<!-- BusyBot node reference — https://busybot.net/tools/openai-audio-translation/ -->

> Node: OpenAI Audio Translation (`openai_audio_translation`) · Action (binary) · v1
> Category: AI · Credentials: OpenAI (`openai`)
> Updated: 2026-08-16

# OpenAI Audio Translation

> Translate audio to English using OpenAI Whisper.

## Overview

OpenAI Audio Translation uses the OpenAI Audio Translations API (POST /audio/translations) with Whisper models to translate audio in any supported language into English text. Accepts binary audio input (mp3, mp4, mpeg, mpga, m4a, wav, webm) and returns an English translation in the specified format (json, text, srt, vtt). Unlike the transcriptions endpoint, this always translates to English regardless of the source language.

**Category:** AI  
**Tool Name:** `openai_audio_translation`  
**Version:** 1

**Appearance:** Icon: `openai` | Color: `#10a37f`

## Node Type

**Action (Binary)** — handles file/binary data operations

## Input / Output

| Direction | Port(s) |
|-----------|--------|
| Input | `Input` |
| Output | `Output`, `Error` |

## Credentials

This tool requires **OpenAI** credentials.
See the [Credentials Guide](https://busybot.net/credentials/openai/) for setup instructions.

### Parameters

| Parameter | Type | Required | Default | Description |
|-----------|------|----------|---------|-------------|
| Model | `options` | No | `whisper-1` | The Whisper model to use for translation. |
| | | | | Options: `whisper-1` (OpenAI Whisper large-v2 model for audio translation to English) |
| Binary Property Name | `string` | No | `data` | The name of the binary property containing the audio file to translate. Names are case-sensitive — see the upstream node's Binary Data panel for the exact names to use. |
| Options | `collection` | No | `{}` | Optional translation settings — add only the fields you need. |
| — Response Format | `options` | No | `json` | The format of the translation output. |
| | | | | Options: `json` (simple JSON with a text field), `text` (plain text), `srt` (SubRip subtitles), `vtt` (WebVTT subtitles) |
| — Temperature | `number` | No | `0` | Sampling temperature (0-1). Higher values make output more random, lower values more deterministic. |
| — Response Field Name | `string` | No | `translation` | The output field name where the translation text will be stored. |
| Include Input | `boolean` | No | `false` | Whether to include the original input item fields in the output alongside the translation. |
| Max Concurrency | `number` | No | `5` | Maximum number of items to process concurrently. |

## Output Data

One output item per input item. The English text lands on the field named by **Response Field Name** (`translation` by default), with `model` beside it. The rest of the input item JSON is dropped unless **Include Input** is on; the input audio binary is forwarded unchanged.

```json
{
  "translation": "The English translation of the spoken audio",
  "model": "whisper-1"
}
```

- With **Response Format** set to `text`, `srt` or `vtt`, the response field holds the raw string in that format — ready to write straight to a subtitle file.
- The output is always English. To keep the original language, use **OpenAI Speech-to-Text** instead.

Reference the result downstream by expression, e.g. `{{ $json.translation }}`.

## Usage Examples

- Translate a French audio recording to English text
- Convert a Spanish podcast episode to English
- Translate a German audio file with SRT subtitle output
- Get English text from a Japanese audio message
- Translate non-English audio to English for further processing

## Example Configuration

Translate audio arriving on the default binary property:

```json
{
  "type": "openai_audio_translation",
  "parameters": {
    "binaryPropertyName": "data"
  }
}
```

Produce English WebVTT captions and keep the original fields:

```json
{
  "type": "openai_audio_translation",
  "parameters": {
    "binaryPropertyName": "audio",
    "includeInput": true,
    "options": {
      "responseFormat": "vtt",
      "responseFieldName": "captions"
    }
  }
}
```

High-throughput translation of a batch of recordings:

```json
{
  "type": "openai_audio_translation",
  "parameters": {
    "binaryPropertyName": "data",
    "maxConcurrency": 20,
    "options": {
      "responseFormat": "text",
      "temperature": 0
    }
  }
}
```

### Error Handling

| Mode | Behavior |
|------|----------|
| **stop** | Halts workflow on first error |
| **continue** | Skips failed items, passes successful ones through |
| **errorPort** | Routes failed items to Error output port |

## Tips

OpenAI Audio Translation converts spoken audio in any supported language into English text using OpenAI Whisper models via the Audio Translations API. Use it when your workflow receives multilingual audio files and requires a unified English output for further processing or analysis. It produces an English translation delivered through the main output in json, text, srt, or vtt format, with failures routed to the error output.