Ijharul Islam
To convert words to minutes, divide the word count by the speaking pace: at an average 150 words per minute, 1,000 words take about 6 minutes 40 seconds to say. Read silently, the same 1,000 words take about 4 minutes. A 1,000-word speech takes about 6 minutes 40 seconds at an average speaking pace of 150 words per minute. Read slowly and clearly at 130 wpm, it takes about 7 minutes 42 seconds; at a brisk 160 wpm, about 6 minutes 15 seconds. A 500-word speech is about 3 minutes 20 seconds, and a 2,000-word speech about 13 minutes 20 seconds.
More on this topic: Video formats, codecs and numbers, every guide in one place.
The words to minutes chart below covers 100 to 5,000 words at three speaking paces, and a second chart goes up to 10,000 words for long talks, audiobooks and reading time. For an instant answer, QuickVeed's free words to minutes calculator converts any text as you type. Underneath is how to find your own pace, why a live speech usually runs longer than the arithmetic, and how to cut a speech to fit a time slot.
The short answer
Words to minutes: minutes = words ÷ words per minute. Divide the word count by your speaking pace. At 150 words per minute, 500 words take 3 min 20 s, 1,000 words 6 min 40 s, 1,500 words 10 minutes, 2,000 words 13 min 20 s and 3,000 words 20 minutes. For a slow, deliberate delivery use 130 wpm (1,000 words = 7 min 42 s); for a fast one, 160 wpm (6 min 15 s).
Key takeaways
- 150 words per minute is the usual planning figure; the National Center for Voice and Speech gives about 150 wpm as the average rate for US English speakers.
- 1,000 words: 7 min 42 s at 130 wpm, 6 min 40 s at 150, 6 min 15 s at 160.
- Live speeches run longer than the maths: pauses, applause, slides and laughter add time. Plan 10-15% of slack.
- Time yourself once with a stopwatch and use your own pace from then on.
Words to minutes: the formula
Minutes = number of words ÷ words per minute. For speaking, use 150 wpm unless you have timed yourself; for silent reading, about 238 wpm, the average for non-fiction that Marc Brysbaert found in a 2019 review of 190 reading studies.
| Words | Spoken at 150 wpm | Read silently at 238 wpm |
|---|---|---|
| 100 words | 40 seconds | 25 seconds |
| 500 words | 3 min 20 s | 2 min 6 s |
| 1,000 words | 6 min 40 s | 4 min 12 s |
| 2,000 words | 13 min 20 s | 8 min 24 s |
| 5,000 words | 33 min 20 s | 21 min |
To go the other way, minutes to words, multiply: 5 minutes × 150 wpm = 750 words. How many words is a 5-minute speech? has that chart from 1 to 60 minutes.
Words to minutes conversion chart (speaking)
Times are rounded to the nearest second. The 150 wpm column is the one most speakers should plan with.
| Words | Slow (130 wpm) | Average (150 wpm) | Fast (160 wpm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 | 46 s | 40 s | 38 s |
| 250 | 1 min 55 s | 1 min 40 s | 1 min 34 s |
| 300 | 2 min 18 s | 2 min | 1 min 52 s |
| 500 | 3 min 51 s | 3 min 20 s | 3 min 8 s |
| 750 | 5 min 46 s | 5 min | 4 min 41 s |
| 1,000 | 7 min 42 s | 6 min 40 s | 6 min 15 s |
| 1,200 | 9 min 14 s | 8 min | 7 min 30 s |
| 1,500 | 11 min 32 s | 10 min | 9 min 22 s |
| 2,000 | 15 min 23 s | 13 min 20 s | 12 min 30 s |
| 2,500 | 19 min 14 s | 16 min 40 s | 15 min 38 s |
| 3,000 | 23 min 5 s | 20 min | 18 min 45 s |
| 4,000 | 30 min 46 s | 26 min 40 s | 25 min |
| 5,000 | 38 min 28 s | 33 min 20 s | 31 min 15 s |
Longer texts: 6,000 to 10,000 words
| Words | Slow (130 wpm) | Average (150 wpm) | Fast (160 wpm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6,000 | 46 min 9 s | 40 min | 37 min 30 s |
| 7,500 | 57 min 42 s | 50 min | 46 min 52 s |
| 9,000 | 1 h 9 min 14 s | 1 h | 56 min 15 s |
| 10,000 | 1 h 16 min 55 s | 1 h 6 min 40 s | 1 h 2 min 30 s |
Audiobook narration runs at about the same rate: ACX, Audible's production marketplace, estimates about 9,300 words per finished hour, or 155 words a minute.
To check any other length, paste the text into QuickVeed's free words to minutes calculator. It shows the speaking time at 120, 150, 170 or your own pace as you type, and the words you need for a target length. It is free, runs in your browser and never uploads your text or file.
How long is a 1,000-word speech, exactly?
At 150 words per minute, 1,000 ÷ 150 = 6.67 minutes, which is 6 minutes 40 seconds. That's the spoken text only. In a real room, add time for:
- Pauses for effect after a key line or a question: a few seconds each.
- Audience reactions: laughter or applause can add 30 seconds or more to a wedding or awards speech.
- Slides and demos: each slide change or screen switch costs a second or two, more if you wait for people to read.
- Nerves: many speakers rush when nervous, which shortens the speech but makes it harder to follow.
A 1,000-word speech is a good fit for a 7 to 8 minute slot. For a strict 5-minute limit, aim for 650 to 700 words.
How long is a 500, 1,500, 2,000 or 3,000-word speech?
| Speech | At 150 wpm | Fits a slot of about | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| 500 words | 3 min 20 s | 4 minutes | Toast, best-man or maid-of-honour speech, short update |
| 1,000 words | 6 min 40 s | 7-8 minutes | Class presentation, eulogy, team talk |
| 1,500 words | 10 minutes | 11-12 minutes | Conference lightning slot, sermon section |
| 2,000 words | 13 min 20 s | 15 minutes | Keynote segment, lecture section |
| 3,000 words | 20 minutes | 22-23 minutes | Talk or lecture with slides |
Speeches with slides usually run slower than a read script, because you stop to point at things. If your talk is slide-heavy, plan with 130 wpm.
How to find your own speaking pace
- Take a 300 to 400 word passage from your speech.
- Read it aloud as you'd deliver it, with a stopwatch running.
- Divide the word count by the seconds and multiply by 60. If 350 words took 2 minutes 30 seconds (150 s), your pace is 350 ÷ 150 × 60 = 140 wpm.
- Use that number for the whole speech: 1,000 words at 140 wpm is about 7 minutes 9 seconds.
Do this standing up and at full volume if you can. Most people read faster silently, or mumbling at a desk, than they speak to a room.
How to cut a speech that runs long
- Cut a whole point, not a word here and there. Three points land better than five.
- Shorten the opening. Thank-yous and scene-setting often take a minute nobody remembers.
- Replace a list with one example. One story beats four bullet points.
- Don't speed up. Going from 150 to 180 wpm to squeeze it in makes it harder to follow, and listeners notice.
Rehearse with a teleprompter if you'll read from a screen: QuickVeed's free one scrolls your script at a set speed in the browser, so you hear whether the pace sounds natural.
Turning a speech into a video
If the speech will also be recorded or posted, the same word counts apply to the video. A 1,000-word talk is a 6 to 8 minute video. See how many words per minute for a video script for short-form lengths, how many words fit a 1 to 20 minute speech for the reverse question, and average speaking rates for presentations, podcasts and audiobooks.
When it's online, add captions: QuickVeed's auto subtitles transcribe the recording and burn in readable captions. A transcript costs 1.5 credits a minute, rounded up, so a 7-minute talk is 11 credits.
Frequently asked questions
How long is a 1,000-word speech?
About 6 minutes 40 seconds at 150 words per minute. At a slow 130 wpm it's about 7 minutes 42 seconds, and at a fast 160 wpm about 6 minutes 15 seconds.
How many minutes is 500 words spoken?
About 3 minutes 20 seconds at 150 words per minute, or just under 4 minutes at a slow 130 wpm.
How long is a 2,000-word speech?
About 13 minutes 20 seconds at 150 wpm, 15 minutes 23 seconds at 130 and 12 minutes 30 seconds at 160.
How long is a 3,000-word speech?
About 20 minutes at 150 words per minute, or 23 minutes at a slower 130 wpm.
How many words is a 5-minute speech?
About 750 words at 150 wpm, or 650 to 800 depending on your pace.
How do I convert words to minutes?
Divide the word count by your speaking pace in words per minute. 1,200 words ÷ 150 wpm = 8 minutes.
Is there a words to minutes calculator?
Yes. QuickVeed's free words to minutes calculator shows the speaking time at 120, 150 or 170 wpm, or your own pace, as you type or paste text, and never uploads it.
How many minutes is 1,000 words read silently?
About 4 minutes 12 seconds at 238 words per minute, the average silent reading rate for non-fiction in Brysbaert's 2019 review.
Try it with your own video
Time your speech with the free words to minutes calculator, then turn it into a narrated video or captioned clip. Paste your script, pick a voice or upload your recording, and judge the result for yourself. QuickVeed plans start at $18/month, and new accounts get a 14-day trial with 250 credits, no card needed. Sign up or see pricing.
Sources
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