Tok Pisin phrasebook

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Tok Pisin (or Pidgin) is spoken in Papua New Guinea, and is closely related to Pijin blong Solomon (Solomon Islands), Bislama (Vanuatu), and Ailan Tok (Torres Strait); these Bislamic languages are descended from a pidgin which formed around 1820 or 1860. The vocabulary is 5/6 Indo-European (mostly English, some German, Portuguese, and Latin), 1/7 Malayo-Polynesian, and the rest Trans-New-Guinea and other languages. The grammar is creolized and unlike those of the source languages.
Notable features of Tok Pisin include the frequent suffix -pela, which is used to pluralize personal pronouns and mark that an adjective or number is modifying a noun, and the suffix -im, which usually indicates a transitive verb. Many words are reduplicated, which may make a completely different word (sip ship, sipsip sheep), form a derivative (tok word, talk, language, toktok conversation, phrase), or just be part of the word (pukpuk means crocodile, but there is no word puk).

Pronunciation Guide

Phrase list

Basics

; Hello. : Gude. (goo-DAY)
; Hello. (informal) : Hi. Hai. (HIGH)
; How are you? : Yu stap gut? (yoo stahp goot?)
; Fine, thank you. : Mi stap gut. (mee stahp goot)
; What is your name? : Husat nem bilong yu? (HOO-zaht naym bee-LONG yoo?)
; My name is ______ . : Nem bilong mi emi ______ . (naym bee-LONG mee em ee _____ .)
; Nice to meet you. : Gutpela long bungim yu. (GOOT-peh-lah long BOONG-im YOO)
; Please. : Plis. (plees)
; Thank you. : Tenkyu. (TENK-yoo)
; You're welcome. : Nogat samting. (NO-gaht sahm-ting)
; Yes. : Yes. (YESS)
; No. : Nogat. (noh-GAHT)
; Excuse me. (getting attention) : Skius. (skyooz)
; Excuse me. (begging pardon) : Skius. (skyooz)
; I'm sorry. : Mi sori . (mee SOH-ree )
; Goodbye : Gutbai. (GOOT-bigh.)
; Goodbye (informal) : Lukim yu bihain. (LOO-keem yoo bee-HIGHN)
; I can't speak tok Pisin . : Mi no save long Tok Pisin. (mee noh SAH-vay long tohk PIH-zin)
; Do you speak English? : Yu save long tok Inglis, a? (yoo SAH-veh long tohk ING-glis ah?)
; Is there someone here who speaks English? : Husat i save long tok Inglis? (hoo-ZAHT ee SAH-veh long tohk ING-glis?)
; Help! : Help! (HEHLP!)
; Good morning. : Moning/Moning tru/Moning nau (MOHN-ing/MOHN-ing troo/MOHN-ing now)
; Good night. : Gut nait. (guhd NIGHT)
; Good night (to sleep) : Gut nait. (good NIGHT)
; I don't understand. : Mi no harim tok bilong yu. (mee noh HAH-reem tawk bee-LONG yoo)
; Enough of all this talking! : Maski long planti toktok! (MAHS-kee long PLAHN-tee TOHK-tohk!)
; Where is the toilet? : Smolhaus i stap we? (SMOLL-hows ee stahp WEH?)

Problems

; Leave me alone. : Larim mi. (lah-rim mee)
; Don't touch me! : Noken holim mi! (no-kehn hole-im mee)
; I'll call the police. : Mi bai singautim polis. (mee buy sing-out-im pole-ees)
; Police! : Polis! (Pole-ees!)
; Stop! Thief! : Holim! Raskol! (hole-im! rahs-kohl)
; I need your help. : Mi nidim halivim bilong yu. (mee nee-dim hah-lee-vim bee-long yoo)
; It's an emergency. : Dispela em wanpela imegensi. (dis-pela em one-pela ee-meh-jen-see)
; I'm lost. : Mi no inap painim rot bilong mi. (mee no ee-nahp phai-nim rote bee-long mee)
; I lost my bag. : Mi lusim bek/bilum bilong mi. (mee loo-sim bek/bee-loom bee-long mee)
; I lost my wallet. : Mi lusim hanpaus bilong mi. (mee loo-sim hahn-pows bee-long mee)
; I'm sick. : Mi pilim sik. (mee pheel-im seek)
; I've been injured. : Mi kisim birua/asua. (me kiss-im bee-roo-ah/ah-soo-ah)
; I need a doctor. : Mi nidim dokta. (me need-eem dohk-tah)
; Can I use your phone? : Inap mi yusim telefon bilong yu? (ee-nahp mee you-sim tele-fohn bee-long you?)

Numbers

The forms ending in -pela are used when the number is followed by a noun other than a unit of measurement and is counting that noun, unless the number already has -pela in it. So tu kilok is a time of day, but tupela kilok is a pair of timepieces.
; 1 : wan(pela) (WAN(-peh-lah))
; 2 : tu(pela) (TOO(-peh-lah))
; 3 : tri(pela) (TREE(-peh-lah))
; 4 : foa, fopela (FOH-ah, FOH-peh-lah)
; 5 : faiv, faipela (FIGHV, FIGH-peh-lah)
; 6 : sikis(pela) (SIH-kiss(-peh-lah))
; 7 : seven(pela) (SEH-ven(-peh-lah))
; 8 : et(pela) (AYT(-peh-lah))
; 9 : nain(pela) (NIGHN(-peh-lah))
; 10 : ten(pela) (TEN(-peh-lah))
; 11 : wanpela ten wan (...), eleven
; 12 : wanpela ten tu (...), twelv
; 13 : wanpela ten tri (...), tetin
; 14 : wanpela ten foa (...), fotin
; 15 : wanpela ten faiv (...), fiftin
; 16 : wanpela ten sikis (...), sikistin
; 17 : wanpela ten seven (...), seventin
; 18 : wanpela ten et (...), etin
; 19 : wanpela ten nain (...), naintin
; 20 : tupela ten (...), twenti
; 21 : tupela ten wan (...), twentiwan
; 22 : tupela ten tu (...), twentitu
; 23 : tupela ten tri (...), twentitri
; 30 : tripela ten (...), teti
; 40 : fopela ten (...), foti
; 50 : faipela ten (...), fifti
; 60 : sikispela ten (...), sikisti
; 70 : sevenpela ten (...), seventi
; 80 : etpela ten (...), eti
; 90 : nainpela ten (...), nainti
; 100 : wan handet (...)
; 200 : tu handet (...)
; 300 : tri handet (...)
; 1000 : tausen (...)
; 2000 : tu tausen (...)
; 1,000,000 : wan milien (...)
; number _____ (train, bus, etc.) : namba _____ (...)
; half : hap (...)
; less : ananit (...)
; more : antap (...)

Time

; now : nau (now)
; later : bihain (bee-HIGHN)
; before : bipo (BEE-poh)
; morning : moning (MOH-neeng)
; afternoon : apinun (ah-pee-NOON)
; night : nait (night)

Clock time

; one o'clock PM : wan kilok (long san) AM (...)
; two o'clock PM : tu kilok (long apinun) (...)
; noon : belo (...)
; one o'clock AM : wan kilok (long) biknait (...)
; two o'clock AM : tu kilok (long) biknait (...)
; midnight : biknait (BIK-night)

Duration

; _____ minute(s) : _____ minit (MIH-nit)
; _____ hour(s) : _____ aua (OW-ah)
; _____ day(s) : _____ de (day)
; _____ week(s) : _____ wik (week)
; _____ month(s) : _____ mun (moon)
; _____ year(s) : _____ yia (YEE-ah)

Days

; today : tude (tu-deh)
; yesterday : asde (as-deh)
; tomorrow : tumora (tu-mora)
; this week : dispela wik (...)
; last week : wik igo pinis ( )
; next week : wik bihain ( )
; Sunday : Sande (...)
; Monday : Mande (...)
; Tuesday : Tunde (...)
; Wednesday : Trinde (...)
; Thursday : Fonde (...)
; Friday : Fraide (...)
; Saturday : Sarere (sah-reh-reh)

Months

; January : Jenueri / Wan mun (JEN-oo-eh-ree)
; February : Februeri / Tu mun (FEB-roo-eh-ree)
; March : Mars / Tri mun (mahrs)
; April : Epril / Foa mun (EPP-reel)
; May : Mei / Faif mun (may)
; June : Jun / Sikis mun (joon)
; July : Julai / Sewen mun (joo-LIGH)
; August : Ogas / Eit mun (AW-goose)
; September : Septemba / Nain mun (sep-TEM-bah)
; October : Oktoba / Ten mun (ock-TOH-bah)
; November : Novemba / Ilewen mun (noh-VEM-bah)
; December : Disemba / Twelf mun (dee-SEM-bah)

Writing Time and Date

Give some examples how to write clock times and dates if it differs from English.

Colors

; black : blak(pela) (...)
; white : wait(pela) (...)
; gray : gre(pela) (...)
; red : ret(pela) (...)
; blue : blu(pela) (...)
; yellow : yelo(pela) (...)
; green : grin(pela) (...)
; orange : orange (...)
; purple : hap ret (...)
; brown : braun(pela) (...)

Transportation

Bus

; How much is a ticket to _____? : Hamas long baim tiket igo long _____? (...)
; One ticket to _____, please. : Wanpela tiket long _____, plis. (...)
; Where does this plane/bus go? : Displa balus/bas em i go long we? (...)
; Where is the plane/bus to _____? : Balus/bas i go long _____ em we? (...)
; Does this plane/bus stop in _____? : Dispela balus/bas bai go tu long _____? (...)
; When does the plane/bus for _____ leave? : Wanem taim bas balus/bas i go? (...)
; When will this plane/bus arrive in _____? : Wanem taim bai dispela balus/bas kamap long _____? (...)

Directions

; How do I get to _____ ? : Bai mi go long _____ olsem wanem? (mee GO long _____ OLL-saym WAH-naym?)
; ...the bus station? : ples bilong wetim bas? (PLAYS bee-long WAY-teem BUS)
; ...the airport? : ples balus? (pleys BAH-loos) Note: balus also means "pigeon".
; ...downtown? : namel long taun? (NAH-mel long TOWN?)
; ...the _____ hotel? : ... _____ hotel? (...)
; ...the American/Canadian/Australian/British consulate? : ...American/Canadian/Australian/British consulate? (...)
; Where are there a lot of... : I gat planti ... we? (WEH ee gaht PLAHN-tee ...)
; ...hotels? : ...hotel (...)
; ...restaurants? : haus kaikai (hows KIGH-kigh?)
; ...bars? : ...bars (...)
; ...sites to see? : ...ol samting long lukim (...)
; Can you show me on the map? : Yu inap soim me rot long pepa map? (...)
; street : rot (...)
; Turn left. : Tanim long lephan. (TAHN-ihm lehp)
; Turn right. : Tanim long raithan. (TAHN-ihm right)
; left : lephan (lehp-hahn)
; right : raithan (right-hahn)
; straight ahead : stret (strayt)
; towards the _____ : go long _____ (...)
; past the _____ : lusim _____ (...)
; before the _____ : bipo long _____ (...)
; Watch for the _____. : Lukaut long _____. (...)
; intersection : intersection (...)
; north : not (noht)
; south : saut (sowt)
; east : is (ees)
; west : wes (wehs)
; uphill : i go antap (...)
; downhill : i go daun (...)

Taxi

; Taxi! : Taxi! (...)
; Take me to _____, please. : Mi laik go long _____, plis. (...)
; How much does it cost to get to _____? : Bai kostim hamas long go long _____? (...)
; Take me there, please. : Karim mi i go, plis. (...)

Lodging

; Do you have any rooms available? : I gat sampela rum? (...)
; How much is a room for one person/two people? : Rum long wanpela man/tupela man bai kostim hamas? (...)
; Does the room come with... : Rum igat... (...)
; ...bedsheets? : ...bedsit? (...)
; ...a bathroom? : ...smolhaus? (...)
; ...a telephone? : ...telefon? (...)
; ...a TV? : ...TV? (...)
; May I see the room first? : Inap mi lukim rum pastaim? (...)
; Do you have anything quieter? : Igat wanpela rum i no gat planti nois? (...)
; ...bigger? : Igat wanpela rum i moa bikpela? (...)
; ...cleaner? : Igat wanpela rum i moa klin? (...)
; ...cheaper? : Igat wanpela rum we prais i go daun liklik? (...)
; OK, I'll take it. : Gutpela, mi laikim. (...)
; I will stay for _____ night(s). : Bai mi stap long _____ nait. (...)
; Can you suggest another hotel? : Inap yu tokim mi long narapela gutpela hotel? (...)
; Do you have a safe? : Sampla kain safe stap oh? (...)
; ...lockers? : ...lockers? (...)
; Is breakfast/supper included? : Is breakfast/supper included? (...)
; What time is breakfast/supper? : Wanem taim bai yumi kaikai nau morning? (...)
; supper : kaikai long nait (KIGH-kigh lohng night)
;breakfast: kaikai long moningtaim (KIGH-kigh lohng MOH-ning-tighm)
; Please clean my room. : Inap yu klinim rum bilong mi? (...)
; Can you wake me at _____? : Bai yu kirapim mi long _____, a? (...)
; I want to check out. : I want to check out. (...)

Money

; Do you accept American/Australian/Canadian dollars? : yupla save kisim moni bilong America/Ostrelia/Keneda ? (...)
; Do you accept British pounds? : Yupla save kisim moni bilong Inglan? (...)
; Do you accept credit cards? : Yupla save kisim kredit kad? (...)
; Can you change money for me? : Inap yu senisim moni bilong mi? (...)
; Where can I get money changed? : Bai mi inap senisim moni bilong mi long we? (...)
; Can you change a traveler's check for me? : Inap yu senisim dispela trevelas sek bilong mi? (...)
; Where can I get a traveler's check changed? : Bai mi senisim trevelas sek we? (...)
; What is the exchange rate? : What is the exchange rate? (...)
; Where is an automatic teller machine (ATM)? : ATM i stap we? (...)

Eating

; A table for one person/two people, please. : Wanpela tebol bilong wanpela/tupela, plis. (...)
; Can I look at the menu, please? : Inap mi lukim menyu plis? (ee-NAHP mee LOOK-im MEHN-yoo plees)
; Can I look in the kitchen? : Inap mi lukluk insait long kitsen (...)
; Is there a house specialty? : Is there a house specialty? (...) NEEDS TO BE TRANSLATED
; Is there a local specialty? : Is there a local specialty? (...) NEEDS TO BE TRANSLATED
; I'm a vegetarian. : Mi no kaikai mit. (mee noh KIGH-kigh meet)
; I don't eat pork. : Mi tambu long kaikai pik. (mee TAHM-boo long pik)
; I don't eat beef. : Mi tambu long kaikai bulmakau. (mee TAHM-boo long BOOL-mah-kow)
; I only eat kosher food. : I only eat kosher food. (...) NEEDS TO BE TRANSLATED
; Can you make it "lite", please? (less oil/butter/lard) : Can you make it "lite", please? (...)NEEDS TO BE TRANSLATED
; fixed-price meal : fixed-price meal (...) NEEDS TO BE TRANSLATED
; à la carte : à la carte (...) NEEDS TO BE TRANSLATED, asking for a menu might help.
; breakfast : kaikai long moningtaim (KIGH-kigh lohng MOH-ning-tighm)
; lunch : kaikai bilong belo (KIGH-kigh bee-lohng beh-LOH)
; tea (meal) : ti (...)
; supper : kaikai long nait (KIGH-kigh lohng night)
; I want _____. : Mi laikim _____. (...)
; I want a dish containing _____. : Mi laikim kaikai igat _____. (...)
; chicken : kakaruk (KAH-kah-rook)
; beef : bulmakau (BOOL-mah-kow)
; fish : pis (pis)
; lamb/mutton : sipsip (SEEP-seep)
; ham : lek bilong pik (lek bee-long PIK)
; sausage : sosis (...)
; milk : susu (SOO-soo)
; cheese : sis (seess)
; eggs : kiau (kyow)
; salad : salad (...)
; (fresh) vegetables : kumu
; (fresh) fruit : (nupela) prut ((NOO-peh-lah) proot)
; lemon : moli (MOLL-ee)
; orange : switmoli (SWEET-moll-ee)
; pineapple : painap (PIGH-nahp), ananas (ah-nah-NAHS)
; bread : bret (bret)
; biscuit : drai bisket (DRIGH-bis-ket)
; noodles : nudal (NOO-dahl)
; rice : rais (righs)
; beans : bin (been)
; May I have a glass of _____? : Mi laikim wanpela glas _____? (...)
; May I have a cup of _____? : Mi laikim wanpela kap _____? (...)
; May I have a bottle of _____? : Mi laikim wanpela botol _____? (...)
; coffee : kofi (...)
; tea (drink) : ti (...)
; juice : jus (...)
; (bubbly) water : mineral wara (...)
; water : wara (WAH-rah)
; beer : bia (BEE-ah)
; red/white wine : retpela/waitpela wain (REHT-peh-lah/WIGHT-peh-lah wighn)
; May I have some _____? : Mi laikim sampela _____ (...)
; salt : sol (...)
; black pepper : Bilakpla pepa (...) This also means betel ; butter : bata (BAH-tah)
; Excuse me, waiter? (getting attention of server): Sori, weta? (SOH-ree, WEH-tah)
; I'm finished. : Mi kaikai pinis. (mee KIGH-kigh PIH-nis)
; It was delicious. : Kaikai em swit nogut tru (...)
; Please clear the plates. : Plis inap yu rausim ol pelet. (...)
; The check, please. : Mi laik baim bil blong kaikai bilong mi. (')

Bars

; Do you serve alcohol? : Yu save salim alkahol? (...)
; Is there table service? : Igat tabel sevis? (...)
; A beer/two beers, please. : Wanpla bia/tupla bia, plis. (...)
; A glass of red/white wine, please. : Wanpla galas-ret wain plis. (...)
; A pint, please. : Wanpela pint bia, plis. (...)
; A bottle, please. : Wanpela botol, plis. (...)
; _____ (hard liquor) and _____ (mixer), please. : _____ na _____, plis. (...)
; whiskey : wiski (WIH-skee)
; vodka : vodka (...)
; rum : rum (...)
; water : wara (WAH-rah)
; club soda : club soda (...)
; tonic water : tonic wara (...)
; orange juice : orange juice (...)
; Coke (soda) : Coke, lolli wara (...)
; Do you have any bar snacks? : Do you have any bar snacks? (...)
; One more, please. : wanpela moa, plis. (...)
; Another round, please. : Wanpla raun ken/gen, plis. (...)
; When is closing time? : Wanem taim bai yupela pas? (...)

Shopping

; Do you have this in my size? : Yu gat dispela long sais blong mi tu? (...)
; How much is this? : Hamas long dispela? (hah-MAHS lohng DIS-pe-lah)
; That's too expensive. : Prais i antap tumas. (prighs ee ahn-TAHP too-MAHS)
; Would you take _____? : Inap mi baim long _____? (...)
; expensive : dia tumas (DEE-yah too-MAHS)
; cheap : daun (down)
; I can't afford it. : moni bilong mi no nap. (...)
; I don't want it. : Mi les long dispela. (...)
; You're cheating me. : Yu wok long giamanim mi!. (...)
; I'm not interested. : Mi no laikim tumas. (..)
; OK, I'll take it. : Koan, bai mi kisim. (koh-ahn, bigh mee KEE-sim)
; Can I have a bag? : Can I have a bag? (...)
; Do you ship (overseas)? : Yu save salim (ovasis)? (...)
; I need... : Mi laikim... (mee LIGH-keem)
; ...toothpaste. : ...sop bilong tit. (sohp bi-LOHNG teet)
; ...a toothbrush. : ...bras bilong tit. (brahs bi-LOHNG teet)
; ...tampons. : ...ol tampon. (...)
; ...soap. : ...sop. (sohp)
; ...shampoo. : ...sop blong garas. (sohp blhong gah-rahs)
; ...pain reliever. (e.g., aspirin or ibuprofen) : ...marasin long rausim pen. (...)
; ...cold medicine. : ...marasin bilong kus. (...)
; ...stomach medicine. : ...marasin bilong bel i pen. (...)
; ...a razor. : ...resa. (RAY-sah)
; ...an umbrella. : ...umbarela. (...)
; ...sunblock lotion. : ...sunblock lotion. (...)
; ...a postcard. : ...poskat. (POHS-kaht)
; ...postage stamps. : ...stem. (stehm)
; ...batteries. : ...betri. (...)
; ...writing paper. : ...pepa. (peh-pah)
; ...a pen. : ...pen. (pehn)
; ...English-language books. : ...buk long tok Inglis. (...)
; ...English-language magazines. : ...magasin long tok Inglis. (...)
; ...an English-language newspaper. : ...niuspepa long tok Inglis. (...)
; ...an English-English dictionary. : ...dikseneri long tok Inglis. (...)

Driving

; I want to rent a car. : Mi laik rentim kar. (...)
; Can I get insurance? : Inap mi kisim insurens? (...)
; stop (on a street sign) : stop (...)
; one way : one way (...)
; yield : give way (...)
; no parking : no parking (SORI TUMAS NOKIN PARKIM KA HIA...)
; speed limit : speed limit (...)
; service (petrol, gas) station : sevis steisen (...)
; petrol : bensin (BEHN-seen)
; diesel : diesel (...)

Authority

; I haven't done anything wrong. : Mi no wokim wanpela samting i rong. (...)
; It was a misunderstanding. : mipela faul olgeta (...)
; Where are you taking me? : Yu kisim mi go long we? (...)
; Am I under arrest? : Am I under arrest? (...)
; I am an American/Australian/British/Canadian citizen. : Mi manmeri bilong Amerika/Ostrelia/Briten/Kanada. (...)
; I want to talk to the American/Australian/British/Canadian embassy/consulate. : Mi mas toktok wantaim American/Australian/British/Canadian embassy/consulate. (...)
; I want to talk to a lawyer. : Mi laik toktok long wanpela loia. (...)
; Can I just pay a fine now? : Inap mi baim fain nau tasol? (...)