Familiar topics. Words that stay with you.
About Kotoba
Kotoba is a language learning app for iPhone and iPad. It brings together topic-based practice, reading with word lookup, personal vocabulary review, and an AI conversation partner. Islands is a learning mode within Kotoba.
- App name
- Kotoba · 言葉
- Availability
- iPhone and iPad, through the Apple App Store
- Languages
- 31 supported languages
- Pricing
- Free to download and use, with daily limits. Optional Kotoba Pro expands access; current regional prices appear in the app and App Store.
- Practice
- Reading, listening, writing, speaking aloud, AI text conversations, and vocabulary review
- Contact
- hello@kotoba.fyi
What is the Islands mode?
Islands organizes practice into 12 themed collections, including first conversations, everyday life, relationships, work, and culture. Each island contains topics you can explore in any order. Create a story, revisit previous stories for that topic, and practice at a depth that suits you.
The mode draws on the general idea of language islands: preparing familiar material you can return to in conversation. Kotoba extends that idea into a place to collect stories and practice around a topic. Activity indicators help you see what you have tried without turning the map into a fixed sequence of lessons.
Read something you care about
Read stories, articles, or text you bring into the app. Tap an unfamiliar word for a translation and save it with its original sentence. Listen with text-to-speech and return to saved vocabulary through spaced-repetition flashcards, cloze exercises, recall, and writing practice.
Our public language guides include original reading examples and language-specific suggestions you can try before downloading the app.
Practice conversations around your life
Kotoba’s AI conversation partner supports text-based exchanges and feedback on grammar and word choice. Use it to rehearse an introduction, make plans, or work through a situation you expect to encounter. Kotoba Pro also includes custom scenarios for situations you want to create yourself.
Speaking activities in Islands are opportunities to practice aloud. The app’s completion indicators record practice, rather than assessing pronunciation or certifying proficiency. AI-generated stories and feedback can contain mistakes, so check important language with a reliable reference or speaker.
Who is Kotoba for?
Kotoba is designed for independent learners who want to practice around personal interests, read with vocabulary support, and return to useful language over time. You can start with a short familiar exchange or work on a more involved story or discussion. It can accompany a class, a teacher, or conversation with other people.
It is not an accredited course or an exam certification service. There is no promise that completing an island produces a particular CEFR level.
Support and product information
For subscriptions, restoring purchases, and account questions, visit Kotoba support. See the privacy policy for data handling and the terms of service for conditions of use.