_format": "srt"}'
```

## German at a glance

| Property | Details |
| --- | --- |
| API code | `de` |
| Native name | Deutsch |
| Writing direction | Left to right |
| Automatic detection | Yes: omit `language` or send `"auto"` |
| Translate German audio into | Any of the 100 supported languages, on Oracle models |
| Translate other languages into German | Yes: `translate_to: "de"` on Oracle models |
| Output | JSON (segments, word timings, speakers), TXT, SRT |
| Price | US$0.48 (Base) to US$3.60 (Oracle Max) per audio hour; US$1.44 on Oracle |

## What to know about German transcription

- German compounds can be split or joined differently from your reference text. Normalize compounds and the ß/ss spelling before measuring or searching.
- Swiss German dialects differ strongly from Standard German and have no separate code. Test Swiss and Austrian dialect recordings before relying on them.
- Nouns are capitalized in German; keep case when you display transcripts, and case-fold only for search.

## Where teams use German transcription

- Meeting minutes and works-council records in German-speaking companies.
- German podcasts, broadcast and training video with subtitles.
- Market and user research interviews, translated with `translate_to: "en"`.

## Choosing a model

Start with `oracle` (US$1.44 per hour) for production German audio. Use `base` (US$0.48) for clean, single-speaker recordings at volume, `oracle_mini` (US$0.96) for the cheapest translation, and `oracle_pro` or `oracle_max` for noisy or difficult audio. KolWrite does not publish a German accuracy figure for this API, so test a sample of your own recordings before committing. Full comparison: [models and prices](https://console.kolwrite.com/models).

## Questions and answers

### Does KolWrite understand Swiss German?

Swiss German has no separate code. It is sent as `de`; quality on dialect speech varies, so test it.

### Can I get word timestamps for German?

Yes. JSON and SRT include word timings by default on models with word alignment.

### Which model is cheapest for clear German audio?

`base`, at 0.40 credits (US$0.48) per audio hour.

## Related pages

- [Dutch speech-to-text](https://console.kolwrite.com/speech-to-text/dutch)
- [Polish speech-to-text](https://console.kolwrite.com/speech-to-text/polish)
- [English speech-to-text](https://console.kolwrite.com/speech-to-text/english)
- [Enterprises](https://console.kolwrite.com/use-cases/enterprise)
- [Language research & linguistics](https://console.kolwrite.com/use-cases/researchers)
- [Supported languages](https://console.kolwrite.com/languages/)

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Get an API key: https://console.kolwrite.com/auth · API documentation: https://console.kolwrite.com/public_api_docs · llms.txt: https://console.kolwrite.com/llms.txt