Speaking Time Calculator

Creators

Anna Szczepanek, PhD

Anna SzczepanekPhD, Jagiellonian University in Kraków, Poland

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Anna Szczepanek, PhD is a mathematician at the Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science of the Jagiellonian University in Kraków, where she researches mathematical physics and applied mathematics. At Omni, Anna uses her knowledge and programming skills to create math and statistics calculators. In her free time, she enjoys hiking and reading. See full profile

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Reviewers

Steven Wooding

Steven Wooding is a physicist by training with a degree from the University of Surrey specializing in nuclear physics. He loves data analysis and computer programming. He has worked on exciting projects such as environmentally aware radar, using genetic algorithms to tune radar, and building the UK vaccine queue calculator. Steve is now the Editorial Quality Assurance Coordinator here at Omni Calculator, making sure every calculator meets the standards our users expect. In his spare time, he enjoys cycling, photography, wildlife watching, and long walks. See full profile

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The speaking time calculator is here to help you prepare speeches, presentations, and video scripts. Are you trying to estimate how many words you need to write for a 10-minute speech? Our speech timer converts minutes to words. It computes how many words you can fit into a specific amount of time.

Or maybe you need to know how long it will take to deliver a text, hm? Omni’s speaking time calculator will work in reverse, converting words into time. Never again will you have trouble estimating your talk time based on the number of words and your average speaking speed!

🔎 We read much faster than we speak, so if you want to assess how long it will take you to read a book silently, try our reading time calculator.

How do I convert words to time?

To convert words to time, you need to know your WPM. It stands for words per minute and describes how many words you speak on average in one minute. Then the basic formula is:

\text{Speech time} = \frac{\text{Number of words}}{\text{WPM}}

For instance, if you speak at 140 WPM, you say around 140 words every minute. This means that delivering a 1,400-word speech will take you ten minutes:

\frac{\text{1400 words}}{\text{140 WPM}} = 10\: \text{minutes}

🔎 In the context of reading, the notion of WPM is covered in Omni’s words per minute reading calculator.

How do I convert minutes to words?

If you know the duration of your speech and want to plan the content, you can convert the talk time into a word count as follows:

\!\!\small\text{Number of words} = {\text{Speech time}} × {\text{WPM}}

For instance, if you need to give a 20-minute presentation, your speech should contain approximately 2,800 words:

\!\!\small {\text{20 minutes}} × {\text{140 WPM}} = 2800\: \text{words}

🙋 These calculations are not difficult but may be time-consuming. Why not use Omni's speech time calculator instead?

What is a good speech pace?

The ideal pace depends on the type of speech, including the complexity of the subject and the audience. As a rule of thumb, a slower pace can help emphasize important points, while a faster pace may help maintain audience engagement. The following levels are available in the speaking time calculator:

Type of speech	Typical speed
Slow, dramatic speech	100 WPM
Lecture or educational talk	120 WPM
Typical presentation	140 WPM
Conversational or lively speech	160 WPM
Very fast speech	180 WPM

🙋 The world’s fastest talker is Sean Shannon from Canada, who, in 1995, was able to articulate at 655 WPM. Before him, the Guinness World Record was held by Steve Woodmore, an English electronics salesman from London, who hit 637 WPM in 1990. This is around four times faster than the average person!

What influences the talk time

Various factors influence how much content you can fit into your speech. Some are within your control; others are not:

Topic complexity: A simple presentation can be delivered faster than a technical lecture. When explaining complicated concepts, we tend to slow down.
Speaking in a non-native language: Expressing oneself in a foreign language usually takes more time. We may pause more often to find the right words and organize our thoughts.
Speaking style: Reading from a script usually gives a higher and more consistent pace than spontaneous speaking. However, it can reduce audience engagement.
Mental fatigue: Tiredness affects our thought process, making it harder to articulate our thoughts clearly, resulting in a slower pace. If you try to force yourself to speak fast, you will make more mistakes or stumble over words!

How to use this speaking time calculator

To estimate the length of your talk with our speech timer:

Choose your average speaking speed in words per minute (WPM). To enter your own speed, choose the Custom option.
Enter the number of words in your text.
The calculator will show your estimated speech duration.

You can also calculate in reverse: enter the amount of time that your talk should take, and our speech time calculator will automatically convert the minutes to words.

Curious what your speaking speed is? Select Help me find out! from the list of speech rate options, enter the number of words you read, and the time it took you. You’ll now know if you need to speed up or slow down to give that perfect presentation.

Words to time converter

Assuming the pace of 140 WPM:

Number of words	Speech duration
500 words	3 min 34 sec
750 words	5 min 21 sec
1,000 words	7 min 9 sec
1,500 words	10 min 43 sec
2,000 words	14 min 17 sec
3,000 words	21 min 26 sec
5,000 words	35 min 43 sec

Minutes to words converter