Interpres

English ⇄ Japanese · Real-time AI interpreter

Speak Japanese in Japan. Just set your phone down.

Many station staff, shopkeepers and taxi drivers in Japan speak little English, and typing into a translator app kills the conversation. Set Interpres down between you and you both read the conversation live, in English and Japanese.

Opens with English and Japanese already selected.

Phrases for Japan

Show the screen, or just say it — Interpres translates as you speak.

Hotel

  • EnglishI'd like to check in. Here's my passport.

    Japaneseチェックインをお願いします。パスポートはこちらです。

Trains

  • EnglishWhere can I top up my IC card?

    JapaneseIC カードはどこでチャージできますか?

  • EnglishWhich platform is the train to Kyoto?

    Japanese京都行きの電車は何番線ですか?

Taxi

  • EnglishPlease take me to this hotel.

    Japaneseこのホテルまでお願いします。

Restaurant

  • EnglishDoes this contain pork or alcohol?

    Japaneseこれに豚肉やお酒は入っていますか?

  • EnglishWhat do you recommend?

    Japaneseおすすめは何ですか?

  • EnglishCould I have the bill, please?

    Japaneseお会計をお願いします。

Pharmacy

  • EnglishDo you have any cold medicine?

    Japanese風邪薬はありますか?

Shopping

  • EnglishCan I buy this tax-free?

    Japaneseこれは免税で買えますか?

  • EnglishDo you have this in a bigger size?

    Japaneseこれの大きいサイズはありますか?

If something goes wrong

  • EnglishI've lost my wallet. Where's the nearest police box?

    Japanese財布をなくしました。交番はどこですか?

How it works

  1. Pick the languages

    Open it from this page and English and Japanese are already selected.

  2. Set the phone down

    Place it between the two of you so you can both see the screen.

  3. Take turns talking

    It detects which language is spoken and shows the original and the translation.

iPhone and Android apps

The other side’s subtitles flip 180° to face them, and translations are read aloud.

For your trip

Traveler monthly

¥1,000/mo

1,000 min / month

About 33 min a day

  • For frequent travelers and daily use
  • Cancel any time
Start monthly

Renews monthly. Cancel any time from your account.

Questions

Is my audio stored?
No. Audio is used only to interpret and Interpres does not store it. You decide whether to keep the text subtitles in your history.
Does it work offline?
No. Speech is recognised and translated on a server, so you need 4G, 5G or Wi-Fi. A travel eSIM or pocket Wi-Fi is worth having.
How much does it cost?
120 minutes a month are free, and you can try it for five minutes without an account. Need more? The Traveler plan gives you 1,000 minutes a month for ¥1,000.
Does it tell English and Japanese apart automatically?
Yes. Choose English and Japanese, and it detects which one is being spoken and translates into the other. No button to press between turns.
Is there an app?
Yes, for iPhone (App Store) and Android (Google Play). If you would rather not install anything, the browser version works as is.

See pricing