Weather & Climate

1. ちゅーや あちさん どー

   Chuu-ya a-chi-san doo

   It's hot today, isn't it?

   Usage

   Common weather conversation opener in Okinawa

   Grammar Note

   "Today" is chuu (cuu) and "hot" is achisan (?aCisaN). The sentence-final doo is the emphatic particle meaning "I tell you"

2. あみふいぎさん

   A-mi-hui-gi-san

   It looks like it will rain

   Usage

   Okinawan expression used when rain appears likely

   Grammar Note

   ?amihuigisaN "it looks like rain" is a single adjective: hui from huyun "to fall" plus -gisan "seems". Japanese ame becomes ami through the regular Okinawan vowel shift

3. てーふーぬ ちかじちょーん

   Tee-fuu-nu chi-ka-ji-choon

   A storm is approaching

   Usage

   Most commonly needed warning in typhoon-prone Okinawa

   Grammar Note

   A typhoon is teefuu, the adult word; uukaji "big wind" is the alternative. "To approach" is chikajichun (cikaZi=cuN), and -choon makes it progressive

4. ちゅーや しださん どー

   Chuu-ya shi-da-san doo

   It's cool today, isn't it?

   Usage

   Used in the cooler months in Okinawa

   Grammar Note

   "Cool" is shidasan (SidasaN). The similar hwiisan means "cold" and is not used for a pleasant coolness

5. てぃんちよほー ならーち くぃみそーれー

   Tin-chi-yo-hoo na-raa-chi kwi-mi-soo-ree

   Please tell me the weather forecast

   Usage

   Politely ask about the weather forecast in Okinawan

   Grammar Note

   "Weather" is tinchi (tiNci), not tinki. "To teach, to tell" is naraashun (naraa=sjuN), whose te-form is naraachi. Yohoo "forecast" is borrowed from Japanese

6. ひやけどめや いりゆー やいびーみ？

   Hi-ya-ke-do-me-ya i-ri-yuu ya-i-bii-mi?

   Do I need sunscreen?

   Usage

   Ask before going out under Okinawa's strong sun

   Grammar Note

   "Necessary" is iriyuu (?irijuu). Hiyakedome "sunscreen" uses the Japanese word as is. Tiida is the Okinawan word for the sun

7. かさや いりゆー やいびーみ？

   Ka-sa-ya i-ri-yuu ya-i-bii-mi?

   Should I bring an umbrella?

   Usage

   Practical phrase frequently needed in rainy Okinawa

   Grammar Note

   "Umbrella" is kasa, the same as in Japanese. Okinawan has no compact equivalent of "had I better…?", so the question is framed as "is an umbrella needed?"

8. かんきや いち やいびーが？

   Kan-ki-ya i-chi ya-i-bii-ga?

   When is the dry season?

   Usage

   Ask about the drier autumn and winter months in Okinawa

   Grammar Note

   "When" is ichi (?iCi), and a question containing a question word takes the polite ending yaibiiga. Kanki "dry season" is borrowed from Japanese; in Okinawa it means autumn through winter

9. しゅーまんぼーすーや いち やいびーが？

   Shuu-man-boo-suu-ya i-chi ya-i-bii-ga?

   When is the rainy season?

   Usage

   Ask about Okinawa's rainy season and typhoon season

   Grammar Note

   Okinawa's rainy season is shuumanboosuu, written 小満芒種. It is the season corresponding to the rainy season in Okinawa — May into June, named after two of the twenty-four solar terms

10. てぃーだや ちゅーさん どー

    Tii-da-ya chuu-san doo

    The sun is really strong

    Usage

    Describe the intense Okinawan sun

    Grammar Note

    "Strong" is chuusan (cuusaN, whose opposite is yoosan "weak"). Nmaasan means "tasty" and has nothing to do with strength. Tiida, the sun, is held sacred in Okinawan culture

11. あみ

    A-mi

    Rain

    Usage

    Point at it when asking or confirming the weather

12. かじ

    Ka-ji

    Wind

    Usage

    Point at it when asking or confirming the weather

13. てぃーだ

    Tii-da

    Sun

    Usage

    Point at it when talking about sunshine or the weather

14. くむい

    Ku-mui

    Cloudy

    Usage

    Show it while pointing at the sky to check the weather

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