Beauty & Grooming

1. からじぬ きっちゅん だいよー。

   Ka-ra-ji-nu kit-chun dai-yoo.

   I'd like a haircut.

   Usage

   Request a haircut at a salon

   Grammar Note

   "Hair" is karaji (karazi "hair of the head"; the literary form is kashira). Kami means "god" and never "hair". -Daiyoo expresses "I would like to".

2. ちゅっとぅだけ — あんまい きらんでくれ。

   Chut-tu da-ke — an-mai ki-ran de ku-re.

   Just a trim, please — don't cut too much.

   Usage

   Ask for a slight trim without cutting too much

   Grammar Note

   "-ran de kure" is the Ryukyuan negative request "please don't..."

3. からじぬ [いる] に そめーてぃ くれーびり。

   Ka-ra-ji-nu [i-ru] ni so-mee-ti ku-ree-bi-ri.

   I'd like to dye my hair [color].

   Usage

   Request a specific hair color

   Grammar Note

   "Hair" is karaji (karazi), not kami (which means "god"). "Colour" is iru (?iru). Kureebiri is the polite request form "please do…".

4. からじぬ かたち ぬ ほん みしぇーびり？

   Ka-ra-ji-nu ka-ta-chi nu hon mi-shee-bi-ri?

   Can I look at a hairstyle book?

   Usage

   Ask to browse a hairstyle catalog

   Grammar Note

   "misheebiri" is the polite imperative of "to show" in Ryukyuan

5. からじ あらーしぇーてぃ ふくらしぇーびり。

   Ka-ra-ji a-raa-shee-ti fu-ku-ra-shee-bi-ri.

   I'd like a shampoo and blow-dry.

   Usage

   Request a shampoo and blow-dry

   Grammar Note

   "-ti" is the Okinawan connective (te-form) linking two actions ("and"). "Hair" is karaji (karazi); kami means "god".

6. ちみぬ アートや あいびーみ？

   Chi-mi-nu aa-to-ya a-i-bii-mi?

   Do you offer nail art?

   Usage

   Ask whether nail art services are available

   Grammar Note

   "Nail" is chimi (Cimi; chimikusu is the dirt under a nail) — tsume is Japanese. Existence is asked with aibiimi, the polite question form of an "there is" (?aN); the copula yaibiimi cannot stand in for an existential.

7. ジェルネイル / アクリルネイル あいびーみ？

   Je-ru-ne-i-ru / A-ku-ri-ru-ne-i-ru a-i-bii-mi?

   Do you have gel nails / acrylic nails?

   Usage

   Ask about gel or acrylic nail options

   Grammar Note

   Existence uses aibiin, the polite form of an "there is" (?aN), with the question form aibiimi. The copula yaibiin / yaibiimi means "it is / is it?" and cannot stand in for an existential. Aibiimi is the polite question form for checking whether something is offered

8. ちゃっさ やいびーが？

   Chas-sa yai-bii-ga?

   How much will this cost?

   Usage

   Ask about the price of a service

   Grammar Note

   "chassa yaibiiga?" is the universal polite price inquiry in Okinawan; "chassa" is the word for "how much"

9. ぬーがちょーど やいびーが？

   Nu-u-ga-cho-do yai-bii-ga?

   How long will it take?

   Usage

   Ask how long a treatment will take

   Grammar Note

   "nuugachodo" is a Ryukyuan question word asking about amounts or duration

10. ちらゆ てぃーてぃ くれーびり。

    Chi-ra-yu tii-ti ku-ree-bi-ri.

    I'd like a facial / skin treatment.

    Usage

    Request a facial or skin care treatment

    Grammar Note

    "Face" is chira, so "chirayu" is "(my) face" as an object. "Kaa" means skin and is not used for the face. "chirayu tiiti" = "take care of (my) face" — the base for requesting a facial

11. わんぬ からじや ちじゅー / まっすぃーぐ / うろーさん / あらさん やいびーん。

    Wan-nu ka-ra-ji ya chi-juu / mas-sii-gu / u-roo-san / a-ra-san yai-bii-n.

    My hair is curly / straight / fine / thick.

    Usage

    Describe your hair type to the stylist

    Grammar Note

    "Hair" is karaji (karazi). Curly hair is chijuu (cizuu "curly hair"; a curly-haired person is chijujaa). Kurukuru is the adverb for something rolling along and cannot describe hair. The forms are maQSiigu "straight", ?uroosaN "fine, thin (of thread and the like)" and ?arasaN "thick". Wannu is the possessive "my".

12. からじ まっすぃーぐ / ちじゅー に しぇーてぃ くれーびり。

    Ka-ra-ji mas-sii-gu / chi-juu ni shee-ti ku-ree-bi-ri.

    Can you straighten / perm my hair?

    Usage

    Request hair straightening or perming

    Grammar Note

    "Hair" is karaji (karazi) and curly hair is chijuu (cizuu). Ni sheeti kureebiri means "please make it into [state]" — a polite request.

13. いっぺー うっさいびーん — にふぇーでーびる！

    Ip-pee us-sai-bii-n — ni-fee-dee-bi-ru!

    I'm very happy with the result — thank you!

    Usage

    Express satisfaction after a beauty treatment

    Grammar Note

    "Very" is ?iQpee ("greatly, extremely"), and its example ~curasaN "very beautiful" shows it preceding an adjective. "Happy" is ?uQsjaN, polite ussaibiin. Tanasan is part of the suffix -gatanasan ("hard to do"), which means the opposite of "very". Nifeedeebiru is the most formal Ryukyuan thanks

14. まゆ とぅとぅのーてぃ くれーびり。

    Ma-yu tu-tu-noo-ti ku-ree-bi-ri.

    Can you shape / thread my eyebrows?

    Usage

    Request eyebrow shaping or threading

    Grammar Note

    "tutunooiti" is the Ryukyuan form of "to arrange / neaten / shape"

15. ちゃーる くすい ちかとーいびーが？

    Chaa-ru ku-su-i chi-ka-too-i-bii-ga?

    What products do you use?

    Usage

    Ask about the products used during treatment

    Grammar Note

    "Chaaru" is the attributive form of "chaa" (how), meaning "what kind of". "Tsukatooibiiga" is the polite progressive question "are you using...?"

16. めーかにてぃ よやく いりゆー やいびーみ？

    Mee-ka-ni-ti yo-ya-ku i-ri-yuu yai-bii-mi?

    Do I need to make an appointment?

    Usage

    Ask if an appointment is required

    Grammar Note

    Chimu is cimu "liver, heart" and never means "necessary". "Necessary" is ?irijuu, i.e. iriyuu. "Beforehand" is meekaniti

17. ふぃじ ん とぅとぅのーてぃ くれーびり。

    Hi-ji-n tu-tu-noo-ti ku-ree-bi-ri.

    Can you also trim my beard?

    Usage

    Request a beard trim

    Grammar Note

    "n" is the Ryukyuan particle meaning "also / too" — adding to a previous request

18. ちぶるぬ みっ ましぇーてぃ くれーびり。

    Chi-bu-ru-nu mit ma-shee-ti ku-ree-bi-ri.

    I'd like a scalp massage.

    Usage

    Request a scalp massage at the salon

    Grammar Note

    "masheeti kureebiri" is the polite request form meaning "please (massage)"

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