Language code: ur

Urdu speech-to-text API (اردو)

KolWrite transcribes Urdu audio and video into right-to-left Urdu script with one API call: send "language": "ur" and get timed segments with speaker labels as JSON, TXT or SRT. Oracle models translate Urdu into English or 99 other languages.

Get an API key Quickstart Supported languages

Last updated: · Markdown

Transcribe Urdu with one request

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

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-ur.m4a", "model": "oracle", "language": "ur", "include_diarization": true, "output_format": "json"}'

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

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-ur.m4a", "model": "oracle_mini", "language": "ur", "translate_to": "en", "output_format": "srt"}'

Urdu at a glance

PropertyDetails
API codeur
Native nameاردو
Writing directionRight to left
Automatic detectionYes: omit language or send "auto"
Translate Urdu audio intoAny of the 100 supported languages, on Oracle models
Translate other languages into UrduYes: translate_to: "ur" on Oracle models
OutputJSON (segments, word timings, speakers), TXT, SRT
PriceUS$0.48 (Base) to US$3.60 (Oracle Max) per audio hour; US$1.44 on Oracle

What to know about Urdu transcription

  • Urdu is written right to left, traditionally in Nastaliq style. Use a font with good Nastaliq or Naskh support and dir="rtl" when you display transcripts.
  • Spoken Urdu and Hindi overlap heavily. Send ur to get Urdu script and hi to get Devanagari.
  • Pakistani speech mixes in English. Send ur explicitly on mixed recordings.

Where teams use Urdu transcription

  • Urdu news, talk shows and religious lectures with subtitles.
  • Contact centers in Pakistan and for the Urdu-speaking diaspora.
  • Interviews translated to English with translate_to: "en".

Choosing a model

Start with oracle (US$1.44 per hour) for production Urdu 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 Urdu accuracy figure for this API, so test a sample of your own recordings before committing. Full comparison: models and prices.

Questions and answers

Urdu or Hindi: which code should I use?

Choose by the script you need: ur for Urdu script, hi for Devanagari.

Can I translate Urdu to English?

Yes, on an Oracle model with translate_to: "en".

Does the transcript include Nastaliq formatting?

No. It is plain Unicode Urdu text; Nastaliq is a font choice in your display.

Related pages