Words to Minutes Calculator | Free Speech Time Estimator Tool

How to Use the Words to Minutes Tool

Whether you're preparing a short talk or a longer presentation, this free speech timer gives fast and accurate results. If you need help to create a speech from scratch, we've got you covered.

Step 1: Paste your text into the form

If you need to convert a particular word count into minutes, you need to copy your text and insert it into the given form.
Step 2: Choose your speaking speed

You can choose one of the options: slow, medium, or fast. The speed of speech affects the speaking time. An average speaking speed is 140 words per minute. If you are a slow speaker, you need to select a "slow speech speed" option. If you are a fast speaker, your option is a "fast speech speed."
Step 3: Get Your Speech Duration Result

The tool will calculate how many minutes it will take to convert your speech based on the selected speed. You should consider your silent reading times based on your reading aloud. This will allow you identifying the actual reading speed you achieve per minute.

Average Speaking Rates by Language

Language	WPM (words per minute)
English	130 words
Spanish	150 words
Chinese	158 words
French	195 words
Tagalog	220 words
Vietnamese	205 words
Korean	150 words
German	179 words
Russian	184 words
Italian	188 words
Portuguese	181 words

Professional translators, who constantly work with certain language pairs, are well aware that the same sentence translated into different languages varies in length. The same can be said about the duration of uttering the same phrase or sentence in different languages. It is important to keep in mind that the speaking speed may vary depending on the individual characteristics of the speaker and regional dialects. Let's look at the average speaking speed of native speakers of different languages.

Different factors affect the average speaking speed. The speed of speech increases, for example, when people pronounce familiar and frequently used words, as well as in stressful situations when there are time constraints or the need to convey important information. Some studies also show that men speak faster than women, while others claim that there is no significant difference in the speed of speech between the sexes.

Different languages have different speaking rates. English averages 130 WPM, Spanish ~150 WPM. Use this as a guide or check with our Words to Pages Calculator.

Why Use a Speech Duration Estimator?

There are several reasons to use a speech time estimation too:

Preparing a speech or presentation. The converter helps you assess whether time is sufficient to send a message and finalize ideas.
Analyzing the duration of different parts of the speech. The converter allows you to define time intervals for different parts of the speech.
Creating audio and video clips. Remember that taking intonation into account is critical. The converter helps you plan how long it will take to read the text aloud.
Evaluating the effectiveness of text reduction. The converter allows you to see how much time can be saved by using software reduction.

This calculator helps you balance your script length and delivery time, which is important for the successful transfer of information.

It saves time, ensures clarity, and boosts confidence. From presentations to podcast planning, our calculator is used by students, teachers, and professional speech writers. Try our Essay Word Counter for written drafts.

Tips for Better Speech Timing

Accents and pauses

A short pause, when there is a comma between the sections in the list, and a longer pause when the sentence stops completely will allow the audience to hear what is being said. A pause between two different parts of speech can tell the audience that something new will be spoken out. It can also be done after the introduction or before the conclusion to help the listener understand the development of speech.

Words and sentences

Using not more than two sentences per a paragraph will allow developing a good speech. Using shorter sentences and paragraphs is a great strategy to avoid rushing through the information and will enable you to have natural pauses during a speech.

Practice out loud

Practicing out loud will help you get used to the flow of your speech and your voice. More practice contributes to a better, well-timed, and more natural speech.

Need polishing? Try our editing service

Factors that Influence Speaking Time

Reading vs. speaking speed

The speed of reading and speech speed may vary, as these processes depend on different factors. While the speed of reading depends on the method of reading, the speed of speech depends on the situation.
Style, accents, pauses

As you increase your speech speed, the pauses become shorter, and as you slow down, they become more frequent and longer.
Sentence complexity

More complex words require more time to be spoken out. It implies that when counting your words per minute in a speech, you should consider more complex sentences will slightly affect your speech speed.
Numbers and symbols in speech

Numbers and symbols in speech are another factor that makes the speech speed slower. Try to avoid speech overloading with a large amount of numbers.

Frequently Asked Questions About Speech Time and Word Count

How many words are in a 3-minute speech?

Usually 390–450 words depending on speed. However, the number of words may vary depending on the pace of speech. Use our tool or get speech writing help.

What is the best words per minute speech calculator?

This calculator adjusts to your speaking rate and gives a precise estimate. This timing tool helps you determine the number of words that will be spoken in a particular timeframe. It will assist you in understanding both the number of words in a speech and the time required to read a document with a specific number of words.

How do I know how long my speech is?

To find out how long a speech will take, you can use this calculator that converts the number of words into minutes. Just paste your text and get instant speech duration results.

How many words are in 1 minute of speaking?

About 125-150 words per minute is average. However, you should keep in mind that the speed of speech is individual for each person and may vary.

Can I convert text to speaking time?

Yes, our tool acts as a real-time speech timer. Remember that the reading time may vary depending on the clarity of speech, pauses for emphasis, and other factors.

What's the 3-minute speech word count?

Depending on how fast you talk, it's roughly 400 words. However, this number may vary depending on the speech speed. Use our speech length calculator for details.

How can I convert words to speech time accurately?

Choose your WPM and adjust it live in our tool. Take into account that the real time of speech can be influenced by various factors,such as the complexity of words, sentence structure, interaction with the audience, and the use of visual assistants.

How many words can I say in 5 minutes?

About 625 to 750 words at an average speech speed. For fast speech - 850 words; for slow speech -550 words. Don't forget that the speech speed differs from person to person. You can use our tool to get a custom estimate based on your delivery style.

Can I use this tool for audio or podcast scripts?

Absolutely. It's suitable for voice-overs, podcast planning, and any audio content requiring timing accuracy.

Is this calculator free to use?

Yes. The tool is 100% free with no login required.

Start Creating a Perfect Speech

Estimate your delivery pace using our speech duration calculator. Just enter your text and adjust speed to get accurate timing. It will show you a personal words per minute speech speed, which will help you with more precise time calculations.

Need your speech faster? Order Custom Speech today and we'll deliver it in hours.

Words to Minutes Calculator - Convert Text into Speech Time

Words to Minutes