What is verbatim transcription? It is a transcript that keeps every word spoken, including fillers, false starts and repetitions. Nothing is tidied or shortened, so the text shows how the person really spoke. Clean verbatim removes those extras to make the result easier to read.
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Files up to 2 GB · export to TXT, MD, DOCX, PDF, SRT and VTT · speaker labels and timestamps · about 30 languages
Key facts
- Verbatim output includes words like um and you know, stutters, half sentences and repeated words, written as they were said.
- Legal, research and linguistic work often needs the verbatim form, since the hesitations can be part of the evidence.
- Business notes, articles and subtitles usually read better in clean verbatim, where fillers and false starts are dropped.
- A verbatim transcript is longer and harder to skim, even when it is more faithful to the audio.
- Neither form changes the meaning or rewrites grammar; the difference is only which spoken noise is kept.
What it looks like
// spoken
um so I I think we should, you know, we should start on monday
// verbatim
Um, so I, I think we should, you know, we should start on Monday.
// clean verbatim
I think we should start on Monday.
More
See the full list of languages, the tools and the glossary.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between verbatim and clean verbatim?
Verbatim keeps fillers, false starts and repetitions. Clean verbatim removes them and keeps the sense and the speaker's own wording.
Which form should I use for an interview article?
Clean verbatim. It reads smoothly and quotes the speaker without the stumbles. Use verbatim when the way of speaking matters.
Does machine transcription give verbatim output?
Often partly. Many systems skip fillers on their own, so a strict verbatim record usually needs a careful check against the audio.
Can I get a verbatim transcript from Potok?
The bot returns the text of the recording and you can export it to TXT, MD, DOCX, PDF, SRT or VTT. Check fillers against the audio if you need strict verbatim.
Does verbatim include non-speech sounds?
Sometimes. Style rules decide whether notes such as [laughs] or [pause] are added. State the rule before the work starts.
Sources
Each source was opened by hand on the date shown. Pages change, so open the source if a detail matters to you.
- Transcription (linguistics) (Wikipedia), Wikipedia · checked
- Transcript (law) (Wikipedia), Wikipedia · checked
Try it on your own recording
Send your voice message, audio or video to @potok_now_bot on Telegram and the text comes back in the chat.
Open @potok_now_bot in Telegram