# English speech-to-text API

> KolWrite transcribes English audio and video in one REST call and returns segments with word-level timestamps and speaker labels as JSON, plain text or SRT. For clear English recordings the Base model costs US$0.48 per audio hour; English is also the most common translation target for audio in the other 99 languages.

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

## Transcribe English with one request

Set `language` to `en` 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/meeting-en.m4a", "model": "oracle", "language": "en", "include_diarization": true, "output_format": "json"}'
```

Translate English audio into Spanish 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/meeting-en.m4a", "model": "oracle_mini", "language": "en", "translate_to": "es", "output_format": "srt"}'
```

## English at a glance

| Property | Details |
| --- | --- |
| API code | `en` |
| Native name | English |
| Writing direction | Left to right |
| Automatic detection | Yes: omit `language` or send `"auto"` |
| Translate English audio into | Any of the 100 supported languages, on Oracle models |
| Translate other languages into English | Yes: `translate_to: "en"` 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 English transcription

- English accents differ widely (US, UK, Indian, Australian, African and many second-language accents). There is no accent setting; send `language: "en"` and test the accents your users have.
- There is no US or UK spelling option. If your product needs one convention, apply it in post-processing.
- For clean, single-speaker English such as dictation or narration, `base` is usually enough. Move to `oracle` for noisy meetings, phone audio or many speakers.
- Any of the 100 languages can be translated into English with `translate_to: "en"` on an Oracle model, which makes English the hub for multilingual content.

## Where teams use English transcription

- Meeting notes and searchable archives with speaker labels.
- Podcast and video captions (`srt`).
- User-research interviews and sales calls.
- Turning foreign-language recordings into English text with `translate_to: "en"`.

## Choosing a model

Start with `oracle` (US$1.44 per hour) for production English 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 English 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

### Which model should I use for English?

`base` for clear, single-speaker audio and high volume; `oracle` for production audio with noise, crosstalk or many speakers; `oracle_max` for the hardest recordings.

### Can I get timestamps for every word?

Yes. JSON and SRT include word timings by default (`word_timestamps: true`) on models with word alignment. Plain Oracle Mini returns segment timestamps unless a speaker mode is on.

### How much does an hour of English cost?

From US$0.48 on Base to US$3.60 on Oracle Max per audio hour, metered per second with no minimum.

## Related pages

- [Spanish speech-to-text](https://console.kolwrite.com/speech-to-text/spanish)
- [French speech-to-text](https://console.kolwrite.com/speech-to-text/french)
- [Hindi speech-to-text](https://console.kolwrite.com/speech-to-text/hindi)
- [Developers & product teams](https://console.kolwrite.com/use-cases/developers)
- [Media, podcasts & subtitles](https://console.kolwrite.com/use-cases/media)
- [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