Torres Strait Creole phrasebook

Torres Strait Creole (Yumplatok) is the main language of Queensland's Torres Strait Islands. It is very similar to Tok Pisin (Papua New Guinea, Bislama (Vanuatu) and Solomon Islands Pidgin. It is an English-based creole language. The language is well spoken by around 30,000 people, and is used in day to day life.

Pronunciation guide

Vowels

The language has the following vowels (with some dialect variation):

	Front	Central	Back
Close	i ⟨i⟩		u ⟨u⟩
Close-mid	ɪ ⟨ì⟩		ʊ ⟨ù⟩
Mid	e ⟨e⟩	ə ⟨œ⟩	o ⟨o⟩
Open-mid			ɔ ⟨ò⟩
Open	a ⟨a⟩

Phrase list

Basics

Common signs OPEN CLOSED ENTRANCE EXIT PUSH PULL TOILET migi mhud MEN maan WOMEN geel FORBIDDEN

Hello.

Gude. (Wiswai )

Hello. (informal)

. ( mid)

How are you?

 ? (Wan u makem ?)

Fine, thank you.

. (I rite )

What is your name?

 ? ( ?)

My name is ______ .

Nem blo mi ______ . ( _____ .)

Nice to meet you.

. ( )

Please.

Plis. (Gar )

Thank you.

Tenkyu. or Eso.( )

You're welcome.

. ( )

Yes.

wa. ( )

No.

lunghal. ( )

Excuse me. (getting attention)

. ( midakid)

Excuse me. (begging pardon)

. ( )

I'm sorry.

. ( yar gar)

Goodbye

Yawo. ( lakkin)

Goodbye (informal)

Bai. ( )

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

[ ]. ( [ ])

Do you speak English?

Yu sabe tok Inglis? ( ?)

Is there someone here who speaks English?

 ? ( ?)someone yah sabe tok inglis?

Help!

 ! ( !)

Look out!

 ! ( !)

Good morning.

Debe idim. ( )

Good evening.

. ( )

Good night.

. (Kapu kut )

Good night to sleep)

. ( utoye)

I don't understand.

Mi no sabe. ( )

Where is the toilet?

 ? ( una migi mhud?)

Problems

Leave me alone.

. ( par.)

Don't touch me!

 ! ( utakulza!)

I'll call the police.

. ( .)

Police!

 ! (Byedhum !)

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?

 ? ( usse fone blo u r?)

Numbers

1

Wan ( )

2

Tu ( )

3

Tri ( )

4

Po ( )

5

Paib ( )

6

( )

7

( )

8

( )

9

( )

10

( )

11

( )

12

( )

13

( )

14

( )

15

( )

16

( )

17

( )

18

( )

19

( )

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

( )

lots, plenty, heaps

plenti (whate stak )

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

Sande ( )

Monday

Mande ( )

Tuesday

Tyusde ( )

Wednesday

Wensde ( )

Thursday

Thesde ( )

Friday

Fraide ( )

Saturday

Satade ( )

Months

January

( )

February

( )

March

( )

April

( )

May

( )

June

( )

July

( )

August

( )

September

( )

October

( )

November

( )

December

( )

Colors

black

( )

white

( )

gray

( )

red

( )

blue

( )

yellow

( )

green

( )

orange

( )

purple

( )

brown

( )

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/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

( )

lunch

( )

tea (meal)

( )

supper

( )

I want _____.

( )

I want a dish containing _____.

( )

chicken

( )

beef

( )

fish

( )

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

( )

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

Do you serve alcohol?

Yu gad eni grog? ( )

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

wata (waa-taa)

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.

( )

...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.

( )

It was a misunderstanding.

( )

Where are you taking me?

( )

Am I under arrest?

( )

I am an American/British/Canadian citizen.

( )

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

( )

I want to talk to a lawyer.

( )

Can I just pay a fine now?

( )

Learn more

• A dictionary of Torres Strait Creole by Anna Shnukal (nla.gov.au)