Pijin phrasebook

Pijin is the main language of the Solomon Islands.

Pronunciation guide

Vowels

a

like 'a' in "father"

e

like 'a' in "baby"

i

like 'ee' in "week"

o

like 'oa' in "boat"

u

like 'oo' in "moon"

Phrase list

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

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

/Hello.

Halo. ( )

Hello. (informal)

. ( )

How are you?

Iu hao? / Hao na iu?

Fine, thank you.

Mi gud tumas. (Me olrite, thankyou/ taigo )

What is your name?

Hu nao nem blong yu? ( ?)

My name is ______ .

Nem blong me ______ . ( _____ .)

Nice to meet you.

Gud tumas fo mitim you

Please.

Plis. ( )

Thank you.

Tanggio. / Tagio Tumas / Thank iu ( )

You're welcome.

. ( )

Yes.

Yes. ( )

No.

No / Nomoa ( )

Excuse me. (getting attention)

TsssTsss. ( sound made by hissing through teeth. Also used to tell a bus driver to stop)

You’re beautiful.

Yu nicebola

Excuse me. (begging pardon)

Excuse mi/ Sorry missus/sir. (Ae fren )

I'm sorry.

. ( )

Goodbye

Gutbae

Goodbye (informal)

Lukim iu. / Bae

I can't speak Pijin [well].

Mi no save [gud] hao fo spikim Pijin

Do you speak English?

Iu save inglish? ( ?)

Is there someone here who speaks English?

Aniwan lo hia save hao fo spikim Inglis?

Help!

Help ! ( !)

Look out!

luk aot ! ( !)

Good morning.

Moning moning. ( )

Good evening.

Ivining. ( )

Good night.

Gudnaet. ( )

Good night (to sleep)

gudnaet bae mi go fo slip. ( )

I don't understand.

Mi no save. ( ) Mi no understandim/ Mi no gettim

Where is the toilet?

Wea na toilet/loo? ( ?)

Problems

Leave me alone.

. (u go.) (leavim me alone!)

Don't touch me!

! (no Touchem me !)

I'll call the police.

Ba mi kolem polis.

Police!

Polis! ( !)

Stop! Thief!

Stop! Beliga!

I need your help.

Yu save helpm mi? (literally Can you help me?)

It's an emergency.

. ( .) Hem emergency ia

I'm lost.

. ( .) Me lose

I lost my bag.

. ( .) Me lusim basket blo me

I lost my wallet.

. ( .) Me lusim wallet blo me

I'm sick.

Mi siki. ( .)

I've been injured.

Mi garem soa. ( .)

I need a doctor.

Mi needm doktor. ( .)

Can I use your phone?

Mi save usim phone blo yu? ( ?)

Numbers

0

siro ( )

1

wan ( )

2

tu ( )

3

tri ( )

4

foa ( )

5

faev ( )

6

siks / sikis ( )

7

seven ( )

8

eit ( )

9

naen ( )

10

ten ( )

11

leven ( )

12

tuel ( )

13

tirtin ( )

14

fotin ( )

15

fiftin ( )

16

sikstin ( )

17

seventin ( )

18

eitin ( )

19

naentin ( )

20

tuenti ( )

21

tuenti wan ( )

22

tuenti tu ( )

23

tuentu tri ( )

30

teti ( )

40

foti ( )

50

fifti ( )

60

siksti ( )

70

seventi ( )

80

eiti ( )

90

naenti ( )

100

handred ( )

200

tu handred ( )

300

tri handred ( )

1,000

taosen ( )

2,000

tu taosen ( )

1,000,000

million ( )

1,000,000,000

( )

1,000,000,000,000

( )

number _____ (train, bus, etc.)

( )

half

( )

less

( )

more

( )

Time

now

distaem ( )

later

afta ( )

before

bifo

morning

mone / moningtaem

afternoon

aftanun (afta-n-oo-n)

evening

ivining

night

naet / naet taem

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

(tude)

yesterday

( )

tomorrow

( )

this week

( )

last week

( )

next week

( )

Sunday

( )

Monday

( )

Tuesday

( )

Wednesday

( )

Thursday

( )

Friday

( )

Saturday

( )

Months

January

Januari

February

Februari

March

Mas

April

Epril / Eprol / Eprolo

May

Mei

June

Jun

July

Julai

August

Ogast / Ogas

September

Septemba

October

Oktoba

November

Novemba

December

Disemba

Colors

black

(blak)

white

(waet)

gray

( )

red

( )

blue

(blu)

yellow

( )

green

( )

orange

( )

purple

( )

brown

( )

Transportation

Bus and train

How much is a ticket to _____?

( ) How much na ticket fo....?

One ticket to _____, please.

( ) Onefa ticket to_____ plis

Where does this train/bus go?

Disfala bus go lo wea( )

Where is the train/bus to _____?

( )

Does this train/bus stop in _____?

Bae disfala bus stap lo( )

When does the train/bus for _____ leave?

( )

When will this train/bus arrive in _____?

Wataem bae bus kasem lo (hia) ___?

Directions

How do I get to _____ ?

Hao nao mi save kasem _____?

...the train station?

( ) train station?

...the bus station?

bus station ( )

...the airport?

( )

...downtown?

( )

...the youth hostel?

( )

...the _____ hotel?

( )

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

wan konsulat blo Amerika/Kanada/Astrelia/Yunaeted Kingdom ( )

Where are there a lot of...

( )

...hotels?

( )

...restaurants?

( )

...bars?

( )

...sites to see?

( )

Can you show me on the map?

Yu save showim mi lo map?

street

( )

Turn left.

( )

Turn right.

( )

left

(left)

right

(raet)

straight ahead

( )

towards the _____

( )

past the _____

( )

before the _____

( )

Watch for the _____.

( )

intersection

( )

north

( )

south

( )

east

( )

west

( )

uphill

( )

downhill

( )

Taxi

Taxi!

( )

Take me to _____, please.

Yu save tekem mi lo _____, plis.

How much does it cost to get to _____?

Haomas for kasem lo _____?

Take me there, please.

Mi laek fo go lo dea, plis.

Lodging

Do you have any rooms available?

Yu garem ani room fo slip?

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

Hao mas fo wanfala room for wan/tu pipol?

Does the room come with...

Disfala room garem....

...bedsheets?

( )

...a bathroom?

toilet? Tap fo swim? ( shower)

...a telephone?

( )

...a TV?

( )

May I see the room first?

Mi save lukluk lo room fastaem?( ) Mi sae lukim room yah fasteam?

Do you have anything quieter?

( ) You garem anything lelebet quiet

...bigger?

( ) Bik

...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/Australian/Canadian dollars?

( )

Do you accept British pounds?

( )

Do you accept euros?

( ) You acceptim euros too?

Do you accept credit cards?

( )

Can you change money for me?

( )

Where can I get money changed?

( ) Lo wea na me sae changim slen blo me

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.

( ) Onefa table for onefala/twofala

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.

( ) Mi no eat pork/ Mi no kai kai 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

reef fis( )

ham

( )

sausage

( )

cheese

( )

eggs

( )

salad

( )

(fresh) vegetables

( )

(fresh) fruit

( )

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

(bia)

red/white wine

( )

May I have some _____?

( )

salt

( )

black pepper

( )

butter

( )

Excuse me, waiter? (getting attention of server)

( )

I'm finished.

( )

It was delicious.

Hemi naes tumas( )

Please clear the plates.

( )

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!

( )

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.

Mi no save pem. ( )

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...

(mi nidim)

...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

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

I haven't done anything wrong.

( ) Me nating duim anything wrong

It was a misunderstanding.

( ) Hem misunderstanding

Where are you taking me?

( ) Wea na you tekem me? / Iu tekem me go lo wea yah?

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?

( )