Syllable Counter
Syllables per word and line, with a 5-7-5 haiku checker.
About this tool
Type or paste text, keeping line breaks for poetry. The counter shows the total syllables, words and average syllables per word, the count above every word, and a total for each line. Three-line poems are checked against the 5-7-5 haiku pattern.
How syllables are counted
A syllable is a unit of pronunciation built around a vowel sound, so "cat" has one, "wa-ter" two and "beau-ti-ful" three. Counting by ear is reliable but slow; counting by spelling needs rules, because English spelling doesn't map neatly to sound. This counter groups neighbouring vowels together, since pairs like "ea" and "ou" usually make one sound; ignores a silent final e, as in "make"; drops -es and -ed endings that aren't pronounced as separate syllables, as in "jumps" and "walked", while keeping them in words like "boxes" and "wanted"; and splits vowel pairs that are usually said separately, as in "lion". A list of common exceptions handles words such as "every", "fire", "poem", "people" and "queue". Syllable counts matter for poetry, especially haiku, which in English is often written with 5, 7 and 5 syllables, for song lyrics and rhythm, for readability formulas such as Flesch reading ease, and for speech practice. A common English translation of Basho's frog haiku, "An old silent pond / A frog jumps into the pond / Splash! Silence again", scores 5-7-5. Honest limits: no rule set is perfect for English. Accents differ, words like "fire", "hour" and "family" vary from speaker to speaker, and names and rare words may be off by one, so say doubtful words aloud. The readability checker uses syllable counts and the word counter counts words. Flesch reading ease and grade level, explained honestly explains how syllables affect readability.
Frequently asked questions
How many syllables are in a haiku?
Traditionally 17 in English versions: 5 in the first line, 7 in the second and 5 in the third.
How do I count syllables in a word?
Say it slowly and count the vowel sounds, or clap each beat; the tool estimates it from spelling rules.
Why is a word's count different from what I expected?
Pronunciation varies by accent and English spelling is irregular, so rule-based counts can be off by one for some words.
Is my data saved?
No. The counting runs in your browser and nothing is stored or sent.