Keigo built in
Japanese encodes politeness grammatically. Translate the words alone and a friendly request can land rude. Tolk translates how it should sound to the listener.
Japanese voice translator
Speak English and hear the translation in Japanese. Tolk translates the reply back to you, with attention to tone and meaning.
5 free minutes included
Translate English and Japanese out loud.
Choose English and Japanese, then start a session. Tolk listens to both languages and speaks each translation out loud. Ask a question in a shop, talk with family or work out the details of your trip.
- Spoken and on-screen translation
- The other person needs no app
Japanese translation with context.
English↔Japanese
The subject is missing
Japanese drops what is obvious from context. Literal translation leaves gaps or guesses wrong; meaning-aware translation fills them in correctly.
Indirectness is the point
A Japanese no often does not contain the word no. Tolk reads the intent behind the phrasing so you understand what was actually meant.
How to translate a conversation with Tolk.
- 01
Download Tolk
Available on the App Store and Google Play. Start with 5 free minutes.
- 02
Choose English and Japanese
Select the two languages for your conversation. Tolk translates in both directions.
- 03
Start your conversation
Take turns speaking and let the translation play. In a noisy place, hold the phone closer to your mouth.
Frequently asked questions
Contact usDoes Tolk translate spoken English to Japanese in real time?
Yes. You speak English, and moments later the other person hears it spoken in Japanese. It works in both directions: Tolk hears the Japanese reply and speaks it back to you in English.
How does it handle keigo and politeness levels?
Japanese changes shape depending on who you are talking to. Tolk translates meaning-first and weighs how a sentence should land, so a request to a hotel clerk sounds appropriately polite instead of blunt.
Why do regular translator apps struggle with Japanese?
Japanese routinely drops the subject, relies on context, and encodes respect in verb forms. Word-for-word output regularly produces sentences that are confusing or unintentionally rude. Meaning-aware translation matters more in Japanese than in most languages.
Does the other person need the app?
No. Only one person needs Tolk on an iPhone or Android phone. Start a session and take turns speaking. In a noisy place, hold the phone closer to whoever is speaking.
Is it free to try in Japan?
Yes. New accounts include 5 free minutes, with no payment details required. On Android, choose 90 minutes for $9.99/month, 500 minutes for $59.99/year, or a one-time 60-minute pack for $6.99. New iOS plans are coming; check the App Store for current prices.
Which other languages does Tolk speak?
Over 50, including Korean, Mandarin, Thai, Vietnamese, Spanish, French, German and Arabic, with special attention to context-heavy languages.
Try real-time voice translation.
Start with 5 free minutes on iPhone or Android.