# What to write in your first pen pal letter

[Sea Pals](https://seapals.app/) › [Guides](https://seapals.app/guides) › [First pen pal letter](https://seapals.app/guides/first-letter)

Updated 11 October 2026

Start your first pen pal letter with a friendly hello, a little about what you enjoy and a question that is easy to answer. Share your interests and country, while keeping your full name, school, address and social handles private. A short, warm letter gives someone a place to start writing back.

## How to open your letter

A simple “Hello!” is enough. Use a nickname and say something about yourself that does not give away where to find you. There is no need for a formal introduction.

1. Start with a friendly greeting.
2. Say what you enjoy: “I love K-pop and trying new food.”
3. Say why you are writing: “I would love to hear about your day.”

## What to share about yourself

Pick a few things you would enjoy talking about again: music, food, a hobby or a small part of your day. You can say which country you are in without naming your town, school or a place you visit every day.

“Today I tried making rice balls” gives someone more to reply to than a long list of facts. Leave room to learn about each other over time.

## Questions to ask a new pen pal

Choose one or two questions that fit your letter.

- What song have you been playing lately?
- What food would you recommend from your country?
- Is there something you like to cook?
- What do you like doing on a quiet day?
- What are you watching at the moment?
- What would you like to learn to do?
- What is a favourite word in your language?
- Which season do you like best, and why?
- What small thing made you smile today?

## An example first letter

Here is a short letter you can use as a starting point. Change the details to things you really enjoy.

> Hello!
> 
> I love K-pop and making rice balls. I am in Canada, and today I tried a new filling for lunch. It was a little messy, but I would make it again!
> 
> What song have you been playing lately? Is there a food from your country you think I should try?
> 
> I would love to hear from you.

## What not to share in a first letter

Keep your full name, school, home address and social handles out of your letter. Leave out your phone number, exact location and photos of yourself too.

Sea Pals does not show someone new your birthday, exact location or username. Social handles and links cannot go in letters. Photos in chat need messages from both people and the receiver’s permission first.

## How Sea Pals carries your letter

Write about something you love in Sea Pals, and Mochi the otter carries your bottle letter to a few people with shared interests; anyone who writes back becomes your friend. To draft a letter first, use the free letter paper tool for words you can share by link, then write your bottle letter in the app.

## Sea Pals at a glance

- Price: Free

- Works on: iPhone, Android and the web

- App languages: English · 한국어 · 日本語 · Deutsch · Português (Brasil) · Español · Русский · Türkçe · Bahasa Indonesia · Tiếng Việt · ไทย · Italiano · Français · Polski

- Minimum age: 13+ · 14+ in South Korea · 16+ in Australia

- Translation: Built-in, on supported devices and language pairs

## Questions

### How long should a first pen pal letter be?

A few short paragraphs are enough: a hello, something about your interests and a question or two. Give someone a way to reply.

### What should I not put in a letter?

Leave out your full name, school, address, phone number, exact location, social handles and photos of yourself. In Sea Pals, social handles and links cannot go in letters.

### Do I need to write in English?

No. Write in a language you feel comfortable using, or use short sentences in a language you are learning. Sea Pals has on-device translation where the phone and language pair support it.

### Can I choose who receives my Sea Pals letter?

No. Mochi carries your letter to a few people with shared interests. You cannot pick a country or a particular recipient; someone who replies becomes your friend.

## Try it

[Use free letter paper](https://seapals.app/letter)

[Get Sea Pals](https://seapals.app/#get)

## More guides

- [Guides](https://seapals.app/guides)

- [Making friends online](https://seapals.app/guides/make-friends-abroad)

- [How to make Korean friends](https://seapals.app/guides/korean-friends)

- [How to make Japanese friends](https://seapals.app/guides/japanese-friends)

- [Pen pal safety for teens](https://seapals.app/guides/pen-pal-safety)

- [Korean letter phrases](https://seapals.app/guides/korean-phrases)

- [Japanese letter phrases](https://seapals.app/guides/japanese-phrases)

- [Pen pal questions](https://seapals.app/guides/pen-pal-questions)

- [Pen pal apps compared](https://seapals.app/guides/pen-pal-apps)

- [K-pop words](https://seapals.app/guides/kpop-words)

- [Reading Hangul](https://seapals.app/guides/learn-hangul)

- [Korean names for friends](https://seapals.app/guides/korean-honorifics)

- [BTS concert tips](https://seapals.app/guides/bts-concert)

- [K-drama words](https://seapals.app/guides/kdrama-words)

- [Korean comfort food](https://seapals.app/guides/korean-comfort-food)

- [Pepero Day](https://seapals.app/guides/pepero-day)

- [Photo booth poses](https://seapals.app/guides/photo-booth-poses)

- [Apps like HelloTalk](https://seapals.app/guides/apps-like-hellotalk)

- [Sea Pals vs Slowly](https://seapals.app/guides/sea-pals-vs-slowly)

- [Pen pal meaning](https://seapals.app/guides/what-is-a-pen-pal)

- [Apps to make friends](https://seapals.app/guides/apps-to-make-friends)

- [Apps for teens to make friends](https://seapals.app/guides/apps-for-teens-to-make-friends)

- [Long distance relationship ideas](https://seapals.app/guides/long-distance-relationship-ideas)

- [Letter to a best friend](https://seapals.app/guides/letter-to-best-friend)

- [Friendship quotes](https://seapals.app/guides/friendship-quotes)

- [Cozy apps](https://seapals.app/guides/cozy-apps)

## Find pen pals

- [K-pop fans](https://seapals.app/pen-pals/kpop)

- [Korean practice with friends](https://seapals.app/pen-pals/learn-korean)

- [Pen pal app](https://seapals.app/pen-pals)

## Related pages

- [K-pop fans](https://seapals.app/pen-pals/kpop)

- [Korean practice with friends](https://seapals.app/pen-pals/learn-korean)

- [Pen pal app](https://seapals.app/pen-pals)

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## Pen pals for…
- [BTS fans](https://seapals.app/pen-pals/bts)
- [K-pop fans](https://seapals.app/pen-pals/kpop)
- [Korean pen pals](https://seapals.app/pen-pals/korean)
- [Korean practice with friends](https://seapals.app/pen-pals/learn-korean)
- [K-drama fans](https://seapals.app/pen-pals/kdrama)
- [Anime fans](https://seapals.app/pen-pals/anime)
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