Laundry

1. せんたく ぐゎー まー やいびーが？

   Sen-ta-ku gwaa maa ya-i-bii-ga?

   Where is the laundromat?

   Usage

   Used to ask where the nearest laundromat is

   Grammar Note

   "Gwaa" is a Ryukyuan diminutive or place suffix. "Sentaku gwaa" refers to a laundromat.

2. きーむん あろーいびら

   Kii-mun a-roo-i-bi-ra

   Let's wash the clothes.

   Usage

   Used to suggest doing laundry together

   Grammar Note

   "Kiimun" is the Ryukyuan form of "kirumono" meaning clothes.

3. せんたく ちゃっさ やいびーが？

   Sen-ta-ku chas-sa yai-bii-ga?

   How much does laundry cost?

   Usage

   Used to ask about the cost of doing laundry

   Grammar Note

   "Chassa" is the Okinawan question word for quantity and price ("how much"). "Yaibiiga" is the polite question ending.

4. せんたく いち でーびーが？

   Sen-ta-ku i-chi dee-bii-ga?

   When will the laundry be done?

   Usage

   Used to ask when laundry will be finished

   Grammar Note

   "Ichi" is "when", ?iCi (example: ?iCi caga. "when did he come?"). "Deebiiga" is the question form of the polite copula "deebiru" (it ends in "-ga" because there is a question word). The sentence has no word for "finish"; it asks when the laundry will be ready.

5. ドライクリーニング あいびーみ？

   Do-rai-ku-rii-nin-gu a-i-bii-mi?

   Is dry cleaning available?

   Usage

   Used to ask if dry cleaning services are available

   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. "Doraikuriiningu" is the Ryukyuan phonetic form of "dry cleaning".

6. きーむん ぬ よごれー うてーてぃん

   Kii-mun nu yo-go-ree u-tee-tin

   The stain on the clothes hasn't come out.

   Usage

   Used to say a stain has not been removed from clothing

   Grammar Note

   "Uteetin" is the Ryukyuan negative form meaning "has not come out/off".

7. アイロン あいびーみ？

   Ai-ron a-i-bii-mi?

   Is there an iron?

   Usage

   Used to ask if an iron is available

   Grammar Note

   "Airon" is borrowed from English "iron". "Aibiimi" is a polite question form of "to have/exist".

8. せんざい あいびーみ？

   Sen-zai a-i-bii-mi?

   Is there laundry detergent?

   Usage

   Used to ask if laundry detergent is available

   Grammar Note

   "Senzai" is the Japanese Sino-Japanese word for detergent, used as it is; no native Okinawan word for detergent has been found. "Aibiimi" is the question form of "aibiin" (there is).

9. きーむん かわかちゃびーたん

   Kii-mun ka-wa-ka-cha-bii-tan

   The clothes have dried.

   Usage

   Used to say the laundry has dried

   Grammar Note

   "Kawakachabiitan" is the polite past form of "kawaku" (to dry) in Ryukyuan.

10. きーむん おりたたんでぃ くぃみそーれー

    Kii-mun o-ri-ta-tan-di kwi-mi-soo-ree

    Please fold the clothes.

    Usage

    Used to ask someone to fold the laundered clothes

    Grammar Note

    "Oritatandi" is the Ryukyuan form of "oritatande" (fold). "Kumisoree" is the highest honorific request.

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