To add punctuation while dictating on a Mac, say the punctuation mark’s name at the point where it belongs—for example, “comma,” “question mark,” or “new paragraph.” macOS inserts the corresponding mark or formatting. You can also let Dictation add some punctuation automatically, if Auto-punctuation is available for your selected language. Apple’s Mac Dictation guide

Start Dictation where you want the text

Open the app and document, message, or text field where you want to write. Place the insertion point, then start Dictation using the Microphone key if your Mac has one, your configured Dictation shortcut, or Edit > Start Dictation. When the cursor signals that Dictation is listening, begin speaking. Apple’s instructions for dictating on Mac

For ordinary punctuation, say its name in the sentence rather than speaking the symbol itself. For instance, say: “The meeting is at three comma not four period” to enter “The meeting is at three, not four.” Apple lists commands including “comma,” “period” (also “point,” “dot,” or “full stop”), “question mark,” “exclamation mark,” “colon,” “semicolon,” “dash,” “hyphen,” and “ellipsis.” The guide also lists “quote” and “end quote” for opening and closing double quotation marks. Apple’s punctuation command list

Useful punctuation and formatting commands

Say these commands where you want the corresponding character or break to appear:

Say Dictation inserts
“comma” ,
“period,” “point,” “dot,” or “full stop” .
“question mark” ?
“exclamation mark” !
“colon” or “semicolon” : or ;
“open parenthesis” / “close parenthesis” ( or )
“open square bracket” / “close square bracket” [ or ]
“new line” / “new paragraph” A line break / a paragraph break

Apple’s command reference includes “open curly bracket” and “close curly bracket” as well. It lists additional symbols, such as “at sign,” “ampersand,” and “underscore,” which can help with text like email addresses or labels. Dictation may interpret commands differently depending on language and context, so check the inserted text—especially when dictating a sentence that mentions punctuation rather than asking Mac to insert it. Apple’s full dictation command list

Choose between spoken and automatic punctuation

Spoken commands give you a direct way to place a particular mark. For supported languages, Dictation can also automatically insert commas, full stops, and question marks as you speak. Availability varies by language and region, so automatic punctuation may not appear for every Dictation language. If it is adding marks you don’t want, go to Apple menu > System Settings > Keyboard > Dictation and turn off Auto-punctuation. The same Dictation section is where you can check the selected language. Apple’s Dictation settings and language guidance

A practical approach is to use automatic punctuation for a first pass when it suits your language, then speak a command for a mark you need to control precisely. If you prefer to decide every pause and sentence boundary yourself, turn Auto-punctuation off and say the marks as you dictate. This is a workflow suggestion based on the two available methods, not a separate macOS setting.

Check and correct punctuation

After dictating, read the text once for punctuation, spacing, and unintended words. If a mark is wrong or missing, place the insertion point there and correct it with the keyboard, or select the text and dictate a replacement. Apple notes that ambiguous dictated text may be underlined in blue; clicking it can show alternatives. Dictation does not guarantee that punctuation will match the speaker’s intended sentence structure, so a quick review is useful for longer or carefully formatted text. Apple’s guidance on correcting dictated text

When finished, press Escape, the Microphone key if available, or your Dictation shortcut to stop. You can also use new line or new paragraph while speaking to control breaks; Apple describes these as equivalent to pressing Return once or twice. Apple’s dictation controls

Know when to use Voice Control

Standard Dictation is for entering text. Apple distinguishes it from Voice Control, which is designed for speaking commands that also interact with the Mac; when Voice Control is on, standard macOS Dictation is unavailable. If you only need punctuation in text, use Dictation and speak the punctuation names. Don’t assume that an instruction for controlling the Mac is also a standard Dictation command. Apple’s explanation of Dictation and Voice Control

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