Assist not work

[leeaash]

The problem

It seems that assist doesn’t work in my end, no matter what I input, it always replies ‘Sorry, I couldn’t understand that’

What version of Home Assistant Core has the issue?

2023.2.0

What was the last working version of Home Assistant Core?

No response

What type of installation are you running?

Home Assistant OS

Integration causing the issue

No response

Link to integration documentation on our website

No response

Diagnostics information

No response

Example YAML snippet

No response

Anything in the logs that might be useful for us?

No response

Additional information

[ChristophCaina]

I've noticed this too. What I've observed so far - it seems to be related with the usage of areas...

Example:

"Stehlampe" is assigned to the Area "Wohnzimmer". When I use "turn on Stehlampe" it will be turned on - When I'm using "turn off Stehlampe" - it will be turned off.

But when I'm using "turn on Stehlampe in Wohnzimmer" or "turn off Stehlampe in Wohnzimmer" - it does not work.

so probably related to the intent recognition especially with [all]

- sentences:
          - "<turn> off [all] [the] (light | lights) in <area>"
          - "<turn> off [all] <area> (light | lights)"
          - "<turn> [all] [the] <area> (light | lights) off"
          - "<turn> [all] [the] (light | lights) in <area> off"

when I use the specific sentence: "turn on all lights in Wohnzimmer" - it is working

[ChristophCaina]

side note: The intentions for German are a bit different - i've tried to translate the german intents into english for better understanding

translated and reduced to the most common writings:

      - sentences:
          - "turn (<light> | <lights>) in <area> <off>"
          - "turn <area> (<light> | <lights>) <off>"

          - "turn [<lights> | <all_lights>] [<area>] <off>"
          - "turn [<area>] [<lights> | <all_lights>] <off>"

And working in my case with german UI more reliable...

[leeaash]

Do I have to add custom sentence for that?

[ChristophCaina]

maybe, you need to raise an issue within the "intent" project from homeassistant. https://github.com/home-assistant/intents/issues

I am not quite sure - since german sentences are working in my case - it COULD just be an issue with how the english sentences were set up. At least, I would consider this as an topic within the intents area - rather than a core issue atm.

[tkdrob]

Assist is very basic in it's matching. Use entity aliases and custom matching to get the results you want. Mention this in the intents repo of course so that we can get better matching for all languages.

[vingerha]

I have the same issue, am on 2023.2.3 and 5 (dev instance). The first request takes a few seconds and then comes back with 'Sorry...' and every follow-up request does not even take time, immediate response 'Sorry,...'

EDIT: my install is english-only

[spacecakes]

I too have the same issue. Does not understand anything at all.

[vingerha]

Upgraded to 2023.3 and now it is gone, beats me why Only thing: sentence has to be 'exact' else it remains 'stupid'

[popeating]

same here, on version 2023.3.0 "Sorry, I couln't understant that" for every phrase i type (or say), i double checked to be sure im using the correct intent (in any case i'm also expecting other errors) i'm woondering if i need to install something or configure in configuration.yaml something

[MartinPalasek]

I have same problem in czech language.

[pgrigorjev]

I have same problem in russian language.

[leeaash]

I guess HA assist only works when user language is set in English.

[pgrigorjev]

Changed the interface language to English. The result is the same. "Sorry, I couldn't understand that".

[SlainV]

Also changed from English (GB) to English, but nothing changed. Nothing I unput gets a response other than "Sorry, I couldn't understand that" Checked logs, couldn't find anything meaningful.

[vingerha]

I noticed it is highly sensitive, simple typo and ... nothing

[Lars-]

Doesn't work here either

[pgrigorjev]

It worked for me after some update.

[soldtm]

~~Same problem with russian and english~~ Now working in 2023.5.0b8

[dlasher]

+1 zero luck getting anything to change. All input, typed OR spoken, is met with "Sorry, I couldn't understand that"

Home Assistant 2023.5.1 Supervisor 2023.04.1 Frontend 20230503.2 - latest

[Jpsy]

I seemed to have the same problem. Then I found that the entities that I used for all my testing had slightly different names. I.e. I used "Küchentisch" (kitchen table) while the true entity name was "Küche Tisch". Creating an alias solved that problem.

If you come from Alexa you are used to some tolerance in the entity names. Also Alexa tells you clearly whether it did not understand you or whether it did not find the requested entity.

In HA there is currently no such differentiation.

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[iNaiks]

+1 zero luck getting anything to change. All input, typed OR spoken, is met with "Sorry, I couldn't understand that"

Home Assistant 2023.5.1 Supervisor 2023.04.1 Frontend 20230503.2 - latest

Same think here, only used in the frist release, but from there always says "Sorry, I couldn't understand that"

[waleed-alharthi]

Took me a while to understand "Aliases" the gentlemen above mentioned. Below are some screenshots to help fellow lost souls:

Click an entity

Click the gear icon

Click Voice Assistants

Fill in Aliases

Save and close. Now I can tell Assist to "turn (alias) on"

[HFeenstra]

2023.11.1 - I finally have the local assist installed with the Atom Echo.
First had language in Dutch. Every sentence it said “Sorry I can’t understand.”, then changed to English. Same so far. See my snapshot below:

I did also try with aliases no success so far, any idea.

[ncodee]

Having same issue here on HA 2023.11.2, anyone found a solution?

[iNaiks]

Having same issue here on HA 2023.11.2, anyone found a solution?

Using alias will work

[ncodee]

Having same issue here on HA 2023.11.2, anyone found a solution?

Using alias will work

Same issue with Aliases.

[pako-github]

I am on HA 2023.11.3 and same issue. Neither English nor German is working at all.

[aalencia]

Year of the def.

[phulstaert]

Same issue here... "Sorry, I couldn't understand that" on every command. I tried to test this by using commands that don't use device names like "<what_is>[ the] weather[ like]" (https://github.com/home-assistant/intents/blob/main/sentences/en/weather_HassGetWeather.yaml) But still "Sorry, I couldn't understand that'.

edit:

Core: 2024.1.6 Supervisor: 2023.12.1 Operating System: 11.4 Frontend: 20240104.0 Runs in VM