# Okinawan phrasebook

Okinawan (ウチナーグチ, Uchinaaguchi) is one of the ethnic languages of Okinawa, Japan. Okinawan is mutually unintelligible with standard Japanese, some people say its a dialect while others say its a different own language, but most people living in Okinawa understand Japanese, so don't fear. Some words have slightly different pronunciations depending on gender, like hello! はいたい!

## Pronunciation guide

There is no standard way of writing the language. Hiragana and kanji have both been used in the past, and American and Japanese scholars have tried to get katakana and the Latin alphabet used. Kanji and hiragana remain more popular as of the first half of the 21st century.

### Common diphthongs
## Phrase list
### Basics
#### Hello.

    今日拝なびら。 (chū wuganabira): はいさい (haisai - for men): はいたい (haitai - for women)

#### How are you?

    がんじゅーやみせーみ？ (ganju yamisemi?)

#### Fine, thank you.

    ちくんやいびーん (chikun yaibin)

#### What is your name?

    名前や何やいびーが？ (namaeya nanyaibīga?)

#### My name is ______ .

    我名前や ______ やいびーん。 (yayvīm)

#### Nice to meet you.

    はじみてぃやーさい (hajimitēyāsai)

#### Please.

    うにげえさびら (unigēsabira)

#### Thank you.

    でーびーる (Nifee Deebiiru): どー (Nifee doo)

#### You're welcome.

    ぐぶりーさびたん (gubrīsabitam)

#### Yes.

    うー (oo )

#### No.

    をぅーをぅー (wou wou)

#### Excuse me. (getting attention)

    さびたん (guburii sabitan): さびら (guburii sabira)

#### Excuse me. (begging pardon)

    わっさいびーん (wassaibīm)

#### I'm sorry.

    わっさいびーたん (wassaibītam)

#### I'm sorry. (informal)

    わっさいびーん (wassaibīm)

#### Goodbye

    またやーさい (matayāsai)

#### Goodbye (informal)

    ぐぶりーさびら (guburīsabira)

#### I can't speak name of language [well].

    うちなーぐち[ゆー]話さらびらん。 (...)

#### Do you speak English?

    亜米利加口話さらびーが？ (Amerika guchi hanasarabīga?)

#### Help!

    助きー！ (Tashikī!)

#### Look out!

    うかーさん！ (Ukāsan!, The "ā" is the pronunciation of the "A" in Amen.)

#### Good morning.

    起きみそーち (okimisōchi)

#### Good evening. (man)

    はいさい (Haisai)

#### Good evening. (woman)

    はいたい (Haitai)

#### Good night. (man)

    はいさい (Haisai)

#### Good night. (woman)

    はいたい (Haitai)

#### Good night (to sleep)

    にんじみそーれー (Ninjimi sōrē)

#### I don't understand.

    わかやびらん (wakayabiran)

#### Where is the toilet?
### Problems
#### Don't touch me!

    触んな！ (sānna!)

#### Police!

    警察！ (Kīsachi!)

#### Stop! Thief!

    待てー！ぬする！ (Matē! Nusuru!)

#### I need your help.

    助きーくぃみそーれ。 (Tashikī kuimisōre, The "i" in "kui" is pronounced small.)

#### I'm sick.

    病あびーん。 (...)

#### Can I use your phone?
### Numbers

Usually any number greater than 10 is called いっぱい (ippai).
Numbers past 10 use the Japenese number system

#### 1

    てぃーち (tiichi)

#### 2

    たーち (taachi):

#### 3

    みーち (miichi)

#### 4

    ゆーち (yuuchi)

#### 5

    いちち (ichichi)

#### 6

    むーち (muuchi)

#### 7

    ななち (nanachi)

#### 8

    やーち (yaachi)

#### 9

    くくぬち (kukunuchi)

#### 10

    とぅー (tuu)

#### 11

    じゅういち (...)

#### 12

    じゅうに (...)

#### 13

    じゅうさん (...)

#### 14

    じゅうよん (...)

#### 15

    じゅうご (...)

#### 16

    じゅうろく (...)

#### 17

    じゅうなな (...)

#### 18

    じゅうはち (...)

#### 19

    じゅうく (...)

#### 20

    にじゅう (...)

#### 21

    にじゅういち (...)

#### 22

    にじゅうに (...)

#### 23

    にじゅうさん (...)

#### 30

    さんじゅう (...)

#### 40

    よんじゅう (...)

#### 50

    ごじゅう (...)

#### 60

    ろくじゅう (...)

#### 70

    ななじゅう (...)

#### 80

    はちじゅう (...)

#### 90

    きゅうじゅう (...)

#### more
### Time
#### now

    今 (...)

#### morning

    朝 (...)

#### afternoon

    昼間 (...)

#### Months
##### January
##### December
### Colors
#### black

    クルー (...)

#### white

    シルー (...)

#### gray

    フェーイル (...)

#### red

    アカー (...)

#### blue

    オールー (...)

#### yellow

    キールー (...)

#### green

    ミドゥリ (...)

#### purple

    ムラサチ (...)

#### brown

    ンミイル (...)

### Transportation
#### Bus and train
##### How much is a ticket to _____?

    ちゃっさやいびーが？ (...)

##### When will this train/bus arrive in _____?
#### Directions
##### ...hotels?

    ヤール (...)

##### downhill
#### Taxi
##### Take me there, please.
### Lodging
#### I want to check out.
### Money
#### Where is an automatic teller machine (ATM)?
### Eating
#### breakfast

    ヒティミティムン (...)

#### lunch

    アサバン (...)

#### fish

    イユ (...)

#### water

    ミジ (...)

#### salt

    まーす (...)

#### The check, please.
### Bars
#### water

    ミジ (...)

#### orange juice

    クニブジュース (...)