Hiragana (or Kanji) vs Katakana

[Harusame]

That's weird, I always had more trouble with hiragana. But I've noticed that it's easier to learn the syllabary if you look at patterns, and if you don't try to officially "learn" it. If you just learn new vocabulary words in the syllabary, then you'll just start to pick up on what the letters mean. It works for me, anyway.

[SamuraiAlchemistNinja]

I'm not sure of katakana, cuz i only know a,e,i,o,u in katakana. I know a lot of kanji and can write almost flawlessly in hiragana. It's all the same to me, I guess...*shrugs*

[vivideyecrystal]

Sometimes you can think of katakana to Japanese like italics is to the alphabet. It's all about emphasis, and, as someone replied before me, it's about 'being cool'

[Smileydude]

hey just as a little extra thingy, isn't katakana used for names too, that is, if kanji isn't used

[abbas]

Originally Posted by l0nEr

Hey, im new to the forum. Just wanted to ask a question. When do they use katakana or hiragana. Is it ok to just switch from hiragana to katakana?

Its like, for example, i found this in the lyrics in the KAT-TUN song, REAL FACE. "このナミダ・ナゲキ→未来へのステップ" . Why is the ナミダ written in Katakana? Does it still mean the same as the なみだ or 涙? Also, i think Orange Range Sayonara is marketed in Katakana too? instead of Hiragana?

Why is this so? Thanks a lot.

what i know they use hiragana or katagana is because u cannot find the word to write name n words of diffrent language in khanji so that is why they use hiragana n katakana eg. babar abbas when they write it will be babaru abbasu not in khanji but in hirahana n katagana i think u can understand now

[abbas]

if u want write names n word of diffrent language u wil not find in khanji but in hiragana n katagana

[burhanis]

sumimasen
watashi wa suruton desu
indonesia kara kimashita
dozo yorosiku

[saikyo]

Katakana can also be used to emphasize words, kind of in the way that we use italics, or bold type in English.

There is an example of Katakana used for foreign words on this current Japanese advertisement here.
http://www.japannewbie.com/japanese_...kemon-manners/

An example of Katakana used for emphasis here. (風邪 has become カゼ)
http://www.japannewbie.com/japanese_...-is-your-cold/

Another here... きれい has become キレイhttp://www.japannewbie.com/japanese_...gue-with-breo/

Hope that helps!