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# str_word_count

(PHP 4 >= 4.3.0, PHP 5)

str_word_count -- Return information about words used in a string

## Description

mixed str_word_count ( string string [, int format [, string charlist]] )

Counts the number of words inside `string`. If the optional `format` is not specified, then the return value will be an integer representing the number of words found. In the event the `format` is specified, the return value will be an array, content of which is dependent on the `format`. The possible value for the `format` and the resultant outputs are listed below.

For the purpose of this function, 'word' is defined as a locale dependent string containing alphabetic characters, which also may contain, but not start with "'" and "-" characters.

## Parameters

`string`

  The string

`format`

  Specify the return value of this function. The current supported values are:

  - 0 - returns the number of words found

  - 1 - returns an array containing all the words found inside the `string`

  - 2 - returns an associative array, where the key is the numeric position of the word inside the `string` and the value is the actual word itself

`charlist`

  A list of additional characters which will be considered as 'word'

## Return Values

Returns an array or an integer, depending on the `format` chosen.

## ChangeLog

Version | Description
--- | ---
5.1.0 | Added the `charlist` parameter

## Examples

Example 1. A str_word_count() example

`<?php $str = "Hello fri3nd, you're looking good today!"; print_r(str_word_count($str, 1)); print_r(str_word_count($str, 2)); print_r(str_word_count($str, 1, 'àáãç3')); echo str_word_count($str); ?>`

The above example will output:

    Array
    (
        [0] => Hello
        [1] => fri
        [2] => nd
        [3] => you're
        [4] => looking
        [5] => good
        [6] => today
    )

    Array
    (
        [0] => Hello
        [6] => fri
        [10] => nd
        [14] => you're
        [29] => looking
        [46] => good
        [51] => today
    )

    Array
    (
        [0] => Hello
        [1] => fri3nd
        [2] => you're
        [3] => looking
        [4] => good
        [5] => today
    )

    7

## See Also

explode()
preg_split()
split()
count_chars()
substr_count()

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