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Phrasebooks > Penan phrasebook

Penan is the language of the Penan people in Sarawak, a state of Malaysia.

Pronunciation guide edit

Vowels edit

Consonants edit

Common diphthongs edit

Phrase list edit

Some phrases in this phrasebook still need to be translated. If you know anything about this language, you can help by plunging forward and translating a phrase.


Basics edit

Common signs


OPEN
CLOSED
ENTRANCE
EXIT
PUSH
PULL
TOILET
MEN
WOMEN
FORBIDDEN
Hello.
. ( )
Hello. (informal)
. ( )
How are you?
Kineu akam ko'? (Kih-noo ah-kahm koh?).
Fine, thank you.
Akeu jian. (Ahkow jihahn)
What is your name?
Ineu ngaran ko'? (Ih-noo nah-rahn koh?)
My name is ______ .
Ngaran ké' ______ . (Nah-rahn keu _____ .)
Nice to meet you.
Jian temeu. (Jih-ahn teh-mohoo)
Please.
. ( )
Thank you.
Jian kenin. (Jih-ahn keh-nihn)
You're welcome.
Kua' kua'. (Koo-ah Koo-ah)
Yes.
O'o. (Oh)
No.
Bé'. (Beh)
Excuse me. (getting attention)
. ( )
Excuse me. (begging pardon)
Menyat jian. (Mehn-yaht jih-ahn)
I'm sorry.
. ( )
Goodbye
Jian lakau. (Jih-ahn lah-kow)
Goodbye (informal)
. ( )
I can't speak Penan [well].
Akeu bé' jam ha Penan [mu'un]. (Ah-kow beh jahm hah peh-nahn [moo-oon])
Do you speak English?
Jam ka'au ha puteh? (Jahm kah-ow hah poo-tee?)
Is there someone here who speaks English?
Séé jam ha puteh siteu? (Seh-eh jahm hah poo-tee sih-tow?)
Can I help you?
Omok akeu nolong ka'au? (Oh-mohk ah-kow noh-lohng kah-ow!)
Look out!
Jaga Jaga! (Jahgah Jahgah!)
Good morning.
Jian ngivun. (Jih-ahn nee-woon )
Good evening.
Jian dau kuba'. (Jih-ahn dahoo koo-bah)
Good night.
Jian merem. (Jih-ahn meh-rehm)
I go sleeping.
Akeu tai pegen. (Ah-kow tah-ih peh-gehn)
I don't understand.
Bé' akeu jam. (Beh ah-kow jahm)
Where is the toilet?
Semah pu'un jaban? (Seh-mah poo-oon jah-bahn?)

Problems edit

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.
Akeu sakit. (Ah-kow sah-kiht.)
I've been injured.
. ( .)
I need a doctor.
. ( .)
Can I use your phone?
? ( ?)

Numbers edit

1
jah(jah)
2
duah(doo-ah)
3
teleu(teh-low)
4
pat(paht)
5
lemah(leh-mah)
6
nem(nehm)
7
tuju(tu-joo)
8
ayah(aih-yah)
9
pi'en(pih-ehn)
10
polo(poh-loh)
11
polo jah(poh-loh jah)
12
( )
13
( )
14
( )
15
( )
16
( )
17
( )
18
( )
19
( )
20
duah polo(doo-ah poh-loh)
21
duah polo jah(doo-ah poh-loh jah)
22
( )
23
( )
30
( )
40
( )
50
( )
60
( )
70
( )
80
( )
90
( )
100
jah ato(jah ah-toh)
200
duah ato(doo-ah ah-toh)
300
teleu ato(teh-low ah-toh)
1,000
jah ibeu(jah ih-bow)
2,000
duah ibeu(doo-ah ih-bow )
1,000,000
( )
1,000,000,000
( )
1,000,000,000,000
( )
number _____ (train, bus, etc.)
( )
half
( )
less
( )
more
( )

Time edit

now
( )
later
( )
before
( )
morning
ngivun(nih-woon)
afternoon
kuba'(koo-bah)
evening
tahup(tah-hoop)
night
merem(meh-rehm)

Clock time edit

one o'clock AM
Pukun jah(Poo-koon jah)
two o'clock AM
Pukun duah(Poo-koon doo-ah)
noon
( )
one o'clock PM
( )
two o'clock PM
( )
midnight
Lepok merem(leh-pohk meh-rehm)

Duration edit

_____ minute(s)
( )
_____ hour(s)
( )
_____ day(s)
( )
_____ week(s)
( )
_____ month(s)
( )
_____ year(s)
( )

Days edit

today
( )
yesterday
( )
tomorrow
( )
this week
( )
last week
( )
next week
( )
Sunday
( )
Monday
( )
Tuesday
( )
Wednesday
( )
Thursday
( )
Friday
( )
Saturday
( )

Months edit

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

Writing time and date edit

Colors edit

black
( )
white
( )
gray
( )
red
( )
blue
( )
yellow
( )
green
( )
orange
( )
purple
( )
brown
( )

Transportation edit

Bus and train edit

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 edit

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 _____
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past the _____
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before the _____
( )
Watch for the _____.
( )
intersection
( )
north
( )
south
( )
east
( )
west
( )
uphill
( )
downhill
( )

Taxi edit

Taxi!
( )
Take me to _____, please.
( )
How much does it cost to get to _____?
( )
Take me there, please.
( )

Lodging edit

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 edit

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 edit

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
( )
lunch
( )
tea (meal)
( )
supper
( )
I want _____.
( )
I want a dish containing _____.
( )
chicken
( )
beef
( )
fish
( )
ham
( )
sausage
( )
cheese
( )
eggs
( )
salad
( )
(fresh) vegetables
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(fresh) fruit
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bread
( )
toast
( )
noodles
( )
rice
( )
beans
( )
May I have a glass of _____?
( )
May I have a cup of _____?
( )
May I have a bottle of _____?
( )
coffee
( )
tea (drink)
( )
juice
( )
(bubbly) water
( )
(still) water
( )
beer
( )
red/white wine
( )
May I have some _____?
( )
salt
( )
black pepper
( )
butter
( )
Excuse me, waiter? (getting attention of server)
( )
I'm finished.
( )
It was delicious.
( )
Please clear the plates.
( )
The check, please.
( )

Bars edit

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!
( )

Shopping edit

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.
( )
...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.
( )
...a pen.
( )
...English-language books.
( )
...English-language magazines.
( )
...an English-language newspaper.
( )
...an English-English dictionary.
( )

Driving edit

I want to rent a car.
( )
Can I get insurance?
( )
stop (on a street sign)
( )
one way
( )
yield
( )
no parking
( )
speed limit
( )
gas (petrol) station
( )
petrol
( )
diesel
( )

Authority edit

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?
( )

Learning more edit

This Penan phrasebook is an outline and needs more content. It has a template, but there is not enough information present. Please plunge forward and help it grow!


 Penan language redirects to this page