Romaji isn't just for us English speakers, though. Japanese people learn romaji in elementary school and you can find it written alongside kanji or other Japanese words in some, albeit rare, circumstances. Think of it more like a math equation where “2 + 2 = 4” is hiragana and “two plus two equals four” is romaji. It gets the job done, but is it really the same thing?

Here are my romaji pros and cons:

Pros:

• Romaji can help bridge the gap between English letters and Japanese characters for new learners 

• It can help you learn pronunciation and build speaking confidence 

• Romaji can make the first steps less intimidating and help you learn at an accelerated pace

Cons:

• While learning Japanese, it will be very hard to find materials without kana, especially once you progress to the intermediate phase

• Even if you want to just be conversational, many grammar rules can't be translated with romaji, so there would be a big gap in understanding 

• There's no standard romaji, so things can get confusing

So, while there are valid arguments to both sides of the romaji debate, I think we can agree on a few things. There's nothing wrong with using it as a tool in the beginning, especially if it builds confidence and makes the otherwise intimidating process more manageable. Romaji can bridge the English to Japanese gap in a seamless way and for that alone it has merit. 

But don't fall into its trap - make an effort and take a few weeks to learn hiragana and katakana so you won't have to unlearn some bad habits in the future. Focus on the basics, let romaji help you along the way and, yes, you will get much further in conversation, but you’ll also be sharpening your reading and writing skills. Just because you have no intention to read or write doesn't mean you wont face a situation where you will have to read a sign on the train or look up a strange word you keep hearing, then what? Do yourself a favor and commit to kana.