Speech Length Calculator
How long a speech, toast or eulogy will take to say from its word count — or how many words to write for the minutes you have — at a slow, average or fast speaking pace.
People speak at about 130 words a minute in a prepared speech: slower (100–115) for a eulogy or when pausing for laughs and applause, faster (150–160) in conversation or when nervous.
How the speech length calculator works
People speak at about 130 words a minute in a prepared speech: slower (100–115) for a eulogy or when pausing for laughs and applause, faster (150–160) in conversation or when nervous. Divide the words by the pace for the time, or multiply the minutes by the pace for a word budget. A wedding speech of five minutes is around 650 words — two pages, double-spaced.
Formula: minutes = words ÷ words per minute; words = minutes × words per minute
Worked examples
| Inputs | Result | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 650 words at average pace | 5 min 30 s | 5 min 30 s |
| Five-minute slot, 30 s of pauses | Write about 585 words | write about 585 words |
| A 900-word eulogy, slow pace, 60 s of pauses | 9 min 11 s | 9 min 11 s |
FAQFrequently asked questions
How long should a wedding speech be?
Three to five minutes — 400 to 650 words — is what guests enjoy; seven is the outer limit, and a best man over ten minutes loses the room. A father-of-the-bride toast can be shorter.
Why allow for pauses?
Because a written speech read aloud at 130 words a minute is only part of the time: a laugh line, a raized glass or a moment of emotion each take five to ten seconds, and a speech with jokes runs 20–30% over its reading time.
How fast should I actually speak?
Slower than feels natural — nerves speed people up. Aim for 120–130 words a minute, breathe at the full stops, and mark pauses in the text.
How many words is a page?
About 275 double-spaced in 12-point type, or 500 single-spaced. Speakers usually print double-spaced in a large font so the page is easy to glance at.
Where these figures come from
- US FDA Food Code — food service guidance — holding and service context behind catering quantities
- US Food and Drug Administration — the federal food regulator
Last checked: September 2026. Portion and spacing figures are standard catering and event-industry conventions, stated on each page.