Word Frequency Coverage Calculator
Estimate how much of everyday text you understand if you know the most frequent words in a language.
Compare Your Options And Get Clear Answers
Estimate how much of everyday text you understand if you know the most frequent words in a language.
Word Frequency Coverage Estimator
Enter your numbers below for an instant estimate.
How It Works
Key concepts behind this calculator
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Word Quick Guide
Typical values for reference.
| Words known | Coverage | Unknown per 100 | Model |
|---|---|---|---|
| 500 | 53.8% | 46.2 | Zipf model |
| 1000 | 59.3% | 40.7 | Zipf model |
| 2000 | 64.8% | 35.2 | Zipf model |
| 3000 | 68.0% | 32.0 | Zipf model |
| 5000 | 72.1% | 27.9 | Zipf model |
| 10000 | 77.6% | 22.4 | Zipf model |
| Rule of Thumb | Check inputs | Use as a guide | Round sensibly |
Word Frequency Coverage Calculator FAQ
Answers to common questions about this calculator.
About 3,000 words covers roughly 85 to 90 percent of everyday text.
No. It is a model using Zipf law.
Coverage = harmonic sum of top k words / sum of whole vocabulary under Zipf law.
It is an estimate based on the inputs you enter. Check real quotes, labels or official guidance for important decisions.