What is Lorem Ipsum? Origin and when to use it
Where the text comes from, why it helps a layout review, how to generate it with or without HTML tags and when to skip it for real copy.
Lorem Ipsum is placeholder text used to see how a layout will look before the real content exists. It comes from a passage by Cicero, with words altered, added and removed, so it is no longer correct Latin and means nothing. The Lorem Ipsum generator creates paragraphs, sentences, words or lists, in Latin or Spanish, in your browser with nothing sent anywhere.
Where does it come from?
According to Wikipedia's entry on Lorem ipsum, the text derives from sections 1.10.32 and 1.10.33 of Cicero's De finibus bonorum et malorum, written in 45 BC. The words were altered so they no longer form valid Latin. The famous opening, "Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit", is what remains of that distortion. That's why there is nothing to translate: it says nothing.
Why designers use it
So the person reviewing a design looks at type, spacing and composition instead of reading what the text says. Recognizable copy distracts; nonsense lets the form show. It appears in website mockups, brochures, email templates and interface components.
How to generate it, step by step
- Open the Lorem Ipsum generator.
- Pick the unit: paragraphs, sentences, words or list.
- Pick the vocabulary: classic Latin or Spanish. The Spanish option mixes real words at random, without forming meaningful sentences.
- Pick the amount, from 1 to 100.
- Pick the format: plain text or HTML. In HTML, paragraphs come wrapped in
<p>tags and lists in<ul>and<li>. - Start with "Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet…" is ticked by default; untick it if you prefer a random opening.
- Generate, then copy the result or download it as a
.txt.
Latin or Spanish?
Latin is the standard, and nearly everyone recognizes it as filler. Spanish helps when the mockup is for Spanish-speaking readers and you want to see how that language behaves: typical word length, accents and the ñ can change how a column wraps. Either way the text is random and different each time you generate it.
From "dolorem ipsum" to "lorem ipsum"
Cicero's original sentence reads "neque porro quisquam est qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit". Per the same Wikipedia entry, the word "lorem" may trace back to a printed edition where the Latin breaks at a page turn with "qui do-" and continues on the next page with "lorem ipsum". In other words, "lorem" is the tail of "dolorem", a word cut in half. That's why the filler starts mid-word, and why there's nothing to "fix" in it.
Alternatives to placeholder text
- Rough real content. Writing the headline and two real sentences makes the mockup look closer to what a reader will see.
- Believable sample data. For tables and forms, invented but plausible names and figures reveal width problems that Latin won't show.
- Text from a previous version, as internal reference only and never published.
Accessibility and filler
A screen reader will read Latin as a string of meaningless syllables, and someone using assistive technology won't know it's filler. If a mockup with placeholder text is shared for an accessibility test, say so. And remember to replace it before publishing.
Why not always use it
Placeholder copy hides problems that real content would expose: headlines that run too long, paragraphs that don't fit, a table holding 12-digit figures. If you have the real content, or even a rough version of it, use that. And never publish a page that still holds Lorem Ipsum: search engines and visitors both read it as empty content. If you need a length for testing, measure it with the word counter.
Choosing the unit and amount
Match the unit to what you're testing. Use words for a headline, button or card title, sentences for a short blurb, paragraphs for article body text and the list unit for navigation or bullet points. Generating three paragraphs is the default, and you can raise it to 100 when you want to test a long page or a scrolling area. Because the output differs every time, generate again if one sample happens to wrap awkwardly.
Ideas for using it
- Testing a typeface with long paragraphs to judge reading rhythm.
- Filling a table or list with sample data to review the layout.
- Trying a text field with ten words and with a hundred, to see how it behaves with little and a lot of content.
- Generating placeholder HTML for a template, with the tags already in place.
Frequently asked questions
What does Lorem Ipsum mean?
Nothing. It's placeholder text derived from a Latin passage by Cicero, with words altered so it makes no sense.
Where does Lorem Ipsum come from?
From sections 1.10.32 and 1.10.33 of Cicero's De finibus bonorum et malorum, written in 45 BC.
What is it used for?
To fill mockups and designs so that type and layout can be judged without the content getting in the way.
Can I generate it in Spanish?
Yes. The Spanish vocabulary uses real words combined at random, without forming meaningful sentences.
Can I get it with HTML tags?
Yes. The HTML format wraps paragraphs in p tags and lists in ul and li.
Generate placeholder text
Paragraphs, sentences, words or lists, in Latin or Spanish, as plain text or HTML. Runs locally, free, no signup.
Open Lorem Ipsum Generator →Related tools
- Lorem Ipsum Generator: paragraphs, sentences, words and lists, in Latin or Spanish.
- Word Counter: measure the generated filler.
- Case Converter: change the text's capitalization.
- HTML Formatter: format the HTML of your mockup.
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