Health & Hospital in Ryukyuan: 29 Travel Phrases with Audio

いしゃーまーかいやいびーが？
i-sha-a maa-kai ya-i-bii-ga
Where is the doctor?
Usage
Used to politely ask for the location of a doctor when feeling unwell
Grammar Note
"Ishaa" is Japanese "isha" (doctor) adapted into Uchinaguchi with vowel elongation. Okinawan commonly lengthens final vowels of borrowed Japanese words
ちぶるぬやぬん
chi-bu-ru-nu ya-nun
I have a headache
Usage
Used to report a headache or head pain
Grammar Note
The form follows the example for ciburu "head": ~nu 'januN "my head hurts". Okinawan kubi means "neck", exactly as in Japanese; the word for head is ciburu
びょーいんまーかいやいびーが？
byoo-in maa-kai ya-i-bii-ga
Where is the hospital?
Usage
A polite way to ask for the location of a hospital
Grammar Note
"Byooin" is the Japanese "byooin" (hospital) used in Okinawan as well. Naha and major Okinawan cities have well-equipped modern hospitals
わたぬやぬん
wa-ta-nu ya-nun
I have a stomachache
Usage
Used to report stomach pain or a stomachache
Grammar Note
Hara is "belly; usually called 'wata", so the word here is wata. "To hurt" is 'januN (to ail, to hurt); an example is Ciburunu 'januN "my head hurts". There is no word itasan. Any body part works in the frame "~nu yanun"
くすいまーかいうれーやいびーが？
ku-sui maa-kai u-ree-ya-i-bii-ga
Where can I buy medicine?
Usage
Used to politely ask where medicine can be purchased
Grammar Note
"Kusui" (medicine) corresponds to Japanese "kusuri" — Okinawan consonant/vowel shifts at work. Pharmacies are called "yakkyoku" in modern usage across Okinawa
ちゅーやがんじゅーやいびーんにふぇーでーびる
chuu-ya gan-juu ya-i-bii-n ni-fee-dee-bi-ru
I'm glad you are well today, thank you
Usage
Used to express joy at someone's good health or recovery
Grammar Note
"Thank you" is nihwee (にふぇー); urigatoo is only Japanese arigatou distorted, and the correct form is にふぇーでーびる. "Chuuya" = "chuu" (today) + "ya" (topic particle, like Japanese "wa"). The word for being well is "ganjuu" — gaNzuu, noun, "robust; strong; healthy". "Churasan" is glossed only as "beautiful; clean", never "healthy". "Yaibiin" is the polite copula, the statement form of "yaibii-ga?" (がんじゅーやいびーが?)
なんくるないさー
nan-ku-ru-nai-saa
Everything will work out (Okinawan life philosophy)
Usage
Used to encourage someone during illness or hardship — the Okinawan optimistic life philosophy
Grammar Note
"Nankuru naisa" is Okinawa's most famous saying meaning "things will be fine". The full form is "makutu sooke nankuru naisa" — it will work out IF you do the right thing
ちむどんどんさびーん
chi-mu-don-don sa-bii-n
My heart is pounding (worried / nervous)
Usage
Used to describe a racing heart due to worry or nervousness
Grammar Note
"Chimu" is heart/mind/liver. There is an adverb cimudakudaku "with the heart pounding", and the parallel 'NnidoNdoN takes ~sjuN "to do", so this class of adverb is followed by sabiin ("I do", polite). Chimu dondon is the current form, famous as the NHK drama title. There is no word uutasan
ごーやーちゃんぷるーかでぃまーさん
goo-yaa-chan-pu-ruu ka-di maa-san
Eating goya champuru is delicious (and healthy)
Usage
Used to praise goya champuru, Okinawa's famous bitter melon stir-fry, for both taste and health benefits
Grammar Note
Kadi is the te-form of ka=nuN [transitive, =maN/=di] "to eat". An example under ?uzina=juN — maasamuN (?irabuuNdee) kadi kuNci ~, "eat something good (even a sea-snake) and build your strength" — is exactly this "eat X and it is good for you" frame (compare munoo maakumaaku kadi kuNci Cikiri'joo). "Champuru" may derive from Malay "campur" (to mix). The signature Okinawan stir-fry of bitter melon, tofu, pork, and egg. Goya's Vitamin C is unusually heat-stable. Note: "nuti" is not a possible form — "eat" is ka=nuN and its te-form is kadi.
ふぇーくのーてぃくぃみそーれー
Fee-ku noo-ti kwi-mi-soo-ree
Please take care / Get well soon
Usage
Used to wish someone a speedy recovery when they are ill
Grammar Note
"Feeku" is hweeku, "early (in time)" (as in あちゃふぇーくいちゅーさ). "Nooti" is the te-form of the intransitive noo=juN [自 =raN, =ti] "to heal; to mend; to get better". "Kwimisooree" is the polite request ending (the te-form + kwimisooree frame, as in たしきてぃくぃみそーれー). Note: "maasan" is maasaN, "tasty; delicious", with no "quickly / well" sense, and "unkee" is ?uNkee, the Obon rite of welcoming the ancestors — not recovery.
にち
Ni-chi
Fever
Usage
Reports a fever in a single word
さっくぃー
Sak-kui
Cough
Usage
Point at it to say that you have a cough
きじ
Ki-ji
Wound / Injury
Usage
Point at it while showing a cut or a graze
くだし
Ku-da-shi
Diarrhea
Usage
Lets you report the symptom at a pharmacy or clinic without saying it aloud
ぶちげー
Bu-chi-gee
Dizziness
Usage
Point at it to report feeling faint or unwell
ふぃーさぬー
Fii-sa-nuu
Chills
Usage
Point at it to report the shivering that comes at the onset of a fever
Grammar Note
hwiisanuu n. "a chill: feeling a sickly cold, with the body shivering, as with the chills of malaria; ~sjuN, to have the chills". It is a separate word from hwiisaN "cold (of weather)".
げーち
Gee-chi
Common cold
Usage
Point at it at a pharmacy or a clinic to say that you have caught a cold
Grammar Note
geeci n. "[from the characters for cough-air] a cold; a touch of a cold; said whether or not there is a cough". hanasici is primarily "a head cold, and also simply a cold", and huuci is "an epidemic disease", so geeci, whose gloss is the concept itself, is used.
いしゃーんかいでんわさびら
I-shaa n-kai den-wa sa-bi-ra
Please call a doctor
Usage
Ask bystanders when someone is hurt or suddenly ill
Grammar Note
nkai denwa sabira is the set phrase of "please call an ambulance", with the person called replaced by ishaa. ishaa means "doctor".
くまぬやぬん
Ku-ma-nu ya-nun
It hurts here
Usage
Say it while pointing at the spot; it does without you having to name the body part
Grammar Note
~nu yanun is the frame of "my head hurts" and "my stomach hurts", with the body part replaced by kuma "here". kumanu is the same shape as in "please massage here".
あんべーやわっさんやいびーん
An-bee ya was-san ya-i-bii-n
I feel sick
Usage
The one line to lead with; add the details afterwards
Grammar Note
anbee is ?aNbee n. "condition, state, how one feels — said of taste, mood or the state of an illness", whose example "~ja caaga" is "how are you feeling?". wassan is 'waQsaN adj. "bad". yaibiin is the polite copula (as in わんややまとぅんちゅやいびーん).
どぅーぬだるさん
Duu-nu da-ru-san
My body feels sluggish
Usage
To say your body feels heavy from fever or illness
Grammar Note
darusan is darusaN adj. "sluggish, heavy", with the body-part + darusaN pattern (kubidarusaN "stiff neck", tiidarusaN, hwisjadarusaN). duu is duu n. "body" (also in どぅーぬちかりたん). The ~nu + adjective order is that of ちぶるぬやぬん.
なんどぅはちゃん
Nan-du ha-chan
I have vomited several times
Usage
To tell a doctor the vomiting has been repeated
Grammar Note
nandu is naNdu n. "how many times; several times". hachan is the past of ha=cuN tr. "to vomit"; the -caN past of -cuN verbs is the same form as kuchan "came" (うちなーぬバスくちゃん).
ゆくいやいりゆーやいびーみ？
Yu-ku-i ya i-ri-yuu ya-i-bii-mi?
Do I need to rest?
Usage
After being seen, to check whether you are allowed to move about
Grammar Note
iriyuu yaibiimi? "is it needed?" is the set phrase of "do I need a prescription?" (ふぇーぜーがちやいりゆーやいびーみ？). yukui is 'jukui n. "a rest, repose". There is no word for "bed rest" as such, so the Okinawan literally says "is rest needed?".
んな
N-na
Poop
Usage
The child's word (children's speech for feces); use it when talking with a small child or describing a child's stool
しーばい
Shii-bai
Pee
Usage
The ordinary word for urine (siibai); the child's word is shii. Can also be shown at a clinic to mean urine
くだししょーいびーん
Ku-da-shi sho-o-i-bii-n
I have diarrhea
Usage
To tell a doctor or pharmacist that you currently have diarrhea
Grammar Note
kudashi is kudasi "diarrhea". A noun plus sjuN ("to do") is the same pattern as hukadaci "diarrhea; ~sjuN". shooibiin is the polite form of sjooN ("is doing"); noun + sjooN also appears in examples such as ciihai sjooN.
ちしとーいびーん
Chi-shi to-o-i-bii-n
I'm constipated
Usage
To tell a doctor or pharmacist that you are constipated
Grammar Note
cisi=juN "to be constipated" (intransitive, =raN, =ti). There is no noun for constipation, so the verb is used. tooibiin is the polite "is in the state of ~" (te-form cisiti + a contraction of the existential), the same form as "nichinu njitooibiin" (にちぬんじとーいびーん).
しーばいしーぶさいびーん
Shii-bai shii-bu-sa-i-bii-n
I need to pee
Usage
To tell a companion or a child that you need to pee
Grammar Note
shiibai is siibai "urine; ~sjuN (to urinate)". shiibusaibiin is the stem si of sjuN ("do") + -busaN ("want to"), in the polite form. The -busjaN ("want to") ending also exists, written -さん like other adjectives.
うらたちぶさいびーん
U-ra ta-chi-bu-sa-i-bii-n
I need to poop
Usage
To tell a companion or a child that you need to go for a bowel movement; ura is the polite word for toilet or stool
Grammar Note
?ura "toilet; also stool. Polite word. ~tacuN (to go to stool; to rise to go to the toilet)". tachibusaibiin is the stem taci of tacuN + -busaN ("want to") in polite form. There is no pattern of a verb on the child word ?Nna, so the "ura tacuN" pattern is used.

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