Volunteering

1. くまんかい ボランティア しーぶさいびーん。ちゃーし もーしこみ さびーが？

   Ku-man-kai bo-ran-ti-a shii-bu-sai-bii-n. Chaa-shi moo-shi-ko-mi sa-bii-ga

   I'd like to volunteer here. How do I sign up?

   Usage

   Use when asking how to register for volunteering at a local organization

   Grammar Note

   The polite "I would like to…" is shiibusaibiin: the stem sii of sjuN "to do" plus the desiderative -busjaN. Chaashi (caasi) asks "in what way".

2. ボランティアセンターや まーかい やいびーが？

   Bo-ran-ti-a-sen-taa-ya maa-kai ya-i-bii-ga

   Where is the volunteer coordination center?

   Usage

   Use to ask for the location of the volunteer coordination center

   Grammar Note

   The question word for place is maa, and maakai adds the directional particle kai.

3. ならーし・いしゃ・けんせつぬ しからしぬ あいびーん。

   Na-raa-shi / i-sha / ken-se-tsu-nu shi-ka-ra-shi-nu a-i-bii-n

   I have experience in teaching / medical / construction.

   Usage

   Use when sharing professional background during volunteer registration

   Grammar Note

   "Experience" is shikarashi (sikarasi; the verb is sikarasjuN) and "teaching" is naraashi (naraasi). Chukui means "making" and never "education". The polite form of "to have" is aibiin.

4. ボランティアぬ しぐとーや いちまでぃ やいびーが？

   Bo-ran-ti-a-nu shi-gu-too-ya i-chi-ma-di ya-i-bii-ga

   How long is the volunteer commitment?

   Usage

   Use to ask about the duration of the volunteer commitment

   Grammar Note

   "Work" is shigutu (sigutu); the topic particle ya fuses with it to give shigutoo. "When" is ichi (?iCi) and "until" is madi (-madi). The loanword borantia is written in katakana here

5. とくべつな どーぐ とぅ れんしゅーぬ いりゆー やいびーみ？

   To-ku-be-tsu-na doo-gu tu ren-shuu-nu i-ri-yuu ya-i-bii-mi

   Do I need any special equipment or training?

   Usage

   Use to ask about required equipment or training for volunteering

   Grammar Note

   "Tool" is doogu and "necessary" is iriyuu (?irijuu). Items are listed with tu. Okinawan yaka is the comparative "than" and cannot be used for "or".

6. さいがいぬ てぃがねー、しじん まむゆる しぐとぅ しーぶさいびーん。

   Sai-gai-nu ti-ga-nee, shi-jin ma-mu-yu-ru shi-gu-tu shii-bu-sai-bii-n

   I'd like to help with disaster relief / environmental work.

   Usage

   Use when expressing interest in disaster relief or environmental volunteering

   Grammar Note

   "Help" is tiganee (kashii is the alternative). "Nature" is shijin (siziN) and "to protect" is mamuyun (mamujuN), whose attributive form is mamuyuru. Shiibusaibiin is the polite volitional

7. ボランティアぬ せつめーかいや あいびーみ？

   Bo-ran-ti-a-nu se-tsu-mee-kai-ya a-i-bii-mi

   Is there a volunteer orientation session?

   Usage

   Use to ask whether there is an orientation session for new volunteers

   Grammar Note

   Existence is asked with aibiimi, the polite question form of an "there is" (?aN); the copula yaibiiga cannot stand in for an existential. Setsumeekai "briefing" is a modern word, but the lengthening of Japanese setsumei into setsumee is a regular Okinawan sound change.

8. グループ っし ボランティア する くとぅ なやびーみ？

   Gu-ruu-pu shi bo-ran-ti-a su-ru ku-tu na-ya-bii-mi

   Can I volunteer as part of a group?

   Usage

   Use to ask whether group volunteering is permitted

   Grammar Note

   Ability is expressed as …suru kutu nayabiimi; -shi (-Qsi) marks means. The potential is not dikiyun but shiiyuusun (siijuusjuN "to be able to"), listed under sjuN

9. ボランティアんかい やどぅ とぅ むぬー あいびーみ？

   Bo-ran-ti-a-n-kai ya-du tu mu-nuu a-i-bii-mi

   Are accommodation and meals provided for volunteers?

   Usage

   Use to ask whether housing and food are provided for volunteers

   Grammar Note

   "Lodging" is yadu ('jadu; also yaadu) — yadui is not a form. "Meal" is munu (munu "food, a meal"), which fuses with the topic particle ya to give munuu. Items are listed with tu. The sentence asks about existence with aibiimi instead of sumiyun

10. ぬーぬ くとぅばぬ てぃがねーぬ いりゆー やいびーが？

    Nuu-nu ku-tu-ba-nu ti-ga-nee-nu i-ri-yuu ya-i-bii-ga

    What languages do you need help with?

    Usage

    Use to ask which languages the organization needs help with

    Grammar Note

    "What kind of" is nuu-nu (nuu nu "what/which"). "Language" is kutuba. Hudu means "height, stature", never "language". "Necessary" is iriyuu (?irijuu) and "help" is tiganee

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