how do you type in katakana?

J

Jen_b

the phoenix

24 Sep 2007

8

0

• 26 Sep 2007

• #1

I have a quick question about how to communicate with someone online who speaks Japanese. My friend cant speak English well and I want to communicate back in katakana. I don't think that he can read romanji. Is there a web page that I can use to type in katakana?

 

JimmySeal

Tubthumper

5 Mar 2006

1,516

78

• 26 Sep 2007

• #2

What makes you think your friend can't read romaji? If I were a Japanese person I'd rather receive an e-mail in romaji than entirely in katakana.

 

nice gaijin

Resident Realist

Moderator

Donor

Twenty-year veteran

8 Aug 2005

7,316

3,727

• 26 Sep 2007

• #3

it's unlikely that your friend would be unable to read romaji. English in katakana is still English, and would probably be even more confusing and indecipherable than plain English. Keep your sentences simple and you'll have a better chance of him understanding you.

 

J

Jen_b

the phoenix

24 Sep 2007

8

0

• 27 Sep 2007

• Thread starter
• #4

thanks guys. yeah he can read romanji! im sooo glad . i got a little worried that we would never be able to talk.

 

nice gaijin

Resident Realist

Moderator

Donor

Twenty-year veteran

8 Aug 2005

7,316

3,727

• 27 Sep 2007

• #5

Romaji (no "n") is Japanese written in English letters. Unless you are writing things like "ohisashiburi desu ne! genki desu ka?" you are not writing in romaji, you are writing in English.

 

Grim Roach

先輩

17 Apr 2007

27

2

• 10 Oct 2007

• #6

Do you use XP?

Control Panel -> Regional and Language Options -> Language Tab -> Details -> Settings Tab -> Search for Japanese (You might need your XP CD) then Add.

You might want to check if your language bar is being showed, you can do this by clicking the 'Language Bar' in the same window.

You should see a weird looking bar near your system tray, just play around with it you should be able to type in Hiragana, Katakana and Kanji with it.

Hope that helps.