There may be one language for family stories, another for everyday errands and a particular phrase that only sounds right the way a grandparent says it. A conversation should have room for that.
Mina offers 24 language options. Families choose a preferred language in settings, and a resident can ask Mina to change languages during a conversation.
Begin with the language they choose.
Ask your loved one which language they’d like to hear first. It might be the language they grew up with, or simply the one they use most now. Their preference matters more than an assumption based on where they were born.
The resident’s saved language guides Mina’s greeting and conversation. The resident screen also uses the language selected by the family, so the words they see and hear belong together.
Keep family preferences separate.
A family member can use English for their own settings and Life Story interview while the resident speaks another language. Each family member has a separate language preference; telling Mina about someone’s life doesn’t need to happen in that person’s preferred language.
Share the names, places, songs and phrases that matter. If a name has a particular pronunciation, add that detail when describing the person. It can be useful context for a more familiar conversation.
Let the conversation move naturally.
Some people switch languages mid-sentence; others prefer to stay with one. Mina’s language settings let families choose a primary language, add other preferred languages and decide whether it should follow language changes naturally. A resident can also explicitly ask to switch.
For a first conversation, sit together and try a greeting, a familiar place name and a subject they enjoy. Ask whether the voice and pace feel comfortable. Adjust the settings together as needed.
Languages you can choose in Mina.
- Arabic
- Bengali
- Dutch
- English
- French
- German
- Greek
- Hebrew
- Hindi
- Indonesian
- Italian
- Japanese
- Korean
- Mandarin Chinese
- Persian
- Polish
- Portuguese
- Russian
- Spanish
- Tamil
- Thai
- Turkish
- Ukrainian
- Vietnamese
Pronunciation and fluency can vary by language and voice. Try a conversation together to find the voice and pace that feel comfortable. If you don’t see the language you need, mention it when you express your interest.
