# Hindi speech-to-text API (हिन्दी)

> KolWrite transcribes Hindi audio and video into Devanagari text with one API call: send "language": "hi" and read back segments with timestamps and speaker labels as JSON, TXT or SRT. Oracle models translate Hindi into English or 99 other languages.

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

## Transcribe Hindi with one request

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

Translate Hindi 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-hi.m4a", "model": "oracle_mini", "language": "hi", "translate_to": "en", "output_format": "srt"}'
```

## Hindi at a glance

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

- Hindi is written in Devanagari. Everyday Indian speech mixes in English ("Hinglish"); English words inside a Hindi transcript may come back in Devanagari or in Latin letters, so plan search for both.
- Spoken Hindi and Urdu are close, but they are written in different scripts. Choose `hi` for Devanagari output and `ur` for Perso-Arabic output.
- Indian recordings are often phone-quality and multi-speaker. Start with `oracle` rather than `base` for such audio.

## Where teams use Hindi transcription

- Customer-support and sales calls in India.
- Hindi news, YouTube and education content with subtitles.
- Translating Hindi interviews to English with `translate_to: "en"`.

## Choosing a model

Start with `oracle` (US$1.44 per hour) for production Hindi 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 Hindi 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 handle Hinglish?

Send `hi` for recordings that are mostly Hindi. English words are transcribed, but their script can vary, so normalize if you need consistency.

### Hindi or Urdu: which code should I send?

Use the script you want: `hi` for Devanagari, `ur` for Urdu script.

### Can I translate Hindi to English?

Yes, with an Oracle model and `translate_to: "en"`.

## Related pages

- [Urdu speech-to-text](https://console.kolwrite.com/speech-to-text/urdu)
- [Bengali speech-to-text](https://console.kolwrite.com/speech-to-text/bengali)
- [English speech-to-text](https://console.kolwrite.com/speech-to-text/english)
- [Call centers & sales calls](https://console.kolwrite.com/use-cases/call-centers)
- [Universities & students](https://console.kolwrite.com/use-cases/education)
- [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