日本語 · Text, voice and object scanner · Offline
The offline Japanese translator for text and real things.
AI Translate is an offline Japanese translator for typed and pasted text, with voice input and an object scanner that names everyday things in Japanese and English. Download the Japanese pack once and text and object translation work with no connection, which helps in Japan where free Wi-Fi often needs a login. In the current version the camera does not read Japanese script, so it cannot translate Japanese menus or signs.
Free with your language pair · Premium from $1.99/month
Quick facts about the Japanese translator
- Script
- kanji, hiragana and katakana
- Camera translation
- Not in the current version (the camera reads Latin-script text). Use text, voice or Scan.
- Works offline
- Yes, after a one-time pack download. Voice input depends on your phone.
- Object scanner
- Yes, names 1,000+ objects in Japanese and English
- Pronunciation
- Audio. The Scan tab adds romaji for words written in kana.
- Account required
- No
What you can translate
Where a Japanese translator earns its place on your home screen.
Asking staff for help
Type or say a question in English, such as which platform goes to Kyoto, then show the Japanese on screen or play it aloud.
Replies, emails and chats
Tap swap, then let the other person type or speak their reply. You can also paste Japanese from a hotel email or a LINE message.
Words for everyday things
Point the Scan tab at objects around you to see the Japanese word, hear it spoken, and save it to review later.
Common Japanese phrases
What you will actually see on signs and menus.
A handful of phrases worth knowing before you go. The romanized reading in italics shows how to say each one.
| Japanese | English | Seen on |
|---|---|---|
| 焼き鮭定食yaki-zake teishoku | Grilled salmon set meal | menu |
| 出口deguchi | Exit | station sign |
| 営業中eigyō-chū | Open (for business) | shop door |
| 立入禁止tachiiri kinshi | No entry | sign |
| お会計お願いしますo-kaikei onegai shimasu | The check, please | restaurant |
How to
How to translate Japanese text offline
- 01
Download the Japanese pack
Open Settings, then Offline languages, and tap the download icon next to Japanese. It is about 30 MB and only needs to be done once.
- 02
Type, paste or speak
Open the Translate tab and type or paste Japanese text, and the language is detected automatically. To use your voice, tap the microphone and speak in the selected language.
- 03
Listen, copy or scan
Tap the speaker to hear the translation, or copy and share it. On the Scan tab, point at an object to see its name in both languages and save the word.
FAQ
Japanese translator questions.
Does the Japanese translator work without internet?
Yes. Download the Japanese pack (about 30 MB) once and typed text translation, spoken audio and the object scanner work in airplane mode. Voice input uses your phone's own speech recognition, so it works offline only where your phone supports offline dictation.
Can the camera read Japanese menus and signs?
Not in the current version. The live camera and photo import read Latin-script text only. For Japanese, type or paste the text, use voice input, or point the Scan tab at objects.
Does it show romaji?
Yes, for words written in kana. The Scan tab shows romaji under hiragana and katakana words. Words written in kanji get audio only, so tap the speaker to hear them.
Can I translate Japanese from a message or a web page?
Yes. Copy the Japanese, open the Translate tab and paste it. The language is detected automatically, and once the pack is downloaded the English appears with no connection.
Guides
Related translators
Keep a Japanese translator in your pocket.
Download the Japanese pack once to translate typed or pasted text and name everyday objects offline. No account, no ad trackers, photos never uploaded.