Transportation

1. ゆいレールや まーかい いちゅが？

   Yui-ree-ru ya maa-kai i-chu-ga?

   Where does the Yui Rail (monorail) go?

   Usage

   Asking about the destination of the Yui Rail, Naha's monorail system

   Grammar Note

   Maakai means "where to"; ichugan is the interrogative form of ichun (to go)

2. なーふぁくうこーんかい いちぶさいびーん

   Naa-fa-kuu-koo n-kai i-chi-bu-sai-bii-n

   I would like to go to Naha Airport

   Usage

   Politely telling a taxi or bus driver you want to go to Naha Airport

   Grammar Note

   "To go" is ichun (?icuN); its stem ichi takes the desiderative suffix -busjaN, giving ichibusan (?icibusjaN "I want to go"). The polite form follows -abi=juN, which states that adjectives go tuusan "far" to tuusaibiin "it is far", giving ichibusaibiin. Ichabitan is the past tense of that same -abi=juN suffix (?icabitaN "I went"), stating a completed action rather than a wish.

3. タクシーんかい ぬやびーん

   Ta-ku-shii n-kai nu-ya-biin

   I will take a taxi

   Usage

   Saying you'll take a taxi; taxis are often more practical than buses in Okinawa

   Grammar Note

   Noriibiin copies the Japanese noru. The Okinawan verb is nu=juN "to ride, to board a horse, cart or boat", i.e. nuyun, whose polite form is nuyabiin. The example ?NmaNkai nujuN "to ride a horse" also shows that the particle used with vehicles is -nkai

4. しゅりぐすくんかいちゃーいちゅが？

   Shu-ri-gu-su-ku n-kai chaa i-chu-ga?

   How do I get to Shuri Castle?

   Usage

   Asking how to get to Shuri Castle — the iconic Ryukyuan royal palace

   Grammar Note

   Chaa means "how/in what way"; Shuri station on the Yui Rail is the nearest stop

5. バスや なんどぅちんかい いちゅが？

   Ba-su ya nan-du-chi-n-kai i-chu-ga?

   What time does the bus leave?

   Usage

   Checking the bus departure time at a bus stop

   Grammar Note

   "At what time" is nanduchi nkai (naNduci), while the Japanese-looking nanji collides with naNzi "hardship". Ichuga means "does it go/depart"

6. まーかいいちゅが？くまんかいをりーびら

   Maa-kai i-chu-ga? Ku-ma n-kai wo-rii-bi-ra

   Where are you going? I will get off here

   Usage

   Telling a driver where you are going and where you will get off

   Grammar Note

   Woriibiraa is the polite volitional form of "to get off"; commonly used aboard buses

7. てぃいきじゃーんかいいちゃびたん

   Tii-ki-jaa n-kai i-cha-bi-tan

   I went to the terminal / boarding area

   Usage

   Saying you have arrived at the bus or ferry terminal

   Grammar Note

   Ichabitan is the polite past of ichiibin (to go); ferries are the main transport to Okinawa's islands

8. フェーリーや なんどぅちんかい いちゅが？

   Fee-rii ya nan-du-chi-n-kai i-chu-ga?

   What time does the ferry depart?

   Usage

   Asking the departure time of a ferry to one of Okinawa's outlying islands

   Grammar Note

   "At what time" is nanduchi nkai (naNduci). Ferries are essential for reaching islands like Ishigaki and Miyako

9. くりんちゃー まーかいいちゅが？

   Ku-rin-chaa maa-kai i-chu-ga?

   Where does this vehicle go?

   Usage

   Checking the destination of a bus or local vehicle

   Grammar Note

   Kuri is "this" and nchaa indicates a vehicle; maakai asks "where to"

10. くまんかい まちょーいびーん

    Ku-man-kai ma-choo-i-bii-n

    I will wait here

    Usage

    Telling someone you will wait here at the bus stop or terminal

    Grammar Note

    "Here" is kuma, and kumankai adds the locative nkai. Kukunuchi (kukunuCi) means "nine" and has no locative sense. "To wait" is machun (macuN), polite progressive machooibiin

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