Translate Taiwanese Mandarin, and actually learn it.
Google Translate gives you a sentence. Boba Talk shows you why each character is there, explains the tones, and notes what locals actually say and why — going beyond just translation.
Get it on the Mac App Store soon
Free to use · Pro version from £3.99 / month
Character breakdown
Meaning, tone, and pinyin for every Han character.
Tones explained
Colour-coded so you can hear them as you read.
Cultural context
Learn how locals actually say things, and what to avoid.
Founders note...
I built Boba Talk after visiting Taiwan and realising existing translation tools didn't help me understand what I was reading. I wanted character breakdowns, help with tones, and an explanation of a word or sentence. But what I was looking for didn't exist so I created Boba Talk.
— Matt
Frequently asked questions
How is this different from Google Translate?
Google Translate gives you a sentence. Boba Talk shows you the meaning of each character, the tone, the romanisation, and how locals say it. You learn with each translation.
Do I need to know Mandarin already?
No. Boba Talk is built for total beginners through to intermediate learners. The character breakdowns, tone colours, and romanisation mean you can read along even on day one.
What's the free tier really like?
Generous for casual use — 20 advanced Teach Me breakdowns each month, save up to 20 favourite phrases, free phrasebooks. Basic translations are unlimited.
When's the iPhone version?
The iPhone version is in active development and ships a few weeks after the Mac launch. The same Boba Talk Pro subscription works across both.
Does it work offline?
Basic Mandarin ↔ English translations run on-device and work offline. The Teach Me breakdown functionality uses our server and needs a connection.