When to Use Katakana for English Words

 

How do we know when to use Katakana writing in english word?

## When to Use Katakana for English Words

**Generally, Katakana is used for words borrowed from other languages, including English.**

Here are some specific cases:

### 1. Loanwords
* **Foreign words that have been adopted into the Japanese language:**
* Computers, smartphones, brands (Apple, Nike), food items (pizza, hamburger)
* Examples: コンピュータ (computer), スマートフォン (smartphone), アップル (Apple), ピザ (pizza)

### 2. Onomatopoeia and Imitative Words
* **Sounds or actions:**
* Buzzing, clicking, crashing, etc.
* Examples: ブーン (buzzing), クリック (click), ガシャーン (crash)

### 3. Foreign Names
* **People, places, and things:**
* Names of foreign people or places, book titles, movie titles
* Examples: ニューヨーク (New York), ハリー・ポッター (Harry Potter)

### 4. Emphasis
* **To draw attention to a word or phrase:**
* Similar to using italics in English
* Examples: ファッション (fashion), オシャレ (stylish)

**Important note:** There are exceptions and nuances to these rules, and sometimes the same word can be written in Hiragana or Katakana depending on the context.