How long is a 500-word speech?
Updated October 27, 2026 · Anthony Delmotte
Short answer. About 3 min 34 s at a normal pace of 140 words per minute. It takes 4 min 10 s if you speak slowly and 3 min 08 s if you speak fast. Read silently, it takes about 2 min 06 s.
Speaking time for 500 words, by pace
| Pace | Time |
|---|---|
| Slow · 120 wpm | 4 min 10 s |
| Normal · 140 wpm | 3 min 34 s |
| Fast · 160 wpm | 3 min 08 s |
500 words is about the length of a wedding speech or a 3 to 4-minute video. On paper that is around 2.0 double-spaced pages; on cue cards, about 17 cards of 30 words.
Too long or too short?
If you have a time limit, work backwards: minutes × your pace = the words you can afford. To cut, remove whole sentences or a whole example rather than speeding up; a rushed speech loses more than a shorter one. To fill time, add one story, not more facts.
The speech time calculator does this on your own script, with pauses between paragraphs, and tells you how many words fit in 1, 5 or 10 minutes. Not sure of your pace? Take the speaking rate test.
Reading it on camera
For a video, 500 words is easier to read than to learn. Put the script on a teleprompter close to the lens, in short lines, and let it follow your voice so you can pause without losing your place.