Yaeyama phrasebook

Yaeyama (八重山物言 / ヤイマムニ, Yaimamuni) is spoken in the Yaeyama Islands, in the Okinawa prefecture of Japan. The language is closely related to Japanese.

Dialects

There are significant dialectal differences between the islands and the following phrasebook is based on the dialect of Ishigaki, the largest and most populous island. See the separate Yonaguni phrasebook for the version spoken on Yonaguni.

A few examples:

Ishigaki Shiroyasu Yonaguni
"sea" tumoːrɨ inaga unnaga
"head" tsuburɨ amasukuru mimburu
"cloud" hwumu hwumoŋ mmu

Pronunciation guide

"j" is pronounced like a "y" in English. Some syllables begin with a "ng", and this may be difficult for some English speakers. The triangular colon indicates a long vowel.

Vowels

Consonants

Common diphthongs

Phraselist

Basics

Good morning! 
Sutumudi misharorunneːraː.
Hello/Good afternoon! 
Misharorunneːraː.
Good evening! 
Yoːnnarisuŋa.
Thanks! 
Miːhaiyuː.
Welcome! 
Oːritaboːri. (alternatively, oːritoːri)
Long time no see! 
Miːduːhaːsoːnaː.
How are you doing? 
Ganzhuː yarorunsaː?
How are you feeling? 
Misharorunneːraː?
I'm sorry. 
Gurishimihoːryaːyoː.
Be careful. 
Kiːshikitaboːri.
Really? 
Aŋzhiː?
Do you have any? 
Aruroːruŋ?
Which one is good? 
Zwuridumasu?
Yes. 
Oː.
No. 
Aːyi.
Hot 
Attsanu
Cold 
Piːshanu
Tasty 
Umahaŋ
Hungry 
Yaːsanu
I'm full 
Badaŋtyita
Bad 
Naranu
Tired 
Nihwutaːhaːnu
Nice weather today, isn't it! 
Kyuːya iyi oːsuku yunna!
Bad weather today, isn't it... 
Kyuːya yana oːsuku yunna!
Hot day today, isn't it. 
Kyuːya attsaː soːraː.
It's my first trip to Yaeyama 
Yayimaŋe hazhimyityi kwitayuː.
I've been to Yaeyama a few times before 
Yayimaŋe ikumusuŋ kyiurun'yuː.
I've been busy with work... 
Shigutunu haŋtahaːnu.


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