- \n
- Everyday conversations sound a little different <\/a><\/li>\n
- Try saying it in Osaka-ben!<\/a><\/li>\n
- Osaka dialect for your trip!<\/a><\/li>\n
- Quiz time: Do you know these Osaka words?<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\u25a0 Everyday conversations sound a little different <\/h2>\n
First, have a look at a conversation between me and Osaka Bob.<\/p>\n
(Osaka small talk using Osaka dialect)<\/h3>\n
<\/p>\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/maido-storage.oss-cn-hongkong.aliyuncs.com\/maido\/uploads\/2021\/04\/osaka-dialect-bob01.png\")
<\/p>\nOsaka Bob<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\nKore, ikishi ni k\u043e\u0304tekiten<\/em><\/strong>
\n(I bought this on my way over.) <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/maido-storage.oss-cn-hongkong.aliyuncs.com\/maido\/uploads\/2021\/04\/osaka-dialect-manabu01.png\")
<\/p>\nManabu<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\nSore, nannan?<\/em><\/strong>
\n(What is it?)\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n\n<\/p>\nOsaka Bob<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\nMetcha kawaii sara ya nen.<\/em><\/strong>
\n(It\u2019s a super cute plate.)\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n\n<\/p>\nManabu<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\nHe, honma ya na! Sara nan?<\/em><\/strong>
\n(Oh yeah, it is. Is it new?) <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n\n<\/p>\nOsaka Bob<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\nSara ya de!<\/em><\/strong>
\n(It is new!)\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n
Osaka people, or really anyone with experience in Kansai dialect wouldn\u2019t have any trouble following the conversation. But other people might get confused. Not only is Manabu making a silly pun, he\u2019s using a very Osaka expression to do it. <\/p>\n
You might know that the word sara<\/em> means dish<\/em> or plate<\/em> in standard Japanese, but it also means new<\/em> in Osaka. When we add in all the other colorful Osaka dialect it makes it clear that we are joking around. Osaka and its dialect are well known throughout the country for telling tons of jokes and having a great sense of humor.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s the same conversation, but in standard Japanese.<\/p>\n
\u3010Osaka small talk using standard Japanese\u3011<\/h3>\n
<\/p>\n\n<\/p>\nOsaka Bob<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\nKore, koko ni kuru toch\u016b ni
\n katte kitan da.<\/em><\/strong>
\n(I bought this on my way over.)\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n\n<\/p>\nManabu<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\nSore, nan na no?<\/em><\/strong>
\n(What is it?)\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n\n<\/p>\nOsaka Bob<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\nTotemo kawaii sara da yo<\/em><\/strong>
\n(It\u2019s a super cute plate.)\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n\n<\/p>\nManabu<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\nHe, honto da ne! Shinpin na no?<\/em><\/strong>
\n(Oh yeah, it is. Is it new?) <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n\n<\/p>\nOsaka Bob<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\nShinpin da yo!<\/em><\/strong>
\n(It is new!) <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\nLet\u2019s dissect it a little further. It\u2019s easy for me since I grew up here, but I know a lot of people have trouble with Osaka dialect when they first travel here. He\u2019s great at it now, but Bob had a lot of trouble understanding people too when he first arrived. <\/p>\n\u25a0Ikishini<\/h3>\n
![\"Osaka](\"https:\/\/maido-storage.oss-cn-hongkong.aliyuncs.com\/maido\/uploads\/2021\/04\/osaka-dialect-img01-1.jpg\")
\nIkishini<\/em><\/strong> simply means on the way, whereas kaerishini<\/em><\/strong> means on the way back. These phrases aren\u2019t unique to Osaka, but actually used in much of West Japan. And it\u2019s very likely that if you use them with people from Tokyo or other parts of East Japan, they wouldn\u2019t understand you. <\/p>\nIf you type out ikishini<\/em><\/strong> on a keyboard, out pops the kanji \u751f\u304d\u6b7b\u306b, which means life or death. Be careful with this one, you don\u2019t want to be misunderstood in text or in conversation!<\/p>\n
\u25a0Nannan?<\/h3>\n
![\"Osaka](\"https:\/\/maido-storage.oss-cn-hongkong.aliyuncs.com\/maido\/uploads\/2021\/04\/osaka-dialect-img02-1.jpg\")
\nThis one is all about intonation. It can sound like an innocent question or an angry statement of disbelief mixed with disapproval. <\/p>\nIn English, it would be the difference between:
\nWhat IS<\/strong> that?
\n\t\u2014and\u2014
\nWhat is THAT<\/strong>?<\/p>\nAnd this phrase is apparently used in Gunma Prefecture too. It may not have even originated in Osaka, but we use it a lot. <\/p>\n
\u25a0Sara<\/h3>\n
![\"Osaka](\"https:\/\/maido-storage.oss-cn-hongkong.aliyuncs.com\/maido\/uploads\/2021\/04\/osaka-dialect-img03-1.jpg\")
<\/p>\nThis word means brand new or yet unused. It\u2019s derived from the word massara<\/em><\/strong> of similar meaning. So when we\u2019re talking about brand new dishes or a clean dish, we can call them sara no sara<\/em><\/strong>. It’s a silly pun, but with the right light-hearted delivery you can draw a few laughs.<\/p>\n
\u25a0Try saying it in Osaka-ben!<\/h2>\n
Here are some simple phrases you can try in Osaka-ben<\/em> (Osaka dialect). See if you can remember them all!
\n<\/p>\nkonnichiwa<\/em> \u2192 maido<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n
arigat\u043e\u0304<\/em> \u2192 \u043e\u0304kini<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n
totemo<\/em> \u2192 metcha<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n
chigau<\/em> \u2192 chau<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n
naze<\/em> \u2192 nande ya nen<\/em><\/span>
\n<\/strong>
\nIn fact, the name of this website, MAIDO<\/em><\/strong> is a popular phrase in Osaka dialect. It\u2019s a friendly greeting that feels so familiar to Osaka people. I hope you can remember this word above anything else.
\nYou\u2019ll hear the phrase maido \u043e\u0304kini<\/em><\/strong> for thank you and even sometimes people throw in a double thank you \u043e\u0304kini, arigat\u043e\u0304<\/em><\/strong>. This double, over the top attitude is a hallmark of Osaka and one of the reasons the city is known for its high spirits and social charms.
\nHere\u2019s another cheesy conversation you might hear on Osaka streets that mixes in a little humor and Osaka dialect. I kid you not, I have heard people say this in real life. On more than one occasion. <\/p>\nKore, chau chau chaun?<\/em><\/strong><\/span>
\n(Isn\u2019t this a chow chow?)<\/p>\nIya kore, chau chau chau de!<\/em><\/strong><\/span>
\n(No, this isn\u2019t a chow chow!)<\/p>\nChau chau, kore chau chau ya de!<\/em><\/strong><\/span>
\n(No, no, this is a chow chow!)<\/p>\nYour head might be spinning with all those chau<\/em><\/strong>‘s, but I promise you, this is a conversation every Osakan knows well.<\/p>\n
\u25a0Osaka dialect for your trip!<\/h2>\n
Here are a few more phrases that might come in handy during your trip to Osaka. Learn these, and you\u2019ll be able to enjoy your time here just a little bit more. <\/p>\n
\u25a0Shaa nai na<\/em><\/h3>\n
Have you ever heard the phrase shikata nai ne<\/em><\/strong>? It means oh well, or there\u2019s nothing we can do about it. It\u2019s a very popular phrase and this is the Osaka equivalent. Meet any lighthearted complaint with a shaa naina<\/em><\/strong> and you can make a new friend easily.<\/p>\n
![\"\u300cOsaka](\"https:\/\/maido-storage.oss-cn-hongkong.aliyuncs.com\/maido\/uploads\/2021\/04\/osaka-dialect-img04-1.jpg\")
<\/p>\n\u25a0\u041e\u0304kini<\/em><\/h3>\n
One of my Osaka dialect favorites, this is the word for thank you.
\nWhen you visit a store or restaurant in Osaka, you\u2019ll likely hear this word directed at customers. \u041e\u0304kini<\/em><\/strong> sounds like a regular thank you with a local twist, like a special version of thank you.<\/p>\n![\"Osaka](\"https:\/\/maido-storage.oss-cn-hongkong.aliyuncs.com\/maido\/uploads\/2021\/04\/osaka-dialect-img05-1.jpg\")
<\/p>\n\u25a0Nioteru<\/em><\/h3>\n
Essentially, this is the same as the word niatteru<\/em><\/strong> from standard Japanese, meaning that looks good on you or that suits you. But somehow, it doesn\u2019t feel as direct. It\u2019s much easier to say and you can use nioteru<\/strong><\/em> to compliment someone you\u2019ve just met, but without coming on too strong.
\n![\"Osaka](\"https:\/\/maido-storage.oss-cn-hongkong.aliyuncs.com\/maido\/uploads\/2021\/04\/osaka-dialect-img06-1.jpg\")
<\/p>\nOsaka dialect has a reputation for being rough and sometimes scary, but that is really only a part of the local language. There are plenty of ways to be charming, friendly, and cute in the language too. It\u2019s a fun dialect to speak and a lot of people from out of town take a stab at it when they visit Osaka. And the thing is, most people will think it\u2019s funny, or cringe, but regardless they will take it as an attempt at closing the communication gap. Most people love it when you try your best. <\/p>\n
\u25a0Quiz time: Do you know these Osaka words?<\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/maido-storage.oss-cn-hongkong.aliyuncs.com\/maido\/uploads\/2021\/04\/osaka-dialect-img07-1.jpg\")
<\/p>\nIf you\u2019ve gotten this far, you\u2019ve probably picked up a few phrases in Osaka\u2019s language. Here are 3 more words to try. What do you think they mean?<\/p>\n
\n\u2460Taitan
\n\u2461Fresh
\n\u2462Motor pool
\n<\/strong>
\nThey look simple, but you might be surprised when you find out what they mean.
\nLook for the answers in my next post about Osaka words and trivia!<\/p>\n - Try saying it in Osaka-ben!<\/a><\/li>\n