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Haiku syllable checker

Count syllables per line and check a poem against the haiku 5-7-5 pattern, tanka, or your own scheme.

Input
Output
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Haiku syllable checker
Paste a poem and this tool counts the syllables on every line, then checks whether the result fits the classic haiku pattern of 5-7-5 syllables. It is built for poets drafting a haiku, students checking an assignment, and teachers marking a class set, and it works on any short verse form, not just haiku.
Pick the scheme with the options above the output. Scheme offers the haiku preset (5-7-5), the longer tanka form (5-7-5-7-7), or Custom, which reads a comma-separated list of counts from the custom scheme field — type "3,5,3" for a senryu-style variant. Language changes how syllables are counted, since English, Slovak, Czech and German split words into syllables differently. Turn on "Show syllable count" to print the number after every line, and "Mark lines outside the scheme" to flag any mismatched line, so it's visible at a glance in a long draft. Batch mode splits the input on blank lines and checks each poem separately, useful for grading a whole page of student haiku in one pass.
Syllable counting here is an estimate built from spelling patterns — vowel groups, English's silent final e, and syllabic r/l in Slovak and Czech words like "vlk" or "srdce" — rather than a dictionary lookup, so an unusual word or a proper noun can land a syllable off. Windows (CRLF) and Unix (LF) line endings are treated the same, and the tally under the output reports the poems checked, the lines checked and how many fell outside the scheme.
Everything runs in your browser: nothing you paste is ever uploaded. When you're done, copy the checked result, download it as a .txt file, or send the output back into the input to keep revising.
FAQ
How accurate is the syllable count?
It's a close estimate based on vowel groups and spelling patterns, not a dictionary lookup, so unusual words, abbreviations or names can occasionally be off by one syllable. Edit the line and recheck if a count looks wrong.
Can I check a pattern other than 5-7-5?
Yes. Choose the Tanka preset for 5-7-5-7-7, or select Custom and type your own comma-separated counts, like "3,5,3", into the custom scheme field.
How do I check several poems at once?
Turn on batch mode and separate each poem with a blank line. Every poem in the batch is checked against the same scheme independently, and the tally counts how many poems and lines were checked in total.
Does the language option matter if my poem is in English?
Yes, keep it set to English. The Slovak and Czech options add rules for syllables built on r or l alone (as in "vlk"), which would miscount an English poem, and German drops the English silent-e adjustment that an English poem needs.
Is my poem uploaded anywhere?
No. Syllable counting and the scheme check run entirely in your browser — your poem never leaves your device.