It's not just "Sodane"! 10 cute Hokkaido dialect phrases

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: Last updated: September 10, 2018

Table of contents

1. Nothing, nothing!

9. Garbage collection point

10. Cute

Summary

札幌時計台

The women's curling team, which became incredibly popular at the Pyeongchang Olympics, is still fresh in our memories for defeating Great Britain in the third-place match to win Japan's first-ever curling bronze medal. But what really stole the show was their use of the dialect phrase "Sodane" in their conversations. They've even been dubbed "Sodane Japan," and it seems they're already being considered as candidates for the 2018 buzzword of the year award.

Combined with their charming appearance, this "Sodane" is considered "cute," but there are many more cute dialects in Hokkaido. So, this time, I'll introduce some of my favorite cute dialects from among the many Hokkaido dialects.

<Table of Contents>
1. Nothing, nothing!
2. See you then.
3. To stab (kakasaru, osasaru)
4. Waya
5. Azumashii
6. Put on gloves
7. Bokko
8. Bakurikko
9. Garbage collection point
10. Cute
Summary

1. Nothing, nothing!

Nothing at all

The first cute dialect phrase I'd like to introduce is "Nanmo, nanmo!" This dialect is equivalent to "It's okay," "You're welcome," or "Don't worry about it" in standard Japanese.

While it's certainly cute when young children or young women say "Nothing, nothing!", my favorite is when grandmothers in Hokkaido say it.

When someone says "No, no!" with a bright smile and gestures, it warms your heart.

2. See you then.

That's it

"Shitakkene" means "See you later! Bye-bye." In Hokkaido, you'll hear "Shitakkene!" being used as a greeting as you walk around town. Am I the only one who feels happier when someone says "Shitakkene!" because it makes you feel like you'll see them again soon, rather than just saying "Bye-bye"?

It can also be used as a conjunction meaning "In that case" or "Well then," as in "Where are we going?" "Okay, let's go to the clock tower."

3. 〇〇 stabs

The expression "verb + sasaru" is used when something happens in an unintended way, such as "This pen has run out of ink, so I can't write with it," or "The stamp got stuck in."

Because it's a frequently used dialect within Hokkaido, many people use it without realizing it's a dialect. If someone cutely said, "I pressed it by mistake," wouldn't you be tempted to forgive them?

4. Waya

Image of heavy snow

"Waya" means "terrible," "a mess," or "hopeless." For example, "There's been so much snow this year, it's a mess." or "That person is so unreasonable, it's a mess."

Even though it's a negative word, somehow when it's expressed as "waya," it gives you a slightly warm feeling. Heavy snow and unreasonable people start to seem a little cute.

5. Azumashii

"Azumashii" means "comfortable" or "relaxing," but in Hokkaido dialect, it is often used in the negative form, "azumashikunai" (not comfortable).

It's used like, "This shop is so noisy, it's not very comfortable." Like "waya," it somehow has a gentle feel to it, even when used to criticize.

Perhaps you should also try using Hokkaido dialect when you need to express negative thoughts.

6. Put on gloves

"When winter comes, we wear gloves." If this expression sounds strange to you, you're definitely not from Hokkaido, are you?

Actually, in Hokkaido, gloves are also referred to as "wearing" them, just like shoes. In Hokkaido, on winter mornings, you can hear mothers' voices from houses all over saying, "Put on your gloves!"

7. Bokko

Bokko image

In Hokkaido, a wooden stick is called a "bokko."

From little children to pretty ladies and even grandpas and grandmas, everyone says "bokko" when they see a wooden stick. It's so innocent and cute, isn't it?

By the way, in Hokkaido, mitten-type gloves are called "bokko gloves." If you can say, "Put on your bokko gloves," then you're officially a Hokkaido resident.

8. Bakurikko

"Bakurikko" means "exchange." It's used in expressions like, "Let's exchange the side dishes for our lunch boxes." Apparently, the word originated from the fact that in the past, horse traders in Hokkaido were called "bakuro." It's a dialect that both children and adults use regularly.

9. Garbage collection point

Free stock photo, no credit attribution required. Source: PhotoAC
https://www.photo-ac.com/main/detail/996018?title=%E3%81%94%E3%81%BF%E9%9B%86%E7%A9%8D%E6%89%80
In Hokkaido, garbage collection points are called "garbage stations."

As someone originally from Honshu, when I first rented an apartment in Sapporo, my landlord told me, "I'll show you to the garbage collection point," which made me quite nervous about what was going on. It turned out we were led to a small collection area next to the apartment building.

The cuteness isn't in the "garbage station" itself, but in the way people mistake it for a "giant train station where garbage is collected."

*Incidentally, it seems that the number of local governments using this name is increasing nationwide.

10. Cute

Cute image

Finally, let's look at how to say "cute" in Hokkaido dialect. In Hokkaido dialect, "cute" is said as "menkoi." "Menkoi" is also used in some parts of Tohoku. It seems like you could easily use dialects like these.

Summary

I've compiled some of my favorite cute Hokkaido dialect phrases. Compared to standard Japanese, the Hokkaido dialect has a certain warmth to it. Just listening to its charming accent is sure to put you in a gentle mood. When you travel to Hokkaido, be sure to listen carefully to its lovely dialect!

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