Schedule & Booking

1. なんどぅちやいびーが?

   nan-du-chi-ya-i-bii-ga

   What time is it?

   Usage

   A polite way to ask what time it is

   Grammar Note

   "What time" is nanduchi (naNduci); the Japanese-looking "nanji" collides with naNzi "hardship". "Yaibii-ga" is the Okinawan polite question ending, and the individual hours follow Japanese

2. あとぅから また いちゃいびら

   A-tu-ka-ra ma-ta i-cha-i-bi-ra

   Let's meet again later

   Usage

   Used when parting to arrange meeting again later

   Grammar Note

   To meet is the verb ?icajuN, whose polite hortative is ichaibira. Ichabira is the polite hortative of "to go" (?icuN), a different word, so it is not used here. Later is ?atu and again is mata.

3. ちゅーや なんどぅちんかい いちゅが?

   chuu-ya nan-du-chi-n-kai i-chu-ga

   What time are you going today?

   Usage

   Used to ask what time someone is departing or visiting today

   Grammar Note

   "Chuu" (today) is a native Okinawan word — different from Japanese "kyoo". "Ichuuga" = "going?" The particle "ga" marks questions in casual Uchinaguchi

4. しちじんかい めんそーれー

   Shi-chi-ji n-kai men-soo-ree

   Please come at 7 o'clock

   Usage

   A polite invitation specifying an arrival time of 7 o'clock

   Grammar Note

   Clock hours follow the -ji pattern, and the particle is -Nkai. Chaabirasai says that the speaker will come, not the listener — sai is simply the male polite sentence particle.

5. やーや まー いちゅが?

   Yaa-ya maa i-chu-ga

   Where are you going?

   Usage

   A casual way to ask a friend or acquaintance where they are heading

   Grammar Note

   The second person is ?jaa, used to someone below you; ?uNzu is the form for a superior. -ya is the topic particle and maa is the word for where.

6. ちぬーや にふぇーでーびる

   chi-nuu-ya ni-fee-dee-bi-ru

   Thank you for your hard work yesterday

   Usage

   Used to acknowledge and appreciate someone's efforts the previous day

   Grammar Note

   Chinuu is Okinawan "yesterday" (today is chuu). Thanks is the Okinawan nifeedeebiru. An exact Okinawan equivalent of "thanks for your hard work" is uncertain, so the thanks form is used.

7. あちゃ ふぇーく いちゅーさ

   a-cha fee-ku i-chuu-sa

   I will go early tomorrow

   Usage

   Used to inform someone of an early departure the next morning

   Grammar Note

   "Acha" is "tomorrow" in Okinawan; "asati" means "the day after tomorrow", as in Japanese, so do not confuse the two. "Feeku" means "early". The "-sa" ending is an assertive sentence-final particle in Uchinaguchi

8. いふぇー まちょーきみそーれー

   I-fee ma-choo-ki mi-soo-ree

   Please wait, just a moment

   Usage

   A polite request to ask someone to wait a moment

   Grammar Note

   Machooki misoore is the same "please wait" form, and ifee means "a little". Machikabiraa uses -bira, a polite volitional that cannot make a request, and uutootoo is an exclamation used when praying, not a way to say "just a moment".

9. わっさいびーん

   Was-sai-biin

   Sorry to keep you waiting, I apologize for being late

   Usage

   A polite apology for keeping someone waiting or arriving late

   Grammar Note

   The apology is wassaibiin ("sorry"). Okinawa's relaxed "Uchina Time" is well known.

10. うちなータイム やいびーさー

    u-chi-naa-tai-mu ya-i-bii-saa

    It's Okinawa time (relaxed time sense)

    Usage

    Used to explain or excuse Okinawa's famously laid-back and relaxed approach to time

    Grammar Note

    "Uchina Time" refers to Okinawa's culturally relaxed time sense — arriving a bit late is often socially acceptable. It connects to the "nankuru naisa" (all will be well) philosophy

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