I studied Japanese for years before moving to Japan, but then when I moved to Kyoto, I quickly realized I could not understand anyone.

When I asked a friend if she was going to an event, she responded with 行かへん. People kept saying あかん, which I looked up in my dictionary about 1000 times with no results. I kept hearing おおきに in restaurants when I was leaving.

All of these expressions are in Kansai-ben, or the dialect of the Kansai region. 関西（かんさい）covers Kyoto, Osaka, and Kobe, as well as many other cities. So if you have plans to move to or travel here, it might help to know a few words and phrases in this dialect.

The good news is that once you have a grasp of the basics of Japanese, Kansai-ben isn’t hard to understand. After learning a few simple grammar rules and vocabulary words, it will be easy to pick up the meaning when people speak to you

People from the Kansai region are very proud of their dialect. Its nonchalant flow and easy cadence give a relaxed feeling to the language that isn’t present in 標準語 (ひょうじゅんご) or the “standard dialect.”

Here are a few expression that will go a long way to understanding some simple Kansai Japanese.

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大きに（おおきに）- Thank you

This is a shortened form of 大きにありがとうございます, which means "a big thank you" or "thank you very much." You will hear it most often in restaurants and shops when the employees are thanking you for your patronage.

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あかん - Useless, no goo

In standard Japanese it is だめ.

Kansai Dialect 　（関西弁）	Standard Japanese （標準語）
こっち来たらあかん！	こっち来たらだめ！
こっち　きたら　あかん！	こっち　きたら　だめ！
Don't come over here.	Don't come over here.
Literally: “here + if you come + no good”	Literally: “here + if you come + no good”

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ええ - Good

In standard Japanese いい or 良い（よい） is used.

Kansai Dialect 　（関西弁）	Standard Japanese （標準語）
まぁ、ええやん	まぁ、いいじゃん
まぁ、ええ　やん	まぁ、いい　じゃん
Well, it’s OK, right?	Well, it’s OK, right?
Literally: “well + good + isn’t”	Literally: “well + good + isn’t”

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や - In Kansai-ben, や is used in place of だ as the copula.

なぁ - In Kansai-ben なぁ is used in place of ね as a sentence ending particle.

These two sounds have the long relaxed feeling that makes Kansai-ben so interesting.

Kansai Dialect 　（関西弁）	Standard Japanese （標準語）
大変やなぁ	大変だねぇ
たいへん　や　なぁ	たいへん　だ　ねぇ
That’s terrible, isn’t it?	That’s terrible, isn’t it?
Literally: “terrible + や + なぁ”	Literally: “terrible + だ + ねぇ”

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ちゃう - different, not

ちゃう was originally a shortened form of 違う（ちがう） meaning “different” or “wrong.” In Kansai-ben it can be used to mean 違う or it can be used in place of ではない or じゃない meaning “not.”

So if you ask if it is raining outside, someone might respond:

Kansai Dialect 　（関西弁）	Standard Japanese （標準語）
ううん、雨ちゃうで。	ううん、雨じゃないよ
ううん、あめ　ちゃう　で。	ううん、あめ　じゃない　よ
No, it's not raining.	No, it's not raining.
Literally: “no + rain + not + で”	Literally: “no + rain + not + よ”

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Verb + へん - negative verb ending

In casual conversation, the negative verb ending, which is ～ない in standard Japanese, is expressed with ～へん. For example “not going,” 行かない is expressed as 行かへん in Kansai-ben.

When someone asks me if I understand Kansai-ben, I usually jokingly say:

Kansai Dialect 　（関西弁）	Standard Japanese （標準語）
関西弁、分からへん	関西弁、分かんない
かんさいべん、わからへん	かんさいべん、わかんない
I don’t understand Kansai dialect.	I don’t understand Kansai dialect.
Literally: “kansai dialect + don’t understand”	Literally: “kansai dialect + don’t understand”

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ほんまに？- really?

In standard Japanese it is 本当に？ (ほんとうに？)

Kansai Dialect 　（関西弁）	Standard Japanese （標準語）
ほんまにええチャンスかもなぁ。	本当にいいチャンスかもね。
ほんまに　ええ　ちゃんす　かも　なぁ。	ほんとうに　いい　ちゃんす　かも　ね。
It might be a really good opportunity.	It might be a really good opportunity.
Literally: “really + good + chance + might + なぁ”	Literally: “really + good + chance + might + ね”

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This lesson was written by Cassy L., a guest contributor: