Kotobask
JLPT N5–N1 + Everyday Japanese · iPhone
Japanese vocabulary,
one quiz at a time.
2,500 words across JLPT and everyday Japanese, with audio, example sentences, and focused quizzes. No ads, no account, no subscription.
Free to download · Choose any 5 decks · iPhone only
Built for the part of vocabulary that actually takes time
Reading a word list is easy. Recalling a word under pressure is not. Kotobask is built around recall, not reading.
More than one meaning
Japanese words rarely fit into one English label. Word details keep the representative quiz meaning clear while showing useful translations and distinct senses in context.
- See additional translations without crowding the quiz
- Review separate meanings with their own example sentences
- Show full sentence readings in hiragana or romaji
Every example becomes a question
Choose the exact word form that fits the blank, then review the complete sentence with its reading, meaning, and audio.
- One reviewed sentence question for every built-in word
- Answer choices match the form that goes directly into the blank
- Show the full sentence reading in hiragana or romaji
Your own words, alongside the lists
The words you meet in class, in a drama, or at work matter as much as the ones in a study deck.
- Add your own vocabulary with My Vocab
- Search every word in the app and save the ones you want
- Filter by JLPT level, mastery, saved words, or your own
- Start focused quizzes from Saved Words and My Vocab
Practice your way
Switch between quick vocabulary recall, listening, and sentence questions, or build a focused set around exactly what you want to review.
- Japanese → English, English → Japanese, Listening, and Sentence
- Practise by topic, situation, mastery, Saved Words, or My Vocab
- Retry wrong answers or continue with fresh words
- Focus on new and weak words when you want to close gaps
Progress you can actually see
Streaks, accuracy and study time in one place, so a short session still feels like it counted.
- Accuracy trends across 7 days, 30 days, or 1 year
- Study activity and your current streak
- Mastery changes and per-deck progress at a glance
Audio for every built-in word, bundled — not streamed
Audio for all 2,500 built-in words and example sentences ships inside the app, so nothing buffers and nothing downloads word by word. Once a session has loaded, you can finish it without a connection.
- Every built-in word and example sentence has audio
- High-quality synthesized speech, reviewed word by word
- Pronunciation and pitch-accent corrections applied where needed
- Tap to replay as often as you like, with no wait
Pay once for what you need. Nothing recurring.
Kotobask is not a subscription. You unlock only the decks you need with one-time purchases. There's no recurring charge.
Free
Five decks
Choose any five decks when you first open the app — 500 words, with full audio and all quiz modes. No account, no trial timer, no card.
US $1.49
Per additional deck
A one-time purchase unlocks one additional deck of roughly 100 words for your Apple Account. Buy only the levels you're actually studying.
Kotobask contains 25 decks of 100 words. Choose any five free, then unlock other decks individually. The US price is $1.49 per deck; local App Store pricing may vary. No subscription or recurring charge.
No account. No ads. No tracking.
You open the app and start studying. There is no sign-up screen, because there is nothing to sign up for. Kotobask shows no ads and does not track you across apps or websites.
Questions people ask
What do I get for free?
Five decks of your choice — 500 words — with audio and every quiz mode. There's no trial period and no card required.
Is Kotobask a subscription?
No. Each additional deck is a one-time purchase, and there's nothing recurring. The US price is $1.49 per deck; local App Store pricing varies by region.
How many words are there?
2,500 words across 25 decks: JLPT N5 to N1 plus General Essentials for everyday Japanese. Each deck contains 100 words, and every built-in word has a reading, English meaning, example sentence, and audio.
Do I need an account?
No. There's no sign-up, no email, and no password. You open the app and start.
Will more decks be added?
The current catalogue contains 25 decks. Future vocabulary expansions may add more, but no additional deck schedule has been announced.
Do I have to buy every deck?
No. Decks are sold individually so you can buy just the level you're studying. Most people won't need all of them.
Can a deck's contents change after I buy it?
A few words may change to improve quality, including in purchased decks. Your purchased access and the 100-word deck size remain unchanged.
Does Kotobask work without a connection?
Audio for all 2,500 built-in words and example sentences ships inside the app, so it never streams or buffers. Kotobask needs a connection to load current deck data, but once a session has loaded you can finish it offline. Words you add with My Vocab need a connection the first time their audio is generated; after that it is stored on your device.
Who recorded the audio?
It's high-quality synthesized speech rather than a studio recording. The audio was reviewed word by word, with pronunciation and pitch-accent corrections applied where needed.
Good to know before you download
What happens to my progress if I delete the app?
You'd start over. Progress is tied to an anonymous ID stored on the device, and because there's no account, there is currently no way to sign in and pull it back. Moving to a new phone may or may not carry it across, depending on how you restore the device. Purchased decks are separate — those can be restored with the same Apple Account.
Is Kotobask affiliated with the JLPT?
No. Kotobask is an independent study app for people preparing for the exam. It has no connection to the organisations that run it, and it can't promise you a result.
Is there an Android version?
Not at the moment. Kotobask is iPhone only, and there's no Android timeline to share yet.
Does it work on iPad?
Kotobask is designed for iPhone. There's no iPad version at the moment.
Why can't I download it in my country?
Kotobask is not currently available in EU countries. Availability may expand in the future.
Start with five decks, free.
No account to make, nothing to cancel, and audio for every built-in word already on your phone.
Download on the App Store