# Arabic speech-to-text API (العربية)

> KolWrite transcribes Arabic audio and video with one API call: send the file URL with "language": "ar" and get right-to-left Arabic text with word timings, speaker labels and SRT subtitles. The Oracle models can translate the Arabic into English, French or any of 100 languages in the same job.

Last updated: 2026-10-08 · HTML: https://console.kolwrite.com/speech-to-text/arabic

## Transcribe Arabic with one request

Set `language` to `ar` and start a job. Poll `GET /transcribe/{jobId}` for the result, or pass a `webhook_url`.

```bash
curl https://app.kolwrite.com/transcribe \
  -H "x-api-key: $KOLWRITE_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"audio_url": "https://example.com/interview-ar.m4a", "model": "oracle", "language": "ar", "include_diarization": true, "output_format": "json"}'
```

Translate Arabic audio into English in the same job (Oracle models only):

```bash
curl https://app.kolwrite.com/transcribe \
  -H "x-api-key: $KOLWRITE_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"audio_url": "https://example.com/interview-ar.m4a", "model": "oracle_mini", "language": "ar", "translate_to": "en", "output_format": "srt"}'
```

## Arabic at a glance

| Property | Details |
| --- | --- |
| API code | `ar` |
| Native name | العربية |
| Writing direction | Right to left |
| Automatic detection | Yes: omit `language` or send `"auto"` |
| Translate Arabic audio into | Any of the 100 supported languages, on Oracle models |
| Translate other languages into Arabic | Yes: `translate_to: "ar"` on Oracle models |
| Output | JSON (segments, word timings, speakers), TXT, SRT |
| Price | US$0.48 (Base) to US$3.60 (Oracle Max) per audio hour; US$1.44 on Oracle |

## What to know about Arabic transcription

- One code, `ar`, covers Modern Standard Arabic and the spoken dialects. There is no dialect parameter, and accuracy varies between Egyptian, Levantine, Gulf, Iraqi and Maghrebi speech, so test recordings from the dialect you serve.
- Arabic is written right to left. Display transcripts with `dir="rtl"`, and test SRT files in your player, since punctuation and Latin words at the end of a cue can render out of order.
- Everyday Arabic omits short-vowel diacritics (tashkeel). Normalize diacritics, hamza forms and alef variants on both sides before you search or compare text.
- North African speakers switch between Arabic and French, and Gulf and Levantine speakers often between Arabic and English. Set `ar` for recordings that are mostly Arabic; set the other language when it dominates.

## Where teams use Arabic transcription

- Media monitoring and archiving of Arabic news, talk shows and podcasts.
- Customer-service calls in the Gulf and North Africa, with stereo channels labelled Agent and Customer.
- University lectures and Friday sermons published as Arabic subtitles.
- Research interviews translated to English with `translate_to: "en"`.

## Choosing a model

Start with `oracle` (US$1.44 per hour) for production Arabic audio. Use `base` (US$0.48) for clean, single-speaker recordings at volume, `oracle_mini` (US$0.96) for the cheapest translation, and `oracle_pro` or `oracle_max` for noisy or difficult audio. KolWrite does not publish a Arabic accuracy figure for this API, so test a sample of your own recordings before committing. Full comparison: [models and prices](https://console.kolwrite.com/models).

## Questions and answers

### Does KolWrite support Arabic dialects?

The API accepts one Arabic code, `ar`, for all varieties. Dialect speech is transcribed, but quality differs by dialect and recording, so run a sample from your market before you commit.

### Which script and digits does the Arabic transcript use?

Arabic script. Numbers can come back as Western digits (0-9) or written out; normalize them in post-processing if your product needs one form.

### Can I translate Arabic audio to English?

Yes. Use an Oracle model (`oracle_mini` is the cheapest) with `translate_to: "en"`. Base, Core and Edge do not translate.

## Related pages

- [Hebrew speech-to-text](https://console.kolwrite.com/speech-to-text/hebrew)
- [Persian speech-to-text](https://console.kolwrite.com/speech-to-text/persian)
- [Urdu speech-to-text](https://console.kolwrite.com/speech-to-text/urdu)
- [Media, podcasts & subtitles](https://console.kolwrite.com/use-cases/media)
- [Call centers & sales calls](https://console.kolwrite.com/use-cases/call-centers)
- [Supported languages](https://console.kolwrite.com/languages/)

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Get an API key: https://console.kolwrite.com/auth · API documentation: https://console.kolwrite.com/public_api_docs · llms.txt: https://console.kolwrite.com/llms.txt