Nauruan phrasebook

Nauruan (Dorerin Naoero) is the main and official language of Nauru. Due to its significant amount of Australian influence, and even once part of Australia after WWII, most Nauruans can speak English quite well. A number of words in Nauruan is very similar to Micronesian as well, so both those languages may be confusing at times. It's an endangered language, with more younger people of Nauru not being able to speak Nauruan and only English.

Pronunciation guide

Vowels

i
e
a
à
â
o
ò
ô
ö
u
ù
û
ü

Consonants

Common diphthongs

Phrase list

Basics

Hello (Greetings): Ekamawir Omo (Ekamowir omo)
Hello (informal): Mo mo
How are you?: Wõ reit ed? (Wa raited?)
Fine, thank you.: Omo, Tūbwa kõr (Omo, Toob-wa kõr.)
What is your name?: Yen egõm? (Jen egum?)
My name is ______ .: Egõ aña nuñ/ Aña kõr (name) ( ega nga nung/ anga kõr (name))
Nice to meet you.: Ibibõgi aga yeduw/arowañauw
Please.: Magada
Thank you.: Tubwa kõr (Toob-wa kõr)
You're welcome.: ( )
Yes.: Eh. (Eh.) or Ehm. (Ah-m.)
No.: Deõ/ Keo
Excuse me. (getting attention): . ( )
Excuse me. (begging pardon): . ( )
I'm sorry.: Ead aeõ dura
Goodbye: Tarowõñ kõ/ ar bao kõ (tarowang ka/ ar bao ka)
Do you speak English?: Dorerin aiyuk iburbur awe?
Is there someone here who speaks English?: Iña eñame ine dorerin burbur?
Help!
Ipuõk!: ipuk!
Look out!: ( !)
Good morning.: Omo yoran:::: Good afternoon: Omo yekwõ

Good evening: Omo yemerõ:

Good night: Omo yūbūm

Good sleep: Omo mimi

Where are you from?

Auwe amen ee/ auwe enamõn ee

Awe amen e? (A-we me-ni?)

I'm from (country/district)

Aña amen (country/district)/ aña enamõn (country/district)

Problems

Leave me alone.: Erowiyõ.
Don't touch me!: ! ( Weõ toweyõ!
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: aiquen (ai-quen)
2: aro (aa-ro)
3: aiju (aai-jew)
4: aeoq (a-eo-ck)
5: aijimo (ai-ji-mo)
6: año (añoh)
7: aeiu (aa-ee-eww)
8: ajou (aa-oo-ju)
9: ado (aa-do)
10: ata (aa-ta)
11: (ata ma aiquen)
12: (ata ma aro)
13: (ata ma aiju)
14: (ata ma aeoq)
15: (ata ma aijimo)
16: (ata ma año)
17: (ata ma aeiu)
18: (ata ma aoju)
19: (ata ma ado)
20: (anarama)
21: (anarama ma aiquen)
22: (anarama ma aro)
23: (anarama ma aiju)
30: (animo)
40: (ama)
50: (aijima)
60: (añama)
70: (aemo)
80: (aojomo)
90: (aduma)
100: (aibu)
200: (arobu)
300: (aijubu)
1,000: (araña)
10,000: (ata erañan)
100,000: (aibu erañan)
1,000,000: (araña erañan)
number _____ (train, bus, etc.): ( )
half: ( )
less: ( )
more: ( )

Time

now: ñage (ngage)
later: Ñaga (ngaga)
before: ian obun (yan oben)
morning: ijoran (ijoran)
afternoon: iekwo (jekwo)
evening: iemerò (jemera)
night: iubum (jubum )

Clock time

one o'clock AM: eiquon kurak
two o'clock AM: Aro kurak
noon: Yekwo
one o'clock PM: Eiquon kurak
two o'clock PM: Aro kurak
midnight: Tugagan (toogagan)

Duration

_____ minute(s): ( )
_____ hour(s): ( )
_____ day(s): _____ ibum ( )
_____ week(s): ( )
month(s): Maramen
_____ year(s): eobeni (yobeni )

Days

today: ñabumine (ng-aa-boo-meene)
yesterday: nene::
tomorrow: jaran
this week: ( )
last week: ( )
next week: ( )

Sunday: tondak
Monday: mondak
Tuesday: rindak
Wednesday: mituwok
Thursday: donertak
Friday: preidak
Saturday: tarere

Months

January: ( )
February: ( )
March: ( )
April: ( )
May: ( )
June: ( )
July: ( )
August: ( )
September: ( )
October: ( )
November: ( )
December: ( )

Writing time and date

12 hr time is used locally: HH:MM AM/PM, DD/MM/YY (similar to Australia), but 24 hr time is used at the Australian detention site

Colours

black: tañañ (tangang)
white: burbur
grey: badeitsi
red: Mirara
blue: Ajitabwa
yellow: bababo
green: aditur
orange: Kaura
purple: Narabo
brown: ( ): Pink: Miraro

Transportation

Bus and train

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?: ( )
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

Do you accept American/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)?: ( )

Where is the money?

Inga Mark? ( )

Eating

A table for one person/two people, please.: Bookeiy eiquon/aro tebur, magada
Can I look at the menu, please?: Gona ña aya menu, magada?
Can I look in the kitchen?: Gona ña aya yat kitchen?
Is there a house specialty?: ( )
Is there a local specialty?: ( )
I'm a vegetarian.: Ña vegetarian ña/ta yeiyi ña ebudabud
I don't eat pork.: Eõ yeiyi ña kumo
I don't eat beef.: Eõ yeiyi ña duwan.
I only eat kosher food.: ( )
Can you make it "lite", please? (less oil/butter/lard): ( )
fixed-price meal: ( )
a la carte: ( )
breakfast: Yeiyi bwain joran
lunch: ( )
tea (meal): ( )
supper: ( )
I want _____.: Ña tengeiy____.
I want a dish containing _____.: ( )
chicken: domo
beef: duwan
fish: iū
ham: yam
sausage: toded
cheese: ( )
eggs: petamo
salad: ebudabud
(fresh) vegetables: ebudabud
(fresh) fruit
bread: brot
toast: brot mana toasteiy
noodles: noodur
rice: ereid
beans: ( )
May I have a glass of _____?: ( )
May I have a cup of _____?: ( )
May I have a bottle of _____?: ( )
coffee: kabe
tea (drink): iti
juice: ( )
(bubbly) water: ( )
(still) water: ( )
beer: piya
red/white wine: ( )
May I have some _____?: ( )
salt: brited
black pepper: peba
butter: pada
Excuse me, waiter? (getting attention of server): ( )
I'm finished.
Gwain ña
It was delicious.: Ita kõr
Please clear the plates.: Magada aderder ka mana pred.
The check, please.: ( )

Bars

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: ( )
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!: Tubwa Kor! (Toob-waa Core)

Shopping

Do you have this in my size?: Tsimine aiyuk waña size ñarane?
How much is this?: Egen pumwen une?
That's too expensive: Ouwak kōr pumwen
Would you take _____?: Naw abu aiyuk _____?
expensive: Ouwak pumwen
cheap: Onuñ pumwen
I can't afford it.: Ña yogona affordeiyen une
I don't want it.: Ña eõ yeñ(yeng)
You're cheating me.: Kwaweiyan auwe
I'm not interested.: Eõ interested
OK, I'll take it.: Ougan, nan ña abu
Can I have a bag?: Gona oiyame eber
Do you ship (overseas)?: Send aiyuk mogo?
I need...: Ña needeiy
...toothpaste.
...a toothbrush.: ( )
...tampons.: toda
...soap.: Toap
...shampoo.: ( )
...pain reliever. (e.g., aspirin or ibuprofen): Kagamwe
...cold medicine.: Kagamwe bwait garmwamwe
...stomach medicine.: ... ( )
...a razor.: ( )
...an umbrella.: ( )
...sunblock lotion.: ( )
...a postcard.: ( )
...postage stamps.: ( )
...batteries.: Badari
...writing paper.: ( )
...a pen.: ( )
...English-language books.: ( )
...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): ( )
one way: ( )
yield: ( )
no parking: ( )
speed limit: ( )
service (gas) 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 Australian/New Zealand/Norfolk Island citizen.: Anga Dei Otereiriya/Niu Djiran/Eb Nobõk (An-ga De-i Au-té-rey-riya)
I want to talk to the Australian embassy: ( )
I want to talk to a lawyer.: ( )
Can I just pay a fine now?: ( )

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