Speech Time Calculator

Paste your text below and get an instant estimate of how long it will take to read aloud. A simple speaking time calculator that converts words to time — choose a speaking pace (slow, conversational, or fast) to match podcasts, presentations, audiobooks, or scripts. Works equally well as a reading time calculator for silent reading.

Your text

0:00

Speech time

Words

Characters

Speaking pace (words per minute)

Slow · 130 Conversational · 160 Fast · 180 Custom

Open the TTS tool Want to hear your text spoken aloud? Try our free text-to-speech tool with natural voices in 27 languages.

Words to minutes — common text lengths at conversational pace

A quick words-to-time reference: how long different text lengths take at slow (130 wpm), conversational (160 wpm), and fast (180 wpm) speaking speeds.

Words	~ Chars	Slow	Normal	Fast
50	250	0:31	0:25	0:22
100	500	1:02	0:50	0:44
250	1,250	2:34	2:05	1:51
500	2,500	5:08	4:10	3:42
750	3,750	7:42	6:15	5:33
1,000	5,000	10:15	8:20	7:24
1,500	7,500	15:23	12:30	11:07
2,000	10,000	20:31	16:40	14:49
5,000	25,000	51:17	41:40	37:02

When to use this tool

Speeches & presentations — Check that your keynote or wedding toast fits the time slot before you stand up.
YouTube & podcast scripts — Plan video length down to the second — no more recording a 20-minute script you wanted to be 12.
Audiobook narration — Estimate chapter duration before you record, so you can pace breaks and recording sessions.
ESL practice — Track your reading pace as you practice — a steady 130–150 wpm is a great learner goal.
Voiceovers & e-learning — Estimate billing time, decide if a script needs to be cut, or check fit against a video timeline.

Frequently asked questions

How do I convert words to minutes?

Divide the word count by your speaking pace. At conversational pace (160 wpm): 160 words ≈ 1 minute, 800 words ≈ 5 minutes, 1600 words ≈ 10 minutes. This speaking time calculator handles the math automatically — just paste your text and pick a pace.

How many words per minute is normal speech?

Conversational English averages 150–160 words per minute. Slower podcast or audiobook narration runs around 130–150 wpm; fast news anchors hit 180–200 wpm. Most calculators (including this one) default to 160 wpm.

How long is a 5-minute speech in words?

At conversational pace (160 wpm), a 5-minute speech is about 800 words. For a slower, well-paced delivery (130 wpm) aim for around 650 words. For a tight, presentation-style 5 minutes, 750 words is a safe target.

How long does it take to read 1000 words aloud?

About 6 minutes 15 seconds at conversational pace (160 wpm). At slow narration speed (130 wpm) it stretches to about 7 minutes 42 seconds; at fast pace (180 wpm) it drops to around 5 minutes 33 seconds.

Does language affect speaking time?

Yes — significantly. Spanish and Italian are spoken faster (about 180 wpm) than English. German is slower (around 150 wpm). Mandarin, Japanese, and Korean don't use word boundaries, so they're measured in characters per minute (roughly 250–330 cpm).

Should I include pauses in my speech timing?

Yes. Natural delivery includes pauses for breath, emphasis, and slides. Add 10–20% to your calculated time for a polished delivery. For Q&A or audience interaction, budget separately.

Is this calculator accurate for any language?

Yes — for all 27 supported languages. Speech rates were empirically calibrated against actual Google TTS playback (English ~120 wpm, German ~100 wpm, Chinese ~210 chars/min, Japanese ~290 chars/min, Korean ~285 chars/min, etc.), so predictions land within ~3% of real wall-clock playback time. The calculator auto-detects the language of your text and automatically switches between words-per-minute and characters-per-minute (for Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Thai). For unusual texts or your own measured reading pace, use the Custom slider.