5 Simple Ways to Enable Speech Output from Your Linux Terminal

If you’re looking for ways to get speech output from your Linux terminal, there are several tools that can help you accomplish this. Here are five popular methods to make your terminal talk:

1. ESpeak
   eSpeak is a lightweight and open-source speech synthesizer known for its speed and low resource usage. It’s user-friendly and supports multiple languages and accents. To install eSpeak on Debian/Ubuntu, use:

   sudo apt install espeak

   You can make it speak text by typing:

   espeak "Hello from your Linux terminal!"

   Additionally, you can read from a text file by using:

   espeak -f filename.txt

   eSpeak allows customization, including pitch and speed options.

2. Festival
   For more advanced users, Festival offers a robust text-to-speech system with customizable voices. To install it, run:

   sudo apt install festival

   You can use it like this:

   echo "Festival is a powerful text-to-speech system." | festival --tts

3. Google Speech (gTTS)
   gTTS utilizes Google’s cloud-based speech synthesis for high-quality output. To use it, you need Python and pipx installed. First, install gTTS:

   pipx install gtts

   Then, execute a command to make it speak:

   gtts-cli "Hello and Welcome to Linux!" --output temp.mp3 && mpg123 temp.mp3

4. Say (Speech Dispatcher)
   For users familiar with macOS, the say command can be mimicked using Speech Dispatcher on Linux. Install it using:

   sudo apt install speech-dispatcher

   Then, you can speak text like this:

   spd-say "Hello and Welcome to Linux!"

5. Flite
   Flite is a lighter alternative designed for resource-constrained environments. Install it via:

   sudo apt install flite

   You can use it as follows:

   flite -t "Flite is a small and fast speech synthesis engine."

These tools provide various functionalities, allowing you to personalize your experience based on resource availability and speech quality preferences. Whether you’re looking to automate announcements or just have a bit of fun, each option has something unique to offer.

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