Kansai Japanese. Peter Tse

Biiru ippon chōdai.

      e: Biiru ippon kudasai.

      One bottle of beer, please.

      Chōdai sounds more familiar than kudasai and is used, for example, by regular customers. It is also used in Eastern Japan, but not quite as frequently. Checkout clerks say ni-hyaku-en chōdai itashimasu, which means “two hundred yen, please.”

      w: Kore chūkaryōri (to) chau yaro.

      e: Kore wa chūkaryōri ja nai deshō.

      I’m pretty sure this isn’t Chinese food.

      w: Gottsuōsan (deshita).

      e: Gochisosama (deshita).

      Thanks for the great meal.

      w: Chotto otchan, kashiwa ōmori ni shitoite ne.

      e: Chotto ojisan, toriniku ōmori ni shitoite ne.

      Please give me a lot of chicken, (Uncle).

      Kashiwa is Kansai slang for chicken; in Tōkyō it means “oak tree.” The above sentence might be said at a marketplace. Otchan is a friendly abbreviation of ojichan, literally “uncle.” In Japan it is not considered rude to call a shop clerk obasan (aunt) or ojisan (uncle).

      w: Mō tabete shimōtan ya./Mō tabete mōta.

      e: Mō tabechatta.

      I already ate.

      w: Mō tabetan yarō.

      e: Mō tabetan darō.

      They probably already ate.

      In most cases yarō can be replaced with yam, just as darō can be replaced with daro. If the above sentences were said with a rising intonation, they would become questions meaning “You ate already, didn’t you?” The question-mark particle ka is generally omitted, although this is more common in Western Japanese.

      w: Tabetemo kamahen?/Tabetemo kamahen ka?

      e: Tabetemo kamaimasen?/Tabetemo kamawanai?

      Do you mind if I eat?

      w: Aitsu meshi motte kaette kureru nente. ♂

      e: Aitsu meshi o motte kaette kureru ’te. ♂

      He said he’d bring food back for us.

      w: Nanka mono-taran wa./Nanka mono-tarahen wa.

      e: Nanika mono-taranai./Nanika mono-tarinai.

      This meal was somehow incomplete.

      The previous sentence is said before suggesting that everybody go and have ice cream or something after a meal.

      w: Oishii (wa)!

      e: Oishii (ne)!

      It’s delicious!

      w: Mazui wa!/Mazu!

      e: Mazui!

      It tastes awful!