Adjectives

1. まぎさん

   Ma-gi-san

   Big

   Usage

   For talking about size — asking to change clothes or a room

2. ぐまさん

   Gu-ma-san

   Small

   Usage

   The opposite of big; learn the pair together

3. んぶさん

   N-bu-san

   Heavy

   Usage

   For talking about the weight of your bags at check-in

4. がっさん

   Gas-san

   Light (weight)

   Usage

   Light in weight — a different word from "bright" in most languages

   Grammar Note

   Light in weight, not in brightness

5. たかさん

   Ta-ka-san

   Expensive

   Usage

   Say a price is high; it is the usual opening for haggling

6. やっさん

   Yas-san

   Cheap

   Usage

   Cheap in price; also used to confirm the result of haggling

7. あちさん

   A-chi-san

   Hot (to the touch)

   Usage

   For hot food, drinks, or water — not for hot weather

   Grammar Note

   Hot to the touch; Okinawan uses the same word for hot weather

8. ふぃじゅるさん

   Fi-ju-ru-san

   Cold (to the touch)

   Usage

   For cold drinks or water — not for cold weather

   Grammar Note

   Cold to the touch; cold weather is fiisan. hwizurusaN means "cold, also cool — never of emotional coldness", and it begins with fi, not hi

9. みーさん

   Mii-san

   New

   Usage

   For checking whether an item is new

10. ふるさん

    Fu-ru-san

    Old (thing)

    Usage

    Old as in an object; do not use it about a person

    Grammar Note

    Old, of an object. For an elderly person say tushiyui

11. わかさん

    Wa-ka-san

    Young

    Usage

    For talking about a person's age

12. とぅしゆい

    Tu-shi-yu-i

    Old (person)

    Usage

    Elderly, said of a person — a different word from old (thing)

    Grammar Note

    An elderly person; objects take furusan instead

13. ちゅらさん

    Chu-ra-san

    Clean

    Usage

    Praises both cleanliness and beauty

    Grammar Note

    curasaN means "beautiful; pretty; and also clean", so one word carries both cleanliness and beauty (cf. curaaku "cleanly, neatly — ~susuree, wipe it clean").

14. ゆごーりとーん

    Yu-goo-ri-toon

    Dirty

    Usage

    To point out that a room or dish is dirty; say it gently

15. ゆたさん

    Yu-ta-san

    Good

    Usage

    The basic word to praise quality or condition

16. やなさん

    Ya-na-san

    Bad

    Usage

    To say quality or condition is not good

17. ちかさん

    Chi-ka-san

    Near

    Usage

    Near in distance — you will hear it in answers to directions

18. とぅーさん

    Tuu-san

    Far

    Usage

    Far in distance; helps you decide whether to walk or ride

19. ふぇーさん

    Fee-san

    Early

    Usage

    Early in time — in many languages a different word from fast in speed

    Grammar Note

    Early in time; also used for fast in speed

20. にーさん

    Nii-san

    Late

    Usage

    Late in time — in many languages a different word from slow in speed

    Grammar Note

    Late in time; also used for slow in speed

21. うふさん

    U-fu-san

    Many

    Usage

    Many or much; useful for adjusting portions

22. いきらさん

    I-ki-ra-san

    Few

    Usage

    Few or little; use it to ask for a smaller amount

23. あちさん

    A-chi-san

    Hot (weather)

    Usage

    For hot weather or a hot room — not for hot objects

    Grammar Note

    Hot weather; Okinawan uses the same word for hot objects

24. ふぃーさん

    Fii-san

    Cold (weather)

    Usage

    For cold weather or a cold room — not for cold objects

    Grammar Note

    Cold weather; cold objects take fijurusan. hwiisaN means "cold (of weather)", while "cold to the touch" is hwizurusaN

25. かなさん

    Ka-na-san

    Cute

    Usage

    Used broadly for people, things, and animals; closer to "beloved/dear"

26. まーさん

    Maa-san

    Delicious

    Usage

    The essential Okinawan word for describing tasty food

27. うすまさん

    U-su-ma-san

    Amazing

    Usage

    An adjective of surprise and admiration — for a crowd or a sight that astonishes you

    Grammar Note

    ?usumasjaN means "amazing; tremendous; astonishing" (example: ?usumasii Qcu 'jataN. = "an amazing number of people had gathered"). Its -sjaN ending is written 〜さん like every other adjective here (cf. siibusjaN = しーぶさん and ?icibusjaN = いちぶさん). "でーじ" is not an adjective in Shuri Okinawan — deezi is a noun/adverb meaning "a serious matter; greatly".

28. なーふぃん

    Naa-fin

    More

    Usage

    Point at it when you want more of something

29. むる

    Mu-ru

    All of it

    Usage

    Point at it when you mean the whole lot

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