The Legend of Zelda/ja-en

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This translation is intended for people who already know English and are learning Japanese. It is not intended to be used to learn English, because the sentences in English may use strange or awkward wording in order to illustrate the vocabulary and grammar of the original Japanese.
This game's text originally used little to no kanji. We have added kanji in case they would be of interest.

This game was originally known in Japanese as 『THE HYRULE FANTASY ゼルダの伝説』 when released on the Famicom Disk System in 1986, and then as 『THE HYRULE FANTASY ゼルダの伝説1』 (note the explicit "1" added to the name) when it was re-released in Japan on the Famicom cartridge system in 1994.

Due to size restraints in the original game format, all Japanese text is in katakana only (not counting the title screen graphic of course). Kanji and hiragana versions of words may be included below for educational purposes.

Title screen[edit]

Should include a graphic of this... it shows the words "THE HYRULE FANTASY" in small print to the upper left of ゼルダの伝説1 in large print, with the 1 shown extra large to the right (the 1 isn't included in the original Japanese (FDS) or North American (NES) releases). The North American release has the words "THE LEGEND OF" in place of "THE HYRULE FANTASY" and the word "ZELDA" in place of "ゼルダの伝説" (which by itself in Japanese literally means the full "Legend of Zelda").

Whereas other versions use "PUSH START BUTTON", the original Japanese FDS version reads: Bメンヲ セットシテクダサイ = Please switch to Side B

Items[edit]

These are listed under the heading of "ALL OF TREASURES" and scroll by after the intro above. (The kanji are not used in the game.) Changed to "ALL TREASURES" in later versions of the game.

Kanji Kana English Notes
ハート Heart
命の器 イノチ ノ ウツワ Container Heart I believe this is the only Zelda game to use the name "Container Heart". All other Zelda games appear to use the name "Heart Container". The name in Japanese literally means "Container of Life".
妖精 ヨウセイ Fairy
時計 トケイ Clock
ルピー Rupy Changed to "Rupee" in later versions of the game.
5 ルピー 5 Rupies Changed to "5 Rupees" in later versions of the game.
命の水 青 イノチノミズ アオ Life Potion Lit: Life Water Blue
命の水 赤 イノチノミズ アカ 2nd Potion Lit: Life Water Red
手紙 テガミ Letter
エサ Food More specifically, animal food or bait. Human food is 食べ物 (たべもの).
ソード Sword
ホワイト ソード White Sword
マジカル ソード Magical Sword
マジカル シールド Magical Shield
ブーメラン Boomerang
マジカル ブーメラン Magical Boomerang
爆弾 バクダン Bomb
ユミ Bow
Arrow
銀の矢 ギン ノ ヤ Silver Arrow
蝋燭 青 ロウソク アオ Blue Candle
蝋燭 赤 ロウソク アカ Red Candle
指輪 青 ユビワ アオ Blue Ring
指輪 赤 ユビワ アカ Red Ring
パワー ブレスレット Power Bracelet
フエ Recorder
イカダ Raft
梯子 ハシゴ Ladder
マジカル ロッド Magical Rod
バイブル Book of Magic The English name of this in the original Famicom Disk System version of the game was "Bible", and the katakana here still says the same thing even though the English version was changed to "Book of Magic" for the North American release and later Japanese Famicom cartridge release (which is what we're working from).
キー Key
マジカル キー Magical Key
地図 チズ Map
コンパス Compass
隠された 知恵の ”トライフォース” カクサレタ チエノ ”トライフォース” Triforce Lit: Hidden Triforce of Wisdom

After showing these, Link holds up a note saying:

Japanese
詳しい事は本を見て下さい。
Reading
くわしい ことは ほんを みてください。
English
For detailed information, look at the book.

Character creation and loading screens[edit]

Japanese Meaning
オマチクダサイ Please wait
セレクトシテクダサイ Please select
ナマエ トウロク Name registration
トウロク オワル End registration

Inventory screen[edit]

Japanese Meaning
Bボタンデ ツカウ タカラ Treasure that can be used with the B button
トライフォース Triforce

Continue / Save / Retry screen[edit]

If you run out of hearts while playing, you'll be presented with the following 3 options:

  • ツヅケル -CONTINUE-
  • オワル -SAVE- (Lit: End)
  • ヤリナオス -RETRY-

Choosing "ツヅケル -CONTINUE-" will either put you back at the very start of the overworld if you're not in a dungeon, or back at the starting room of a dungeon if you died inside one, with only 3 hearts (6 hit points) full.

The option "ヤリナオス -RETRY-" will quit the game without saving.

Dialogue[edit]

Starting Cave - Old Man with Sword

Japanese
ヒトリデハキケンジャ コレヲ サズケヨウ
Kanji
一人で危険じゃ。これを授けよう
English
It's dangerous [to go] alone. I'll give you this.
  • 一人 literally means "one person". However, when 一人で is used it has a strong connotation of "alone". In this context it can also be spelled 独り. 自分で has a similar but distinct connotation.

Old Man with White Sword and Magical Sword

Japanese
ツカイコナセルナラ コレヲ サズケヨウ
Kanji
使いこなせるなら、これを授けよう
English
If you can master this, I will give it to you.

Old Man - Warp Zones

Japanese
スキナミチヲユケ
Kanji
好き行け
English
Go any way you like.
  • ゆく is just a variant of いく that is particularly associated with old codgers.

Old Man - Secret Cave

Japanese
ユキドマリノキニハ ヒミツガアル
Kanji
行き止まりには秘密がある。
English
There is a secret in the tree at the dead end.

Old Man - Money-Making Game

Japanese
オカネヲフヤス ゲームヲスルカイ
Kanji
お金増やすゲームをするかい?
English
Want to play the money-making game?
  • かい is a variant of the question marker typically used by men. It is gentler and friendlier than using か, which tends to be abrupt when used with the plain form.

Old Man - Secret Caves

Japanese
ドアノシュウリダイヲ モラウゾ 
Kanji
ドア修理代もらうぞ。
English
I will receive the cost of the door repair.
  • In other words: pay up!

Old Man with Letter

Japanese
コレヲ オバアサンニ ミセテゴラン
Kanji
これをおばあさん見せてごらん
English
Show this to the old woman.

Old Woman

Japanese
ハカバノジイサンニアエ
Kanji
墓場じいさん会え
English
Meet the old man in the graveyard.

Old Woman - Medicine Shops

Japanese
クスリヲカッテユキナサイ
Kanji
買って行きなさい
English
Buy some medicine before you go.
  • This can be parsed one of two ways: "Buy some medicine and go" (more naturally expressed as "Take some medicine with you"), or "Go, [being in a state of] having bought some medicine." This latter parsing is where the idea of "before" comes from in our chosen translation.

Old Woman - Under Waterfall / Cave, South of the Lost Woods

Japanese
タダデハ ハナセナイヨ
Kanji
ただでは、話せないよ!
English
I cannot talk for free!
  • In an earlier version of this translation, we did not have the context of this sentence and misinterpeted ただでは as a phrase meaning "I will get my revenge", because that's the EDICT entry for that phrase. Remember: it pays to pay attention to context!

Old Woman - Under Waterfall / Cave, South of the Lost Woods, when not given enough money

Japanese
コレデハ イエナイネ
Kanji
これで言えないね。
English
With this much, I cannot talk.

Old Woman - Under Waterfall, when paid the right amount

Japanese
コノサキノ ヤマヲ ウエヘ ウエヘ ト ユケ
Kanji
この先へ上へと行け
English
Go up, up the mountain ahead.
  • Here doubling of 上へ merely emphasizes it; an idiomatic translation would be something like "way up".

Old Woman - Cave, South of the Lost Woods, when paid the right amount

Japanese
マヨイノモリヲ キタ ニシ ミナミ ニシ ヘ
Kanji
迷い西、西へ。
English
[To go] through the Lost Woods, [go] north, west, south, west.

Old Woman - Under Waterfall / Cave, South of the Lost Woods, when given too much money

Japanese
アンタオカネモチダネ
Kanji
あんたお金持ちだね。
English
You're rich, aren't you?

Shopkeeper

Japanese
ナンカコウテクレヤ
Kanji
なんか買うてくれや!
English
Buy somethin', will ya?
  • This man is speaking Kansai-ben. This is probably invoking at least one of several stereotypes of people from Osaka (the most well-known subdialect of Kansai): they tend to be perceived as rude, loudmouthed, boisterous, and mercantilistic. Kansai-ben speakers also tend to be perceived as funny, because many comedians are from Kansai. So an Osakan (or the Hyrule equivalent) rudely demanding that you buy something is probably funny for the same reason the Rich Texan Guy from The Simpsons is funny.
  • In Standard Japanese, the te form of 買う (かう) is かって. In Kansai-ben, 買う is still かう, but its te form becomes こうて.
  • なんか is short for 何か.
  • や here is Kansai-ben for よ.

Shopkeeper - Secret Shops

Japanese
コレハネウチモノデッセ
Kanji
これは値打ちものでっせ。
English
This is expensive stuff, man.
  • でっせ is Kansai-ben for ですよ.

Old Man - Secret Caves, Red Potion or Life Container

Japanese
スキナ ホウヲ サズケヨウ
Kanji
好きな方を授けよう
English
I'll give you the one you want.
  • 方 here means to select among two options.

Moblin with Rupees - Secret Caves

Japanese
ミンナニ ナイショダヨ
Kanji
内緒だよ。
English
It's a secret to everybody.
  • "Moblins"(モリブリン) are common enemies in the game, but if you find their secret caves they'll give you money.

Hungry Moblin - Level 7, 1st Quest / Level 3 and 8, 2nd Quest

Japanese
ブツ ブツ ・・・・
Kanji
ぶつぶつ・・・・
English
Grumble...

Old Man - Level 1, 1st Quest

Japanese
オカネガナクナレバ ヤ ハ ツカエナイ
Kanji
お金なくなれば使えない
English
If you don't have money, you can't use arrows.

Old Man - Level 2, 1st Quest

Japanese
ドドンゴ ハ ケムリヲ キラウ
Kanji
ドドンゴは嫌う
English
Dodongo hates smoke.
  • "Dodongo" is the boss of the dungeon.

Old Man - Level 3, 1st Quest

Japanese
タキノウエノジイサンニ ケンヲ モラッタカイ
Kanji
じいさんもらったかい?
English
Did you get the sword from the old man at the top of the waterfall?

Old Man - Level 4, 1st Quest

Japanese
タキ ノ ナカ ニ ハイレ
Kanji
入れ
English
Enter the waterfall.

Old Man - Level 5, 1st Quest

Japanese
オトニヨワイ イキモノガイル
Kanji
弱い生き物いる
English
There is a creature that is weak against noise/sound.
  • This is a hint to use the Famicom's microphone feature, which was absent on the NES.

Old Man - Level 5, 1st Quest

Japanese
デグドガニハ キライナ オトガ アル
Kanji
デグドガには嫌いある
English
There is a sound Digdogger hates.
  • "Digdogger" is the boss of the dungeon.

Old Man - Level 5 and 7, 1st Quest / Level 4 and 8, 2nd Quest

Japanese
バクダンヲ モット モチタイジャロウ
Kanji
爆弾もっと持ちたいじゃろう
English
You want to carry more bombs, don't you?

Old Man - Level 4, 2nd Quest

Japanese
ヤジルシノ サキノ ミチヘ ユケバ・・・
Kanji
矢印行けば・・・
English
If you go in the direction of the arrow...

Old Man - Level 4 and 7, 2nd Quest

Japanese
オカネカ イノチヲ オイテユケ
Kanji
お金置いてゆけ
English
Your money or your life!
  • か here indicates a choice - thing A or thing B.
  • The ~てゆく here indicates a sequence of actions: leave your money or life, then go.
  • ("Life" in this sentence refers to "Life Container".)

Old Man - Level 6, 1st Quest

Japanese
ヨウセイノスマヌイズミニハ ヒミツガアル
Kanji
妖精住まぬには秘密ある
English
There is a secret in the spring where the fairies do not live.
  • 住まぬ is the classical form of 住まない.

Old Man - Level 6, 1st Quest

Japanese
ゴーマ ノ メヲネラエ
Kanji
ゴーマの狙え
English
Aim for Gohma's eye.
  • "Gohma" is the boss of the dungeon.

Old Man - Level 6, 2nd Quest

Japanese
ミズウミノ キタ ニハ ヒミツガ アル
Kanji
には秘密ある
English
There is a secret north of the lake.

Old Man - Level 7, 1st Quest

Japanese
メガネイワ ハ シヘノ イリグチ
Kanji
眼鏡への入り口
English
Spectacle Rock is the entrance to death.
  • A clue for the location of Level 9 aka "Death". In the NES version, the old man gives you this clue in Level 8 instead.

Old Man - Level 8, 1st Quest

Japanese
デスマウンテンデ ヤヲ サガセ
Kanji
デスマウンテンで探せ
English
Search for an arrow on Death Mountain.

Old Man - Level 8, 1st Quest

Japanese
ライオンノカギヲサガセ
Kanji
ライオンの探せ
English
Search for the lion key.
  • Referring to the "Magical Key" which head is shaped like a lion head. (The dungeon's name in the manual is "Lion").

Old Man - Level 9, both Quests

Japanese
トライフォースヲ モタヌモノハ トオセナイ
Kanji
トライフォースを持たぬ通せない
English
Those without the Triforce cannot pass.

持たぬ = 持たない

Old Man - Level 9, 1st Quest

Japanese
イチバンウエ ノ サカ イメヲ コワセ
Kanji
一番上境目壊せ
English
Break the topmost barrier.
  • TODO — What could this be referring to?

Old Man - Level 9, both Quests

Japanese
トナリノヘヤヘ ユケ
Kanji
となり部屋行け
English
Go to the next room.

Old Man - Level 9, 1st Quest

Japanese
アカイユビワヲ ミツケタカイ
Kanji
赤い指輪見つけたかい?
English
Did you find the red ring?

Ending[edit]

Japanese
アリガトウ リンク アナタハ

ハイラル ノ エイユウデス

Kanji
ありがとう、リンク。あなたはハイラルの英雄です。
English
Thanks Link. You're the hero of Hyrule.
Japanese
コウシテ ハイラル ニ ヘイワガ モドッタ

コレデ コノ モノガタリ ハ オワリデス

Kanji
こうして、ハイラルに平和戻ったこれで、この物語終わりです。
English
Thus, peace returned to Hyrule. With this, this is the end of the story.

2nd Quest only

Japanese
ゼルダノデンセツ 1 ”オワリ”
Kanji
ゼルダ伝説1 ”終わり”
English
The Legend of Zelda 1: The End
  • The number "1" in the title here seems to have been a little teaser for at the time unreleased sequel as the original FDS version also displays this number in the text.

Invitation to Second Quest[edit]

Japanese
イマカラ モウヒトツノ タビ ガ ハジマリマス

スタートボタン ヲ オシテクダサイ

Kanji
今からもう一つのたびが始まります。スタート・ボタンを押してください。
English
Starting now, a new adventure is beginning. Press the Start button!