Typing in Japanese

How to type in Japanese

* First, watch the video. "How to Type in Japanese.

* Mac users: If you need help japanizing your computer or finding out the choices of switching input recources or setting short cuts for Japanese inputs, watch Mac Language Help Video (open to a new window)

*Windows users: If you need help japanizing your computer, watch "Windows Language Help Video" for XP and "Japanizing Windows 7" for Windows 7. For help changing input sources, see "Windows Japanese Input and Shortcut ".

* Initial input is in Hiragana (Type in Roomaji).

++ Practice displaying letters and symbols: first set the input source to Hiragana.
++ Now start typing Japanese words and sentences as directed:

とうきょう　: type 'toukyou" (not "tookyoo" or "tokyo")

まって　: type "matte"

べんきょう　: type "benkyou"

ずつ　: type "zutsu" or "zutu"

つづく　: type "tsuduku" or "tuduku"

みかん　: type "mikann"

For [ん], type "n" twice.

あいうえお　: can you type it on your own?

にほんご　:

がくせい　:

を　(particle: direct object marker): type "wo"

へ　(particle: direction marker): type "he"

Discplaying Katakana (change input source to Katakana)

パーティー　(party): type "pa-texi-"

**typing ”x” before a vowel makes the vowel character (either Hiragana or Katakana) small.

オースティン　(Austin): type "o-sutexinn"

カリフォルニア　(California): type "kariforunia"

ウォーキング　(walking): type "uxo-kinngu"

ミルクシェーク　(milkshake): type "mirukushe-ku"

マイク・スミス　(Mike Smith): type "maiku・sumisu"

for {・} on Mac, press OPTION & type “/” . On Windows, press command+ and type “/”.

Back to Hiragana (change input source to Hiragana)

「はい」　: type "[hai]"

for the Japanese quatation marker {「　　」}, type "[ ]".

『はい』　:

for the Japanese double quotation marker {『　　』}, on Mac, press SHIFT and "[ ]". On Windows, type {「 } and { 」}, then press SPACE a few times until {『 } and { 』} are highlighted; then press RETURN.

はい、そうです。　:

For the Japanese comma {、}, type ",", and period {。}. type ".".

* Input a word as one unit (“watashi” not “wa ta shi”).
* Do not put spaces between words in Japanese. Type "benkyoushiteimasu." and it appears {べんきょうしています。}

Now, type にほんごをはなします。

After typing {にほんごをはなします。}, press RETURN.

Now, convert にほんご　into Kanji 日本語

After typing 「にほんご」, press SPACE. When you have the correct Kanji characters, press RETURN.

Next, type 　箸（はし）

If you don’t get a correct Kanji when you press SPACE once, press it again. You will have a list of Kanji options. Press SPACE (or arrow key) until you find the correct Kanji highlighted; then press RETURN.

If you can't find correct Kanji characters for a word you typed you need to regroup it.
Type the kanji word　水藤　(すいとう: suitou).

Press SPACE once, press it again. You see a list of Kanji options for {すいとう}, but you can't find {水藤}. Now, while pressing SHIFT, press "←" key twice (for two Hiragana characters). The word is divided into {水} and another Kanji character for {とう}. Since {水} is correct, press "→" key once to highlight (bold underscore) {とう}, then press SPACE (or arrow key) repeatedly until you find the kanji {藤}; then press RETURN.

You can type a whole sentence at once and convert it. However, as a beginner, it is simpler and easier to get the correct Kanji selection by converting word by word or phrase by phrase. Now, let's type sentences.

わたしは日本語をべんきょうします。 (I study Japanese.)

トマトとオレンジです。 (They are tomatos and oranges)

If you have a Katakana word in the sentence, you can change the input source to Katakana right before the Katakana word and back to Hiragana after typing the Karakana word. Another way is to type the Katakana word in Hiragana and convert it like Kanji words. You can also type Katakana by pressing SHIFT while you type characters.

私はテキサス大学の学生です。 (I am a student at UT.)

私（わたし）、大学（だいがく）、学生（がくせい）

私はテキサス大学へ行きます。 (I am going to the University of Texas.)

行きます（いきます: to go)

その人はブラウンさんです。 (That person is Ms./Mr. Brown.)

人（ひと）

Now, check your work by clicking "Check Answers" below. If you made any mistakes, go back and correct them. If there is an extra space before or after the answer, it does not take the answer as correct. You can click "Check Answers" again. UT students can submit this work by following the JOSHU submit instruction.

日本語でタイプ