Learn Japanese Pod with Ami and Alex
Podcast 23: Osaka Dialect

In this lesson you will learn the following:✓​ The basic differences between Osaka dialect and standard Japanese✓​ How to understand a basic dialogue as spoken by natives from Osaka

LEVEL: Upper Beginner

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Introduction
In this podcast you will learn about ​Osaka Ben​ (Osaka dialect) which can sound very different
from the “standard” Japanese that is spoken in Tokyo. ​Osaka Ben​ is also sometimes referred toas ​Kansai Ben.​ However, Kansai is a larger region located in central Japan that includes not
only Osaka but also Kyoto, Nara, Wakayama, Shiga, Mie and Hyogo. And dialects in each of
those prefecture vary. Therefore, for simplicity, this lesson focuses on ​Osaka Ben​. Also, as it isthe dominant dialect influencing all the other dialects in the greater Kansai region, Osaka dialect
is the best to learn first.
If you already know a little basic standard Japanese, you can compare that with ​Osaka Ben ​ inthis lesson. Study the word list and dialogues below to see how ​Osaka Ben​ is used in naturalconversation. Also, pay attention on how intonation differs from standard Japanese which is amajor feature of this dialect.
This isn’t a totally comprehensive lesson on ​Osaka Ben​ but does include some of the mostcommon speech patterns and vocabulary you will commonly hear on the street. Hopefully it will
inspire you to visit Osaka yourself some day!

Tsutenkaku, Osaka

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Main Vocabulary
Osaka BenStandard JapaneseEnglish...やん...Yan...じゃん...Jan...isn’t it?

どないしてんのDonai shiten no

どうしてるのDō shiteru no

What’s the matter?

...やで...Ya de...だよ...Da yo

It is (emphasises statement)そっちSocchi

あなたAnataYou

ぼちぼち
Bochibochi

まあまあMaamaa

So so

なんでなんNandenan

なんでNandeWhy

別れてん
Wakareten

別れてWakarete

Split up with someone

そうなん
Sō nan

そうですか
Sō desu ka

Is that so?

知らんかったShirankatta

知らなかったShiranakatta

I didn’t know

できへん
Dekihen

できない
Dekinai

I can’t do it

なんでやねん
Nande yanen

なんじゃこりゃNanja korya

What the heck?

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Main Dialog - Osaka Dialect (Japanese)
ひさ

さいきん

A: めっちゃ久しぶりやん。最近どないしてんの？
​あいか
B: 相変わらずやで。そっちは？
​がんば
A: ぼちぼちやな。ま、頑張ってるで。
​ぜんぜんB: そうなんや。うちなんか全然あかんわ。
A: なんでなん？
​かれし わかB: 彼氏と別れてん。
​しぼく
ぜんぜんかのじょ
A: え、そうなん？知らんかった。俺やって全然彼女できへんで。
​つ あ
B: 付き合おか。
A: なんでやねん！

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Main Dialog - Osaka Dialect (English and pronunciation)A:

Meccha hisashiburi yan. Saikin donain shiten no?
It’s been ages. How have you been recently?

B:

Aikawarazu ya de. Socchi wa?
Same as usual. About about you?

A:

Bochi bochi ya na. Ma, gannbatteru de.
So so I guess. Well, doing my best.

B:

Sō nan ya. Uchi nanka zenzen akan wa.
Really? I’m not good at all.

A:

Nande nan?
Why?

B:

Kareshi to wakareten.
I split up with my boyfriend.

A:

E? Sō nan? Shirankatta. Boku yatte, zenzen kanojo dekihen de.
Eh? Really? I didn’t know. I can never get a girlfriend.

B:

Tsuki aoka?
Wanna date?

A:

Nande yanen！
What the heck!

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Main Dialog - Standard Dialect Version
Here is the same dialog written in standard Japanese. Can you spot the differences?
A:

B:

A:

B:

A:

B:

A:

B:

A:

めちゃめちゃ久しぶりじゃん。最近どうしてるの？
Meccha hisashiburi jan. Saikin dō shiteru no.
It’s been ages. How have you been recently?
相変わらずだよ。そっちは？
Aikawarazu da yo. Socchi wa?
Same as usual. About about you?
普通かな。ま、頑張ってるよ。
Futsuu ka na. Ma gambatteru yo.
Same as usual. About about you?
そうなんだ。私なんか全然だめだよ。
Sō nan da. Watashi nanka zenzen dame da yo.
Really? I’m not good at all.
どうして？
Dō shite?
Why?
彼氏と別れたの。
Kareshi to wakareta no.
I split up with my boyfriend.
え、そうなの？知らなかった。俺だって全然彼女できないよ。
E sō na no? Shiranakatta. Boku datte, zenzen kanojo dekinai yo.
Eh? Really? I didn’t know. I can never get a girlfriend.
付き合おっか。
Tsuki aokka?
Wanna date?
なんでだよ！
Nande da yo!
What the heck!

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Extra Osaka Ben Phrases
ちゃう - ​Chau​ - No / That’s not right
ええ - ​Ee​ - Good / OK(ええやん、ええで、ええよ）
アホ - ​Aho​ - Stupid
なおす - Naosu - Put something away (Standard Japanese = to fix something)

Random Phrase of the Week
This week’s random phrase of the week is:
ちゃうちゃう、チャウチャウちゃうんちゃう？
Chau chau, chau chau chaun chau.
No no, that’s not a Chow chow is it?!
Let’s break it down like this…

ちゃうちゃう​​、チャウチャウ​
ちゃうちゃう​チャウチャウちゃうん​​ちゃうんちゃう？
​ちゃう？
No no, ​a chow chow dog​, ​it is not​, ​is it?

Or in more natural English “No no, it’s not a Chow chow is it?!”

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