Eastern Arrernte phrasebook

Eastern Arrernte is the Arrernte language dialect spoken in Alice Springs (Mparntwe, pronounced mbarn-twa) and surrounds by Indigenous Australians.

Pronunciation guide

Phrase list

Basics

Common signs OPEN CLOSED ENTRANCE EXIT PUSH PULL TOILET MEN ARTWE WOMEN ARELHE FORBIDDEN AHEYLENGE

Hello.

Werte. (wer-ta)

Hello. (informal)

. ( )

How are you?

nthakene irreme ? ( ?)

Fine, thank you.

Mwerre anthure. ( )

What is your name?

iwenhe arritne ngwinhe ? ( ?)

My name is ______ .

______ . ( _____ .)

Nice to meet you.

. ( )

Please.

pelithe. ( )

Thank you.

You're welcome.

. ( )

Yes.

Ye. (ya)

No.

Arrangkwe. (arran-gwa)

Excuse me. (getting attention)

. ( )

Excuse me. (begging pardon)

. ( )

I'm sorry.

. ( )

Goodbye

urreke arrityenenge. ( )

Goodbye (informal)

. ( )

I can't speak name of language [well].

[ ]. ( [ ])

Do you speak English?

 ? ( ?)

Is there someone here who speaks English?

 ? ( ?)

Help!

Alpe! ( !)

Look out!

 ! ( !)

Good morning.

. ( )

Good evening.

. ( )

Good night.

. ( )

Good night (to sleep)

. ( )

I don't understand.

. ( )

Where is the toilet?

 ? ( ?)

Problems

Leave me alone.

. ( .)

Don't touch me!

 ! ( !)

I'll call the police.

. ( .)

Police!

 ! ( !)

Stop! Thief!

 ! ! ( ! !)

I need your help.

. ( .)

It's an emergency.

. ( .)

I'm lost.

. ( .)

I lost my bag.

. ( .)

I lost my wallet.

. ( .)

I'm sick.

. ( .)

I've been injured.

. ( .)

I need a doctor.

. ( .)

Can I use your phone?

 ? ( ?)

Numbers

1

anyente ( )

2

antherre ( )

3

urrpetye ( )

4

atherramathere ( )

5

( )

6

( )

7

( )

8

( )

9

( )

10

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11

( )

12

( )

13

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14

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15

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16

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17

( )

18

( )

19

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20

( )

21

( )

22

( )

23

( )

30

( )

40

( )

50

( )

60

( )

70

( )

80

( )

90

( )

100

( )

200

( )

300

( )

1,000

( )

2,000

( )

1,000,000

( )

1,000,000,000

( )

1,000,000,000,000

( )

number _____ (train, bus, etc.)

( )

half

( )

less

( )

more

( )

Time

now

( )

later

( )

before

( )

morning

( )

afternoon

( )

evening

( )

night

( )

Clock time

one o'clock AM

( )

two o'clock AM

( )

noon

( )

one o'clock PM

( )

two o'clock PM

( )

midnight

( )

Duration

_____ minute(s)

( )

_____ hour(s)

( )

_____ day(s)

( )

_____ week(s)

( )

_____ month(s)

( )

_____ year(s)

( )

Days

today

( )

yesterday

( )

tomorrow

( )

this week

( )

last week

( )

next week

( )

Sunday

( )

Monday

( )

Tuesday

( )

Wednesday

( )

Thursday

( )

Friday

( )

Saturday

( )

Months

January

( )

February

( )

March

( )

April

( )

May

( )

June

( )

July

( )

August

( )

September

( )

October

( )

November

( )

December

( )

Colors

black

( )

white

( )

grey/gray

( )

red

( )

blue

( )

yellow

( )

green

( )

orange

( )

purple

( )

brown

( )

Transportation

Bus and train

BUS

URTNE

How much is a ticket to _____?

( )

One ticket to _____, please.

( )

Where does this train/bus go?

( )

Where is the train/bus to _____?

( )

Does this train/bus stop in _____?

( )

When does the train/bus for _____ leave?

( )

When will this train/bus arrive in _____?

( )

Directions

How do I get to _____ ?

( )

...the train station?

( )

...the bus station?

( )

...the airport?

( )

...downtown?

( )

...the youth hostel?

( )

...the _____ hotel?

( )

...the American/Canadian/Australian/British consulate?

( )

Where are there a lot of...

( )

...hotels?

( )

...restaurants?

( )

...bars?

( )

...sites to see?

( )

Can you show me on the map?

( )

street

( )

Turn left.

( )

Turn right.

( )

left

( )

right

( )

straight ahead

( )

towards the _____

( )

past the _____

( )

before the _____

( )

Watch for the _____.

( )

intersection

( )

north

( )

south

( )

east

( )

west

( )

uphill

( )

downhill

( )

Taxi

Taxi!

( )

Take me to _____, please.

( )

How much does it cost to get to _____?

( )

Take me there, please.

( )

Lodging

Do you have any rooms available?

( )

How much is a room for one person/two people?

( )

Does the room come with...

( )

...bedsheets?

( )

...a bathroom?

( )

...a telephone?

( )

...a TV?

altyerre areleye ( )

May I see the room first?

( )

Do you have anything quieter?

( )

...bigger?

( )

...cleaner?

( )

...cheaper?

( )

OK, I'll take it.

( )

I will stay for _____ night(s).

( )

Can you suggest another hotel?

( )

Do you have a safe?

( )

...lockers?

( )

Is breakfast/supper included?

( )

What time is breakfast/supper?

( )

Please clean my room.

( )

Can you wake me at _____?

( )

I want to check out.

( )

Money

MONEY

APWERTE

Do you accept American/Australian/Canadian dollars?

( )

Do you accept British pounds?

( )

Do you accept euros?

( )

Do you accept credit cards?

( )

Can you change money for me?

( )

Where can I get money changed?

( )

Can you change a traveler's check for me?

( )

Where can I get a traveler's check changed?

( )

What is the exchange rate?

( )

Where is an automatic teller machine (ATM)?

( )

Eating

A table for one person/two people, please.

( )

Can I look at the menu, please?

( )

Can I look in the kitchen?

( )

Is there a house specialty?

( )

Is there a local specialty?

( )

I'm a vegetarian.

( )

I don't eat pork.

( )

I don't eat beef.

( )

I only eat kosher food.

( )

Can you make it "lite", please? (less oil/butter/lard)

( )

fixed-price meal

( )

a la carte

( )

breakfast

perimpethe ( )

lunch

rtene ( )

tea (meal)

( )

supper

( )

I want _____.

( )

I want a dish containing _____.

( )

chicken

tyweke-tyweke ( )

beef

pweleke ( )

fish

irrpennge ( )

crab

ikarle ( )

ham/pork

peke-peke ( )

kangaroo

aherre ( )

emu

arelye ( )

crocodile

alekeyte ( )

camel

kamule ( )

sausage

( )

cheese

( )

eggs

kwarte ( )

salad

( )

(fresh) vegetables

merne ( )

(fresh) fruit

merne ( )

bread

amerne alerrkwe ( )

toast

( )

noodles

nwtule ( )

rice

( )

beans

( )

May I have a glass of _____?

( )

May I have a cup of _____?

( )

May I have a bottle of _____?

( )

coffee

( )

tea (drink)

irrwe urinpe ( )

juice

( )

(bubbly) water

( )

(still) water

( )

beer

ngkwarle ( )

red/white wine

( )

May I have some _____?

( )

salt

( )

black pepper

( )

butter

( )

Excuse me, waiter? (getting attention of server)

( )

I'm finished.

Kele. ( )

It was delicious.

( )

Please clear the plates.

( )

The check, please.

( )

Bars

ALCOHOL

NGKWARLE

Do you serve alcohol?

( )

Is there table service?

( )

A beer/two beers, please.

( )

A glass of red/white wine, please.

( )

A pint, please.

( )

A bottle, please.

( )

_____ (hard liquor) and _____ (mixer), please.

( )

whiskey

( )

vodka

( )

rum

( )

water

kwatye ( )

club soda

( )

tonic water

( )

orange juice

( )

Coke (soda)

( )

Do you have any bar snacks?

( )

One more, please.

( )

Another round, please.

( )

When is closing time?

( )

Cheers!

( )

Shopping

Do you have this in my size?

( )

How much is this?

( )

That's too expensive.

( )

Would you take _____?

( )

expensive

( )

cheap

( )

I can't afford it.

( )

I don't want it.

( )

You're cheating me.

( )

I'm not interested.

(..)

OK, I'll take it.

( )

Can I have a bag?

( )

Do you ship (overseas)?

( )

I need...

( )

...toothpaste.

( )

...a toothbrush.

( )

...tampons.

. ( )

...soap.

thwepe. ( )

...shampoo.

( )

...pain reliever. (e.g., aspirin or ibuprofen)

( )

...cold medicine.

( )

...stomach medicine.

... ( )

...a razor.

( )

...an umbrella.

( )

...sunblock lotion.

( )

...a postcard.

( )

...postage stamps.

( )

...batteries.

( )

...writing paper.

pepa. ( )

...a pen.

( )

...English-language books.

Angkelethe puke. ( )

...English-language magazines.

( )

...an English-language newspaper.

( )

...an English-English dictionary.

( )

Driving

I want to rent a car.

( )

Can I get insurance?

( )

stop (on a street sign)

ngkerneme ( )

one way

( )

yield

( )

no parking

( )

speed limit

( )

gas (petrol) station

( )

petrol

( )

diesel

( )

Authority

I haven't done anything wrong.

( )

It was a misunderstanding.

( )

Where are you taking me?

( )

Am I under arrest?

( )

I am an American/Australian/British/Canadian citizen.

( )

I want to talk to the American/Australian/British/Canadian embassy/consulate.

( )

I want to talk to a lawyer.

( )

Can I just pay a fine now?

( )