Supported Features
-
Larger Text
-
Dark Interface
-
Differentiate Without Color Alone
-
Reduced Motion
Kotomora: Japanese Dictionary
Learn Vocabulary & Kanji
Free · Designed for iPad. Not verified for macOS.
Kotomora is a Japanese dictionary built for learners who want more than quick definitions.
Search by typing Japanese, English, romaji, kana, or kanji — or draw Japanese characters by hand when you don't know the reading. Then explore words in context with readings, meanings, examples, pitch accent, conjugations, frequency, JLPT level, related words, related kanji, and written-form notes. Every example sentence has audio, and can be broken down word by word.
Customize word, kanji, and grammar pages: reorder sections and choose what starts open, and on word and kanji pages, hide the ones you don't use. Hide furigana to practice reading — then tap any sentence to check yourself with a full breakdown.
Kotomora includes a complete grammar reference: 710 grammar points from JLPT N5 to N1, from essentials like は and ている to advanced forms like べく and とはいえ. Each page says what a form means, how to build it, and when to use it, with example sentences you can listen to, and ends with practice to check yourself. Each level is grouped by what its forms let you say, and 48 comparisons put forms that say nearly the same thing side by side — like the particles that go after a place, the ways to say "because," or respectful and humble keigo.
Browse words by JLPT level, part of speech, theme, and more, or start from curated collections like onomatopoeia, four-character idioms, proverbs, and keigo.
Kotomora also includes translation guides that explain how English words and phrases map to natural Japanese. Learn the difference between options like ありがとう, ありがとうございます, and すみません, or how words like "run," "wear," "please," and "but" change depending on context.
Features:
• Japanese-English dictionary search — type Japanese, English, romaji, or kana, or draw characters by hand
• Complete grammar reference — 710 points and 48 comparisons across JLPT N5–N1, with practice on every page
• Audio on every example sentence and word, with a male or female voice and playback speed control
• Customizable word, kanji, and grammar pages — reorder sections, choose what starts open, and show or hide furigana
• Made for iPad, too — word, kanji, and grammar pages make use of the wider screen, with search results beside the page you're reading
• Ready for iPhone Duo — Kotomora uses both displays and keeps your place when you open or close it
• Browse and filter by JLPT, part of speech, theme, and curated collections
• Related words on every entry — synonyms, easily confused words, word families, and transitive/intransitive pairs
• Usage patterns and expressions that show how words combine in real sentences
• Sentence analyzer that breaks a sentence into words, with each word's reading, meaning, and dictionary form
• Translation guides for nuance and natural usage
• Kanji meanings, readings, components, similar kanji, and stroke order
• Pitch accent, examples, conjugations, frequency, and JLPT info
• Save entries and add personal notes — your saved words are marked wherever you browse, and you can export all your data
Kotomora is designed for learners who want to understand how Japanese is actually used.
Grammar pages now have Customize page, as word and kanji pages do: choose which parts start folded, and put them in the order you like, such as the practice first. Grammar pages are also clearer about where a tap takes you: in a page's lists of similar forms, the ones that open another page are teal with an arrow, the ones the page itself teaches say "This page", and each example sentence sits in a card of its own. On iPad, grammar pages and level lists with a side column now scroll wherever you swipe. Plus small improvements and fixes.
The developer, Jeffrey Senecal, indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer’s privacy policy .
Data Linked to You
The following data may be collected and linked to your identity:
- Location
- User Content
- Search History
- Usage Data
- Diagnostics
The developer indicated that this app supports the following accessibility features. Learn More
Information
- Seller
- Jeffrey Senecal
- Size
- 33 MB
- Category
- Education
- Compatibility
Requires iOS 18.0 or later.
- iPhone
Requires iOS 18.0 or later. - iPad
Requires iPadOS 18.0 or later. - Mac
Requires macOS 15.0 or later and a Mac with Apple M1 chip or later. - Apple Vision
Requires visionOS 2.0 or later.
- iPhone
- Languages
- English
- Age Rating
9+
- 9+
- Infrequent
Profanity or Crude Humor
Mature or Suggestive Themes
Guns or Other Weapons
- Copyright
- © 2026 Jeffrey Senecal