Okinawa has a rich and varied linguistic landscape.
The idea
Okinawan Japanese is a regional variety of Japanese influenced by local languages. The Ryukyuan languages are related to Japanese but are distinct languages, with several varieties across the islands. In Okinawan, はいさい is a greeting; the standard Japanese equivalent here is こんにちは.
Examples
- 沖縄で日本語を話します。I speak Japanese in Okinawa.
- 地域によって言葉が違います。Words differ by region.
- 祖母は島の言葉を知っています。My grandmother knows the island’s language.
- この挨拶の意味を教えてください。Please tell me what this greeting means.
- 私は標準語で答えます。I answer in standard Japanese.
- 同じ島でも人によって話し方が違います。Even on the same island, people speak differently.
Read-aloud uses a synthetic Japanese voice available on your device. Voice quality and availability vary; it does not assess your pronunciation.
No Japanese device voice is available. You can still read the text and use the linked listening resources.
Watch out
Do not assume every island or speaker uses the same language or greeting. Usage varies by community, generation and situation.
Try it yourself
沖縄語の挨拶はどちらですか。（はいさい／こんにちは）
Show answer or example answer
はいさい
はいさい is an Okinawan greeting; こんにちは is standard Japanese.
標準語の挨拶はどちらですか。（こんにちは／はいさい）
Show answer or example answer
こんにちは
こんにちは is the standard Japanese greeting; はいさい is labelled Okinawan here.
日本語と別の言語の集まりはどちらですか。（琉球諸語／標準語）
Show answer or example answer
琉球諸語
琉球諸語 names the Ryukyuan languages, distinct from regional Japanese.
Practice round
Answer questions, then rebuild Japanese sentences where available. We keep your score.
沖縄語の挨拶はどちらですか。（はいさい／こんにちは）
標準語の挨拶はどちらですか。（こんにちは／はいさい）
日本語と別の言語の集まりはどちらですか。（琉球諸語／標準語）
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
Keep your progress
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Identify the labelled greeting, its standard equivalent and the language category.