Home Assistant Guide

Sentence Triggers: Making Automations Respond to Speech

Use a conversation trigger to run your automation when a phrase is spoken to Assist. You can provide multiple command: patterns, and each can use brackets for optional words, parentheses for alternatives, and curly braces for slots.

triggers:
  - trigger: conversation
    command:
      - "[it's ]party time"
      - "happy (new year|birthday)"
    

This matches "party time", "it's party time", "happy new year", or "happy birthday".

Pattern Syntax for Commands

• [optional]: Anything inside [] is optional.
  Example: [it's ]party time matches with or without "it's".
• (a|b): Anything inside () separated by | is an alternative.
  Example: happy (new year|birthday).
• {slot_name}: Slot/wildcard - captures whatever words are spoken in that place. This is how you match and use variable or open-ended input.
  Example: play {genre} music matches "play jazz music", "play relaxing music", etc.

Setting the Assistant's Response

Use the set_conversation_response action to control what the assistant says back to you. You can use templates to include dynamic values (like slot values).

actions:
  - set_conversation_response: "Party mode activated! 🎉"
    

Using Slots in Automations

Slot values (like {genre} or {color}) are available as trigger.slots.genre, trigger.slots.color, etc. You can use them in actions, responses, or templates.

triggers:
  - trigger: conversation
    command:
      - "play {genre} music"
actions:
  - set_conversation_response: "Playing {{ trigger.slots.genre }} music!"
    

• This matches "play jazz music", "play my playlist music", etc., and will respond with the captured genre or phrase.

Trigger Variables Reference

Assist Satellite Actions

• assist_satellite:announce:
  Makes a satellite device speak a message out loud in a specific room.
  • Targets: Select the satellite device, area, or entity you want to announce from.
  • Message: The text-to-speech message you want announced. (Required if no Media ID is set)
  • Media ID: Optional. Instead of TTS, play a media file (like a saved MP3) as the announcement.
  • Preannounce: If enabled, the satellite will play a short notification sound before the message or media.
  • Preannounce media ID: Optional. Play a specific media file as the preannounce sound (for example, a custom chime) instead of the default.

  Use this action when you want to broadcast an announcement - such as "Dinner is ready!" or "Someone is at the door."
  Note: The device will not listen for a reply after announcing.

  
  actions:
    - assist_satellite:announce
      device_id: assist_satellite.home_assistant_voice_09969e_assist_satellite
      message: "Dinner is ready!"
      preannounce: true
           

• assist_satellite:start_conversation:
  Makes a satellite speak a prompt, then start listening for a spoken command or question from anyone nearby.
  • Targets: Select the satellite device, area, or entity to start the conversation from.
  • Start message: The message the satellite will say to invite someone to speak (e.g. "How can I help you?").
  • Start media ID: Optional. Play a media file as the prompt instead of a TTS message.
  • Extra system prompt: Optional. Give background information or special instructions to the AI for this conversation.
  • Preannounce: Optionally play a notification sound before the prompt.
  • Preannounce media ID: Optionally play a specific sound before the prompt.

  Use this action if you want the device to both speak a prompt and then listen for a command or question - for example, after a doorbell press or a smart button.

  
  actions:
    - assist_satellite:start_conversation
      device_id: assist_satellite.home_assistant_voice_09969e_assist_satellite
      start_message: "How can I help you?"
      preannounce: true
        

  Tip: At least one of start_message or start_media_id is required, or the action will fail.

• conversation.process:
  Processes a sentence as if it were spoken to Assist, optionally as if it came from a specific device.
  • sentence: The command or question to process.
  • device_id: Optional. Process the command as if it was heard by a specific Assist satellite or device.

  Use this action to trigger Assist automations or responses from a script, automation, or another integration, without actually speaking.

  
  actions:
    - conversation.process:
        sentence: "turn off all lights"
        device_id: assist_satellite.home_assistant_voice_09969e_assist_satellite   # (optional)