Osaka is widely recognized as a distinct and vibrant city in Japan. If you’ve had the chance to visit, you might have noticed a distinct atmosphere and energy unlike those of Tokyo or other cities. You may have also observed that the way people converse is somewhat different from the standard Japanese you’re learning. In this article, we’ll be introducing the dialect collectively referred to as “Kansai-ben” or the “Kansai dialect,” which is spoken in Osaka, Kyoto, Nara, and the surrounding regions.
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What Exactly is “Kansai-ben?”
Out of more than 16 different dialects in Japan, Kansai-ben has always stood out due to its unique intonation, rapid speech, and distinct sentence endings that somehow evoke a sense of familiarity and warmth. Since many traditional Japanese TV comedians hail from Osaka and speak in Kansai-ben, people from various regions of Japan are quite familiar with its sounds and characteristics. They even occasionally blend it into standard Japanese to inject a touch of humor.
To put it succinctly, the intonation and tone of Kansai-ben actually vary from one prefecture to another. However, what most Japanese locals commonly identify as Kansai-ben is closely related to the Osaka dialect for the aforementioned reasons. The Osaka dialect, in particular, exudes a sense of liveliness and cheerfulness, often concluding sentences with words like “ya,” “yan,” “nen,” and “hen.”
See also: 160+ Japanese Words and Phrases for Beginners
Different Accent and Intonation from Standard Japanese
There are nuanced distinctions between Standard Japanese and Kansai-ben, mainly concerning accent and intonation. You don’t need to memorize every intricate rule, but there are a few words that are worth becoming familiar with, as you might come across them in your day-to-day conversations. The list of common words and phrases provided below will help you understand where emphasis should be placed (underlined) and whether the word or phrase should be pronounced with a rising, falling, or flat pitch.
Understanding Accent and Intonation
- Accent involves altering the pitch of a word, either raising or lowering it.
- Intonation adds a “color” to a sentence once the words are integrated into it.
| English | Standard Japanese | Kansai-ben |
| Rain | あめ (ame) | あめ (ame) |
| Candy | あめ (ame) | あめ (ame) |
| Bridge | はし | はし |
| Chopstick | はし | はし |
| Banana | バナナ | バナナ |
| Good morning. | おはよう | おはよう |
| Did you find it? | あった？(atta) | あった？(atta)↑ |
Variation in Phrases and Sentences from Standard Japanese
From individual words to phrases, Kansai-ben boasts a number of distinct expressions that deviate from standard Japanese. Osaka’s historical prominence as a merchant city during the Edo period contributed to the development of communication skills among its residents—such as speed of speech, affability, and rationality. This is thought to be why Kansai-ben is characterized by its rhythmic nature and reduced mouth movements. Let’s try these expressions out loud and observe the differences!
*Underlined is where to emphasize
| English | Standard Japanese | Kansai-ben |
| Very | すごく(sugoku) / とても(totemo) | めっちゃ (meccha) / ばり (bari) |
| OK. | いいよ (īyo) | ええで (eede) |
| It’s not OK. / It’s bad. | よくない (yokunai) / だめ (dame) | あかん (akan) |
| Not right | 違う (chigau) | ちゃう (chau) |
| Thank you. | ありがとう (arigato) | おおきに (ōkini) |
| Be careful. | 気をつけて (ki wo tsukete) | 気いつけや (kī tsukeya) |
| It’s OK. | 大丈夫だよ (daijōbu) | かまへん (kamahen) |
| True / Really | 本当 (honto) | ほんま (honma) |
| How much | いくら (ikura) | なんぼ (nanbo) |
| Difficult | 難しい (muzukashī) | むずい (muzui) |
| It’s what it is. | しかたない (shikatanai) | しゃあない (shānai) |
Changes in Sentence Endings
As mentioned earlier, sentence endings frequently diverge in Kansai-ben when compared to standard Japanese. Here are some examples highlighting the shifts in sounds across various forms of these endings.
Ya や
“Ya” replaces “da (だ)” and “desu (です)” to determine the sentence.
| English | Standard Japanese | Kansai-ben |
| That’s right. | そうだ (souda) | そうや (souya) |
Yan やん
“Yan” replaces “ne (ね)” and “jan (じゃん)” to seek agreement.
| English | Standard Japanese | Kansai-ben |
| This is so good /delicious, isn’t it. | これすごく美味しいね。 (kore sugoku oishī ne) | これめっちゃうまい(美味しい)やん。 (kore meccha umai/oishī yan) |
Nen ねん / Yanen やねん
“Nen” or “yanen” replaces “da (だ)” and “nanda (なんだ)” to determine the sentence or to ask a question.
| English | Standard Japanese | Kansai-ben |
| That’s not right. | ちがうんだ。 (chigaunda) | ちゃうねん。 (chau nen) |
| Why is that? | なんで？ (nande) | なんでやねん？ (nande yanen) |
H3 Ten てん / Shiten してん
“Ten” or “shiten” replaces “tanda (たんだ)” and “shitanda (したんだ)” when discussing past events or actions.
| English | Standard Japanese | Kansai-ben |
| I played tennis yesterday. | 昨日テニスしたんだ。 (kinō tenisu shitanda) | 昨日テニスしてん。 (kinō tenisu shiten) |
N ん / Hen へん
“N” or “hen” replaces “nai (ない)” to negate the sentence.
| English | Standard Japanese | Kansai-ben |
| I don’t drive. | 運転はしない。 (unten ha shinai) | 運転はせえへん。 (unten ha sēhen) |
Modern Kansai-ben Words
Last but certainly not least, let’s take a look at relatively modern Kansai-ben words and compare them to their counterparts in standard Japanese. Utilizing these expressions when talking with people from the Kansai region will definitely leave a lasting impression on them.
| English | Standard Japanese | Kansai-ben |
| McDonald’s | マック (makku) | マクド (makudo) |
| Seven-Eleven | セブン (sebun) | セブイレ (sebuire) |
| Iced coffee | アイスコーヒー (aisukōhī) | レイコー (reikō) *”rei 冷” means “cool” |
| Parking lot | 駐車場 (chūshajō) | モータープール (mōtāpūru) |
Summary
We’ve introduced several typical speech patterns and phrases in Kansai-ben to showcase how distinct they are from what we’ve been accustomed to in standard Japanese. The next time you find yourself exploring Osaka, Kyoto, and other Kansai prefectures, you’ll be equipped to engage with locals more effortlessly and enjoyably!
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