Directions

1. まーかい いちゅんな?

   maa-kai i-chun-na

   Where are you going?

   Usage

   A casual way to ask someone where they are headed

   Grammar Note

   "Maa" = Okinawan interrogative "where". "Kai" = directional particle "to/toward". Together "maaka-i" = "to where?" equivalent to Japanese "doko-e"

2. しゅりぐすく まーかい やいびーが?

   shu-ri-gu-su-ku maa-kai ya-i-bii-ga

   Which way is Shuri Castle?

   Usage

   A polite way to ask for directions to Shuri Castle

   Grammar Note

   "Yaibii-ga" = polite "desu-ka" (is it?). "Yabiiru/yabiiru" is the Okinawan polite predicate. "-bii-" marks politeness, a characteristic feature of Uchinaguchi

3. にしかい まがいやびらー

   ni-shi-kai ma-gai-ya-bi-raa

   Please turn north

   Usage

   Used when directing someone to turn north

   Grammar Note

   Okinawan cardinal directions: "nishi" (north), "hae" (south), "agari" (east, where the sun rises), "iri" (west, where the sun sets). These are poetic natural references

4. あがりかい いちゅん

   a-ga-ri-kai i-chun

   I am going east

   Usage

   Used to indicate you are heading eastward

   Grammar Note

   "Agari" (east) derives from "agaru" (to rise/go up) — where the sun rises. "Iri" (west) from "iru" (to enter/set). Okinawan directions encode the sun's daily journey

5. ちかく やいびーが?

   chi-ka-ku ya-i-bii-ga

   Is it nearby?

   Usage

   Used to ask if a destination is close by

   Grammar Note

   "Chikaku" is shared with Japanese. Okinawan and Japanese are related but distinct languages — Okinawan has unique vocabulary. Distance: "chikaku" (near), "tooku" (far)

6. うまかい いかな

   u-ma-kai i-ka-na

   Let's go there

   Usage

   Used informally to suggest going somewhere together

   Grammar Note

   "Uma" means "there" (?uma), not the Japanese "soko". "Ikana" is an invitational form of "go" (form to be confirmed). Equivalent to casual Japanese "ikou-yo" (let's go). A friendly, informal suggestion to go somewhere

7. わったー やーかい めんそーれー

   Wat-taa yaa-kai men-soo-ree

   Please come to my home

   Usage

   A polite invitation to visit one's home, a warm Okinawan hospitality expression

   Grammar Note

   "Mensoore" is the honorific Okinawan welcome ("irasshai", please come). "Chaabirasai" is what a visitor says at the door ("excuse me, may I come in"), not a host's invitation. A warm invitation expression

8. まっすぃーぐ いちゅん

   mas-sii-gu i-chun

   Go straight ahead

   Usage

   Used when giving directions to go straight ahead

   Grammar Note

   "Massugu" (straight) is shared with standard Japanese. Okinawan borrows much direction vocabulary from Japanese but the verb conjugation follows Uchinaguchi patterns

9. わからんさー、ちず かかいしぇーみそーれー

   wa-ka-ran-saa chi-zu ka-kai-she-i-mi-soo-ree

   I don't understand, could you draw a map?

   Usage

   Used when directions are unclear and you need a drawn map for clarification

   Grammar Note

   "Misooree" is the highest politeness level imperative in Uchinaguchi. Okinawan has a well-developed honorific system. Use this form with elders or respected people

10. なーふぁや まーかい やいびーが?

    Naa-fa ya maa-kai ya-i-bii-ga

    Which way is Naha (the capital)?

    Usage

    Used to ask for directions to Naha, Okinawa's capital city

    Grammar Note

    Naha is naafa in Okinawan (naahwa) — the same form used in naafa-dii, the Naha school of karate. The question word for place is maa, and maa-kai ("where to") adds the shortened directional particle kai

11. にじり

    Ni-ji-ri

    Right

    Usage

    Point at it inside a taxi; one word is faster than a sentence

12. ふぃじゃい

    Fi-ja-i

    Left

    Usage

    Point at it inside a taxi; one word is faster than a sentence

13. にし

    Ni-shi

    North

    Usage

    Okinawan compass words differ from Japanese: nishi means north, not west

14. ふぇー

    Fee

    South

    Usage

    Okinawan compass words differ from Japanese: nishi means north, not west

15. あがり

    A-ga-ri

    East

    Usage

    Okinawan compass words differ from Japanese: nishi means north, not west

16. いり

    I-ri

    West

    Usage

    Okinawan compass words differ from Japanese: nishi means north, not west

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