Japanese - Ask questions thread

Basically if you have a question about the language, ask it and fellow 4channers might see it and answer it for you.

To start it off. When an animate object (iru) dies, is it considered inanimate(aru)?

How can I make it so I can read/type in japanese? I'm using Windows 2000.

And when someone is referring to more than one thing, like "three cats", do we say three "nekos", does it stay "neko", or is there another way to add an s? I am horrible at explaining.