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Drop text with the markers below into the text field and send a real request to hear the emotion.

Overview

Fish Audio models support 64+ emotional expressions and voice styles that can be controlled through text markers in your input. Add natural pauses, laughter, and other human-like elements to make speech more engaging and realistic.
This page shows S2 usage with [bracket] cues. If you use the legacy S1 model, wrap markers in parentheses instead — see S1 (legacy) syntax below for the full list, or the Models Overview.

How It Works

Add emotional or stylistic cues in square brackets within your text:
[happy] What a beautiful day!
[sad] I'm sorry to hear that.
[excited] This is amazing news!
The S2 TTS models will interpret these markers and adjust the voice accordingly.

Complete Emotion Reference

Basic Emotions (24 expressions)

EmotionTagDescriptionExample Context
Happy[happy]Cheerful, upbeat toneGood news, greetings
Sad[sad]Melancholic, downcastSympathy, bad news
Angry[angry]Frustrated, aggressiveComplaints, warnings
Excited[excited]Energetic, enthusiasticAnnouncements, celebrations
Calm[calm]Peaceful, relaxedInstructions, meditation
Nervous[nervous]Anxious, uncertainDisclaimers, apologies
Confident[confident]Assertive, self-assuredPresentations, sales
Surprised[surprised]Shocked, amazedReactions, discoveries
Satisfied[satisfied]Content, pleasedConfirmations, reviews
Delighted[delighted]Very pleased, joyfulCelebrations, compliments
Scared[scared]Frightened, fearfulWarnings, horror stories
Worried[worried]Concerned, troubledConcerns, questions
Upset[upset]Disturbed, distressedComplaints, problems
Frustrated[frustrated]Annoyed, exasperatedTechnical issues, delays
Depressed[depressed]Very sad, hopelessSerious topics
Empathetic[empathetic]Understanding, caringSupport, counseling
Embarrassed[embarrassed]Ashamed, awkwardApologies, mistakes
Disgusted[disgusted]Repelled, revoltedNegative reviews
Moved[moved]Emotionally touchedHeartfelt moments
Proud[proud]Accomplished, satisfiedAchievements, praise
Relaxed[relaxed]At ease, casualCasual conversation
Grateful[grateful]Thankful, appreciativeThanks, appreciation
Curious[curious]Inquisitive, interestedQuestions, exploration
Sarcastic[sarcastic]Ironic, mockingHumor, criticism

Advanced Emotions (25 expressions)

EmotionTagDescriptionExample Context
Disdainful[disdainful]Contemptuous, scornfulCriticism, rejection
Unhappy[unhappy]Discontent, dissatisfiedComplaints, feedback
Anxious[anxious]Very worried, uneasyUrgent matters
Hysterical[hysterical]Uncontrollably emotionalExtreme reactions
Indifferent[indifferent]Uncaring, neutralNeutral responses
Uncertain[uncertain]Doubtful, unsureSpeculation, questions
Doubtful[doubtful]Skeptical, questioningDisbelief, questioning
Confused[confused]Puzzled, perplexedClarification requests
Disappointed[disappointed]Let down, dissatisfiedUnmet expectations
Regretful[regretful]Sorry, remorsefulApologies, mistakes
Guilty[guilty]Culpable, responsibleConfessions, apologies
Ashamed[ashamed]Deeply embarrassedSerious mistakes
Jealous[jealous]Envious, resentfulComparisons
Envious[envious]Wanting what others haveAdmiration with desire
Hopeful[hopeful]Optimistic about futureFuture plans
Optimistic[optimistic]Positive outlookEncouragement
Pessimistic[pessimistic]Negative outlookWarnings, doubts
Nostalgic[nostalgic]Longing for the pastMemories, stories
Lonely[lonely]Isolated, aloneEmotional content
Bored[bored]Uninterested, wearyDisinterest
Contemptuous[contemptuous]Showing contemptStrong criticism
Sympathetic[sympathetic]Showing sympathyCondolences
Compassionate[compassionate]Showing deep careSupport, help
Determined[determined]Resolved, decidedGoals, commitments
Resigned[resigned]Accepting defeatGiving up, acceptance

Tone Markers (5 expressions)

Control volume and intensity:
ToneTagDescriptionWhen to Use
Hurried[in a hurry tone]Rushed, urgentTime-sensitive information
Shouting[shouting]Loud, calling outGetting attention
Screaming[screaming]Very loud, panickedEmergencies, fear
Whispering[whispering]Very soft, secretiveSecrets, quiet scenes
Soft[soft tone]Gentle, quietComfort, lullabies

Audio Effects (10 expressions)

Add natural human sounds:
EffectTagDescriptionSuggested Text
Laughing[laughing]Full laughterHa, ha, ha
Chuckling[chuckling]Light laughHeh, heh
Sobbing[sobbing]Crying heavilyOptional text
Crying Loudly[crying loudly]Intense cryingOptional text
Sighing[sighing]Exhale of relief/frustrationsigh
Groaning[groaning]Sound of frustrationugh
Panting[panting]Out of breathhuff, puff
Gasping[gasping]Sharp intake of breathgasp
Yawning[yawning]Tired soundyawn
Snoring[snoring]Sleep soundzzz

Special Effects

Additional markers for atmosphere and context:
EffectTagDescription
Audience Laughter[audience laughing]Crowd laughing sound
Background Laughter[background laughter]Ambient laughter
Crowd Laughter[crowd laughing]Large group laughing
Short Pause[break]Brief pause in speech
Long Pause[long-break]Extended pause in speech
You can also use natural expressions like “Ha,ha,ha” for laughter without tags.

Usage Guidelines

Placement Rules

For S2:
  • Sentence-level emotion cues usually work best at the beginning of sentences
  • Tone controls can go anywhere in the text
  • Sound effects can go anywhere in the text
  • Bracket cues can use natural language descriptions and are not limited to a fixed set of tags
Correct:
[happy] What a wonderful day!
What a [warm and happy] wonderful day!

Advanced Techniques

Combining Effects

You can layer multiple emotions for complex expressions:
[sad][whispering] I miss you so much.
[angry][shouting] Get out of here now!
[excited][laughing] We won! Ha ha!

Emotion Transitions

Create natural emotional progressions:
[happy] I got the promotion!
[uncertain] But... it means relocating.
[sad] I'll miss everyone here.
[hopeful] Though it's a great opportunity.
[determined] I'm going to make it work!

Background Effects

Add atmospheric sounds:
The comedy show was amazing [audience laughing]
Everyone was having fun [background laughter]
The crowd loved it [crowd laughing]

Intensity Modifiers

Fine-tune emotional intensity with descriptive modifiers:
[slightly sad] I'm a bit disappointed.
[very excited] This is absolutely amazing!
[extremely angry] This is unacceptable!

Language Support

All 13 supported languages can use emotion markers. For sentence-level control, cues usually work best at the sentence start in these languages:
  • English, Chinese, Japanese, German, French, Spanish, Korean, Arabic, Russian, Dutch, Italian, Polish, Portuguese

Best Practices

Do’s

  • Use one primary emotion per sentence
  • Test different emotion combinations
  • Match emotions to context logically
  • Add appropriate text after sound effects (e.g., “Ha ha” after laughing)
  • Use natural expressions when possible
  • Space out emotional changes for realism

Don’ts

  • Don’t overuse emotion tags in short text
  • Don’t mix conflicting emotions
  • Don’t make bracket descriptions so long that they interrupt readability
  • Don’t forget brackets
  • Don’t place sentence-level emotion cues far from the sentence they control

Common Use Cases

Customer Service

[friendly] Hello! How can I help you today?
[empathetic] I understand your frustration.
[confident] I'll resolve this for you right away.
[grateful] Thank you for your patience!

Storytelling

[narrator] Once upon a time...
[mysterious][whispering] The old house stood silent.
[scared] "Is anyone there?" she called out.
[relieved][sighing] No one answered. Phew.

Educational Content

[enthusiastic] Welcome to today's lesson!
[curious] Have you ever wondered why?
[encouraging] That's a great question!
[proud] Excellent work!

Marketing & Sales

[excited] Introducing our newest product!
[confident] You won't find better quality anywhere.
[urgent] Limited time offer!
[satisfied] Join thousands of happy customers!

Troubleshooting

Emotion Not Working?

  1. Check placement - Put the cue where the emotion or effect should begin
  2. Keep wording clear - Use concise natural language descriptions
  3. Use the right syntax - S2 cues use square brackets; S1 cues must use parentheses

Unnatural Sound?

  • Space out emotional changes
  • Use appropriate intensity
  • Test with different voices
  • Add context text after sound effects

Performance Notes

  • Emotion markers don’t count toward token limits
  • No additional latency for emotion processing
  • All emotions available on all pricing tiers
  • Maximum of 3 combined emotions per sentence recommended

Quick Reference Tables

Emotion Intensity Scale

Base EmotionMildModerateIntense
Happysatisfiedhappydelighted
Saddisappointedsaddepressed
Angryfrustratedangryfurious
Scarednervousscaredterrified
Excitedinterestedexcitedecstatic

Common Combinations

ScenarioEmotion ComboExample
Whispered Secret[mysterious][whispering]”I have something to tell you…”
Angry Shout[angry][shouting]”Stop right there!”
Sad Sigh[sad][sighing]”I wish things were different. Sigh.”
Excited Laugh[excited][laughing]”We did it! Ha ha!”
Nervous Question[nervous][uncertain]”Are you sure about this?”

S1 (legacy) syntax

The default S2-Pro model uses [bracket] cues with free-form natural language. The previous-generation S1 model uses the same emotion names but requires (parentheses) and a fixed tag set:
(happy) What a beautiful day!
(sad)(whispering) I'll miss you so much.
EmotionTagDescriptionExample Context
Happy(happy)Cheerful, upbeat toneGood news, greetings
Sad(sad)Melancholic, downcastSympathy, bad news
Angry(angry)Frustrated, aggressiveComplaints, warnings
Excited(excited)Energetic, enthusiasticAnnouncements, celebrations
Calm(calm)Peaceful, relaxedInstructions, meditation
Nervous(nervous)Anxious, uncertainDisclaimers, apologies
Confident(confident)Assertive, self-assuredPresentations, sales
Surprised(surprised)Shocked, amazedReactions, discoveries
Satisfied(satisfied)Content, pleasedConfirmations, reviews
Delighted(delighted)Very pleased, joyfulCelebrations, compliments
Scared(scared)Frightened, fearfulWarnings, horror stories
Worried(worried)Concerned, troubledConcerns, questions
Upset(upset)Disturbed, distressedComplaints, problems
Frustrated(frustrated)Annoyed, exasperatedTechnical issues, delays
Depressed(depressed)Very sad, hopelessSerious topics
Empathetic(empathetic)Understanding, caringSupport, counseling
Embarrassed(embarrassed)Ashamed, awkwardApologies, mistakes
Disgusted(disgusted)Repelled, revoltedNegative reviews
Moved(moved)Emotionally touchedHeartfelt moments
Proud(proud)Accomplished, satisfiedAchievements, praise
Relaxed(relaxed)At ease, casualCasual conversation
Grateful(grateful)Thankful, appreciativeThanks, appreciation
Curious(curious)Inquisitive, interestedQuestions, exploration
Sarcastic(sarcastic)Ironic, mockingHumor, criticism
EmotionTagDescriptionExample Context
Disdainful(disdainful)Contemptuous, scornfulCriticism, rejection
Unhappy(unhappy)Discontent, dissatisfiedComplaints, feedback
Anxious(anxious)Very worried, uneasyUrgent matters
Hysterical(hysterical)Uncontrollably emotionalExtreme reactions
Indifferent(indifferent)Uncaring, neutralNeutral responses
Uncertain(uncertain)Doubtful, unsureSpeculation, questions
Doubtful(doubtful)Skeptical, questioningDisbelief, questioning
Confused(confused)Puzzled, perplexedClarification requests
Disappointed(disappointed)Let down, dissatisfiedUnmet expectations
Regretful(regretful)Sorry, remorsefulApologies, mistakes
Guilty(guilty)Culpable, responsibleConfessions, apologies
Ashamed(ashamed)Deeply embarrassedSerious mistakes
Jealous(jealous)Envious, resentfulComparisons
Envious(envious)Wanting what others haveAdmiration with desire
Hopeful(hopeful)Optimistic about futureFuture plans
Optimistic(optimistic)Positive outlookEncouragement
Pessimistic(pessimistic)Negative outlookWarnings, doubts
Nostalgic(nostalgic)Longing for the pastMemories, stories
Lonely(lonely)Isolated, aloneEmotional content
Bored(bored)Uninterested, wearyDisinterest
Contemptuous(contemptuous)Showing contemptStrong criticism
Sympathetic(sympathetic)Showing sympathyCondolences
Compassionate(compassionate)Showing deep careSupport, help
Determined(determined)Resolved, decidedGoals, commitments
Resigned(resigned)Accepting defeatGiving up, acceptance
ToneTagDescriptionWhen to Use
Hurried(in a hurry tone)Rushed, urgentTime-sensitive information
Shouting(shouting)Loud, calling outGetting attention
Screaming(screaming)Very loud, panickedEmergencies, fear
Whispering(whispering)Very soft, secretiveSecrets, quiet scenes
Soft(soft tone)Gentle, quietComfort, lullabies
EffectTagDescriptionSuggested Text
Laughing(laughing)Full laughterHa, ha, ha
Chuckling(chuckling)Light laughHeh, heh
Sobbing(sobbing)Crying heavily(optional)
Crying Loudly(crying loudly)Intense crying(optional)
Sighing(sighing)Exhale of relief/frustrationsigh
Groaning(groaning)Sound of frustrationugh
Panting(panting)Out of breathhuff, puff
Gasping(gasping)Sharp intake of breathgasp
Yawning(yawning)Tired soundyawn
Snoring(snoring)Sleep soundzzz
EffectTagDescription
Audience Laughter(audience laughing)Crowd laughing sound
Background Laughter(background laughter)Ambient laughter
Crowd Laughter(crowd laughing)Large group laughing
Short Pause(break)Brief pause in speech
Long Pause(long-break)Extended pause in speech

See Also