# Learn Japanese with a pen pal

[Sea Pals](https://seapals.app/) › [Pen pal app](https://seapals.app/pen-pals) › [Learn Japanese](https://seapals.app/pen-pals/learn-japanese)

Updated 11 October 2026

Practise Japanese in letters to pen pal friends on Sea Pals. Mochi looks for shared interests and languages to help you meet people who write in Japanese, and you can begin with a greeting and a sentence about a hobby.

## Sample letter

日本語を勉強しています。今日は「お茶」を覚えました。好きな飲み物は何ですか？

Translation: I’m learning Japanese. Today I learnt “tea”. What’s your favourite drink?

## 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

## Add Japanese to your profile

In your Sea Pals profile, add Japanese under Learning and choose a hobby you could write about today.

## Try one line at a time

Begin with a polite greeting and a short sentence in Japanese. Use a language you share for the rest if that helps you express yourself.

## Translate when you’re stuck

Read the original alongside a translation to see how your friend expressed something. You can ask about a phrase and talk about the day it came from.

## What to write about

Introduce something you enjoy in a short Japanese sentence and ask a question about your friend’s interests.

- Introduce a hobby using a Japanese word you recognise.
- Explain what made you want to learn Japanese.
- Write a short sentence about something you ate today.
- Ask about a phrase you tried to use, and explain your intended meaning.
- Share a small learning success and ask what your friend is learning.

## Words you’ll see

A polite Japanese introduction can use a greeting and a hobby sentence; romanisation helps with reading but does not replace the Japanese spelling.

Japanese for a first letter

| Term | Reading | Meaning and use |
| --- | --- | --- |
| こんにちは | konnichiwa | Hello; a daytime greeting. |
| はじめまして | hajimemashite | Nice to meet you, used when first introducing yourself. |
| よろしくお願いします | yoroshiku onegaishimasu | A polite greeting looking forward to getting along; no single exact English equivalent. |
| 好きです | suki desu | I like it; name the thing you like before が好きです. |
| 趣味 | shumi | Hobby: useful for introducing what you enjoy. |
| ありがとうございます | arigatou gozaimasu | Thank you, in a polite form. |

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

## Pen pal privacy and age rules

- Someone new never sees your birthday, exact location or username.

- Social handles and links can’t go in letters.

- Teens 13–17 only meet other teens. Country minimum ages apply.

[How we keep it safe](https://seapals.app/safety)

### Do I need to know Japanese already?

Begin with a greeting and a short Japanese sentence, using a shared language for the rest. Any language help is up to your friend; there are no lessons or tutors.

### Can I choose Japan?

Mochi considers shared interests and languages, but you cannot choose a country or a particular person.

### Is translation free?

Yes. The app’s translation feature is free.

### Is it safe for teens?

Teens 13–17 only meet other teens, subject to country minimum ages.

## Related pages

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

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

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

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- [English practice](https://seapals.app/pen-pals/learn-english)

- [Adult pen pals](https://seapals.app/pen-pals/adults)

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- [English practice](https://seapals.app/pen-pals/learn-english)
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