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# AVSpeechUtterance

An object that encapsulates the text for speech synthesis and parameters that affect the speech.

```
class AVSpeechUtterance
```

## Overview

An `AVSpeechUtterance` is the basic unit of speech synthesis.

To synthesize speech, create an `AVSpeechUtterance` instance with text you want a speech synthesizer to speak. Optionally, change the [`voice`](/documentation/AVFAudio/AVSpeechUtterance/voice), [`pitchMultiplier`](/documentation/AVFAudio/AVSpeechUtterance/pitchMultiplier), [`volume`](/documentation/AVFAudio/AVSpeechUtterance/volume), [`rate`](/documentation/AVFAudio/AVSpeechUtterance/rate), [`preUtteranceDelay`](/documentation/AVFAudio/AVSpeechUtterance/preUtteranceDelay), or [`postUtteranceDelay`](/documentation/AVFAudio/AVSpeechUtterance/postUtteranceDelay) parameters for the utterance. Pass the utterance to an instance of [`AVSpeechSynthesizer`](/documentation/AVFAudio/AVSpeechSynthesizer) to begin speech, or enqueue the utterance to speak later if the synthesizer is already speaking.

Split a body of text into multiple utterances if you want to apply different speech parameters. For example, you can emphasize a sentence by increasing the pitch and decreasing the rate of that utterance relative to others, or you can introduce pauses between sentences by putting each into an utterance with a leading or trailing delay.

Set and use the [`AVSpeechSynthesizerDelegate`](/documentation/AVFAudio/AVSpeechSynthesizerDelegate) to receive notifications when the synthesizer starts or finishes speaking an utterance. Create an utterance for each meaningful unit in a body of text if you want to receive notifications as its speech progresses.

## Topics

### Creating an utterance

[`init(string:)`](/documentation/AVFAudio/AVSpeechUtterance/init(string:))

Creates an utterance with the text string that you specify for the speech synthesizer to speak.

[`speechUtteranceWithString:`](/documentation/AVFAudio/AVSpeechUtterance/speechUtteranceWithString:)

Creates an utterance with the text string that you specify for the speech synthesizer to speak.

[`init(attributedString:)`](/documentation/AVFAudio/AVSpeechUtterance/init(attributedString:))

Creates an utterance with the attributed text string that you specify for the speech synthesizer to speak.

[`speechUtteranceWithAttributedString:`](/documentation/AVFAudio/AVSpeechUtterance/speechUtteranceWithAttributedString:)

Creates an utterance with the attributed text string that you specify for the speech synthesizer to speak.

[`AVSpeechSynthesisIPANotationAttribute`](/documentation/AVFAudio/AVSpeechSynthesisIPANotationAttribute)

A string that contains International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) symbols the speech synthesizer uses to control pronunciation of certain words or phrases.

[`speechUtteranceWithSSMLRepresentation:`](/documentation/AVFAudio/AVSpeechUtterance/speechUtteranceWithSSMLRepresentation:)

Returns a new speech utterance with an Speech Synthesis Markup Language (SSML) string.

[`init(ssmlRepresentation:)`](/documentation/AVFAudio/AVSpeechUtterance/init(ssmlRepresentation:)-8zam9)

Creates a speech utterance with an Speech Synthesis Markup Language (SSML) string.

### Configuring an utterance

[`voice`](/documentation/AVFAudio/AVSpeechUtterance/voice)

The voice the speech synthesizer uses when speaking the utterance.

[`pitchMultiplier`](/documentation/AVFAudio/AVSpeechUtterance/pitchMultiplier)

The baseline pitch the speech synthesizer uses when speaking the utterance.

[`volume`](/documentation/AVFAudio/AVSpeechUtterance/volume)

The volume the speech synthesizer uses when speaking the utterance.

[`prefersAssistiveTechnologySettings`](/documentation/AVFAudio/AVSpeechUtterance/prefersAssistiveTechnologySettings)

A Boolean that specifies whether assistive technology settings take precedence over the property values of this utterance.

### Configuring utterance timing

[`rate`](/documentation/AVFAudio/AVSpeechUtterance/rate)

The rate the speech synthesizer uses when speaking the utterance.

[`AVSpeechUtteranceMinimumSpeechRate`](/documentation/AVFAudio/AVSpeechUtteranceMinimumSpeechRate)

The minimum rate the speech synthesizer uses when speaking an utterance.

[`AVSpeechUtteranceMaximumSpeechRate`](/documentation/AVFAudio/AVSpeechUtteranceMaximumSpeechRate)

The maximum rate the speech synthesizer uses when speaking an utterance.

[`AVSpeechUtteranceDefaultSpeechRate`](/documentation/AVFAudio/AVSpeechUtteranceDefaultSpeechRate)

The default rate the speech synthesizer uses when speaking an utterance.

[`preUtteranceDelay`](/documentation/AVFAudio/AVSpeechUtterance/preUtteranceDelay)

The amount of time the speech synthesizer pauses before speaking the utterance.

[`postUtteranceDelay`](/documentation/AVFAudio/AVSpeechUtterance/postUtteranceDelay)

The amount of time the speech synthesizer pauses after speaking an utterance before handling the next utterance in the queue.

### Inspecting utterance text

[`speechString`](/documentation/AVFAudio/AVSpeechUtterance/speechString)

A string that contains the text for speech synthesis.

[`attributedSpeechString`](/documentation/AVFAudio/AVSpeechUtterance/attributedSpeechString)

An attributed string that contains the text for speech synthesis.


---

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