To train Capitão, Papo's (https://papo.global/) artificial intelligence assistant, to respond in different languages, you configure the assistant's prompt to instruct the AI to detect the language of the message and reply in the same language, and you also add FAQs and documents to the Knowledge Base in the languages you want. You can also create separate Capitão assistants for each language and link them to specific inboxes, ensuring each audience is served in their native language.
Capitão's multilingual capability does not depend on a standalone language selector, but rather on the combination of the prompt instructions (the assistant's "brain") and the content you provide in the Knowledge Base. With proper configuration, the same assistant can switch between Portuguese, English, Spanish and other languages, or you can create specialized assistants for each language and link them to different channels.
| Strategy | How it works | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Single multilingual prompt | You create a Capitão assistant with a prompt that instructs the AI to "reply in the same language as the question". The Knowledge Base is fed with FAQs and documents in the supported languages. The assistant detects the language and responds accordingly. | Ideal for operations with moderate international volume, where a single team handles all conversations and the experience does not require full separation by language. |
| Separate assistants per language | You create a Capitão assistant for each language (e.g., "Capitão EN", "Capitão ES") with a prompt and Knowledge Base exclusive to that language. Each assistant is linked to a specific inbox or widget (e.g., English website, WhatsApp with a dedicated number). | Recommended when there is a high volume of conversations in each language, teams segmented by language, or when answer accuracy requires fully isolated content. |
How Capitão processes different languages
Capitão uses the same AI engine as Papo's Prompt & AI. When a customer sends a message, the flow is as follows:
- The message arrives in the inbox (WhatsApp, website, Instagram, etc.).
- The Capitão assistant linked to that inbox receives the text and consults its prompt and the Knowledge Base.
- If the prompt contains the instruction to detect the language and reply in the same language, the AI identifies the language of the question and generates the appropriate response.
- If the Knowledge Base has FAQs or documents in the detected language, Capitão prioritizes that information to compose the answer.
Therefore, the key to multilingual support lies in two pillars:
- A well-structured prompt: with clear commands such as "always reply in the same language as the customer's message" or "if the customer writes in English, reply in English; if they write in Spanish, reply in Spanish".
- A multilingual Knowledge Base: FAQs and documents in the languages you want to support. Without that content, Capitão may understand the language but will not have accurate answers based on your business.
Step by step to configure a multilingual Capitão
Before you start, check whether you already have a Capitão assistant created. If you don't, create a new one in the Capitão module by providing a name and description.
- Open the Capitão assistant you want to train. In the Papo dashboard, go to the Capitão module and select the assistant from the list.
- Edit the prompt (the AI instructions). Include clear guidance on multilingual behavior. Example:
"You are a customer service assistant. Always reply in the same language as the customer's question. If the question is in Portuguese, reply in Portuguese; if it is in English, reply in English; if it is in Spanish, reply in Spanish." - Add FAQs in the languages you want. In the assistant's Knowledge Base section, create question-and-answer pairs for each language. For example:
- "Qual o horário de funcionamento?" / "Atendemos de segunda a sexta, das 9h às 18h."
- "What are your business hours?" / "We are open Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 6 PM."
- "¿Cuál es el horario de atención?" / "Atendemos de lunes a viernes, de 9 a 18 h."
- Upload documents (PDFs, text files) that contain relevant information in each language. Capitão extracts knowledge from these files and uses it to answer questions that are not covered by the FAQs.
- Test the behavior. Send test messages in different languages through the inbox linked to the assistant and check that the replies are in the correct language and contain the expected content.
- Adjust the handoff scenarios if needed. Create scenarios to transfer the conversation to a human agent when Capitão is not confident about the answer or when the customer asks to speak to a person — regardless of the language.
If you choose separate assistants per language, repeat the process for each assistant, with exclusive prompts and knowledge bases, and link each one to the corresponding inbox (e.g., English website widget, WhatsApp number for Spanish-speaking customers).
Who this configuration makes sense for
- E-commerces that sell abroad and need to serve customers in English, Spanish or other languages without hiring bilingual teams for the first contact.
- Travel agencies, hotels and tour operators with a multinational audience that reaches out via WhatsApp or website chat.
- Technology and SaaS companies with a global user base that want to offer automated support in each customer's native language.
- Businesses that already use Capitão in Portuguese and want to expand automation to new markets without duplicating their support structure.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to create a different Capitão assistant for each language?
Not necessarily. A single assistant can handle multiple languages if the prompt instructs automatic detection and the Knowledge Base contains content in the desired languages. The choice between one multilingual assistant or several dedicated assistants depends on your conversation volume and how your team is organized.
Does Capitão automatically detect the customer's language?
Yes, as long as the prompt contains the proper instruction. Papo's AI is able to identify the language of the message and reply in the same language, using the Knowledge Base content available in that language.
Can I add FAQs in Portuguese and English to the same knowledge base?
Yes. You can register the same question in different languages as separate FAQs. Capitão will look for the answer that matches the language detected in the conversation.
How do I get Capitão to reply in Portuguese for customers in Brazil and in English for customers in the US?
Configure the prompt with the instruction to reply in the language of the question and feed the Knowledge Base with FAQs and documents in Portuguese and English. If you use different WhatsApp numbers or widgets for each country, you can also create separate assistants and link them to each inbox.
Does multilingual training work with PDF documents?
Yes. You can upload PDF files, text documents and other formats in the languages you want Capitão to understand. The AI extracts the content and uses it to answer questions, respecting the language of the document.
How do I check whether Capitão is replying in the correct language?
Use the Capitão assistant's Statistics area to track the volume of automatic replies and, most importantly, run manual tests by sending messages in different languages through the linked inboxes. Analyzing real conversations also helps identify whether the language is being respected.
Read also
- What the AI Knowledge Base is and how to add documents to train Capitão
- How to view the performance statistics of the Capitão assistant
Create your Papo account and configure Capitão to serve customers in any language, at no initial cost.