Penan phrasebook

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

Pronunciation guide

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.

. ( )

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 ngan ko. (Jih-ahn teh-moh nan ko)

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.

Nak jian or menyat jian "depend on the circumstances or who we talking to" (nahn-jih-yan)(mehn-yaht jih-yan)

Goodbye

Jian lakau. (Jih-ahn lah-cow)

Goodbye (informal)

Jian-jian lakau(jih-ahn jih-ahn la-cow)

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!): How can I help you?: Ineu omok tenolong k?. (ee-neuu oh-mokh tehnholong k)

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 go sleeping(informal): Tai pegen akeu. (Thai peh-ghen ah-kheuk)

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?): Open.: Pukap. (pooh-kap): Closed: Petutup. (perh-thotop): Men: Lakei. (Lah-kei): Women: Redo. (Reh-thou): Grass: Ureu. (Uh-rhaw): Exit: Musit. (Moo-sit): Push: Mejuk. (may-jook): Pull: Menat. (may-nut): Toilet: Jaban. (jha-bun): Forbidden : Bek buhak.(Bay-boo ha): Not allowed : Bek reh buhak(Bay ray boo-ha): *just use google speak it come out almost the same sound as penan said it,or use siri to pronounce it.*:

Problems

Leave me alone./Don't disturb me

Mai ngasau akeu ( may ngasaw ah-kheu.)

Don't touch me!

Mai nisih akeu! ( may ni-see ah-kheu!)

I'll call the police.

Tenebai ke pulit tu dat (ter-ne-bye kay po-lit two-dart .)

Police!

Pulit ! (Po-lit !)

Stop! Thief!

Moko !Irah nekau ! ( maw-ko! Eih-rah neh-cow!)

I need your help.

Ko nolong ku (kho no-long kuu.)

It's an emergency.

Kebesau itut (khe bay-sha o ey-thoth.)

I'm lost.

Akeu tawang(ah-cow,tha-whang .)

I lost my bag.

Metat kivah k(may-tart key-va kay .)

I lost my wallet.

. ( .)

I'm sick.

Akeu sakit. (Ah-kow sah-kiht.)

I've been injured.

Suhat ku rit. ( sue-hat khu-rid.)

I need a doctor.

Akeu gunah doktun. ( Ah-kow goo-nah doc-toon.)

Can I use your phone?

Omok ku pakai telifon ko? ( ow-mock khu phaa-kay teli-phone kok?) : *use google or siri to read the word in brackets,that the closest i can get to how penan pronouns those.

Numbers

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

Polo duah(polo do-wah)

13

Polo ter lew(polo ter lew)

14

Polo pat(polo path)

15

Polo lemah(polo ler-mah)

16

Polo nem( polo name)

17

Polo tuju( polo two-ju)

18

Polo ayah( polo ai-yah)

19

Polo piaen( polo pee-end)

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

Jeputui( jay poo-tui)

less

( )

more

( )

Time

now

Hun iteu( hoon e-tew)

later

Da'ap( dah-up)

before

Bek jak iteu(bay jack e-tew)

morning

ngivun(nih-woon)

afternoon

kuba'(koo-bah)

evening

tahup(tah-hoop)

night

merem(meh-rehm)

Clock time

one o'clock AM

Pukun jah(Poo-koon jah)

two o'clock AM

Pukun duah(Poo-koon doo-ah)

noon

Dau kuba'( dao koo-bah)

one o'clock PM

Pukun jah dau kuba'( poo-khun jhaa dao koo-bah)

two o'clock PM

( )

midnight

Lepok merem(leh-pohk meh-rehm)

Duration

_____ minute(s)

( )

_____ hour(s)

( )

_____ day(s)

( )

_____ week(s)

( )

_____ month(s)

( )

_____ year(s)

( )

Days

today

Dau iteu( dao e-tew)

yesterday

Dau malem( dao'h may-lehm)

tomorrow

Sagam(say-gam )

this week

Igu iteu(eih-guh e-tew )

last week

Igu lepah( eih-guh lay-pahh)

next week

Igu bau( eih-guh bow)

Sunday

Dau igu( dao'h ih-guh)

Monday

Dau jah( dao'h jach)

Tuesday

Dau du'ah( dao'h Do-wah)

Wednesday

Dau teleu( dao'h ter-lew)

Thursday

Dau pat( dao'h path)

Friday

Dau lemah( dao'h lay-maah)

Saturday

Dau nem( dao'h name)

Months

January

Laseh jah( la-sach jaah)

February

Laseh du'ah( la-sach do-wah)

March

Laseh teleu( la-sach ter-lew)

April

Laseh pat( la-sach path)

May

Laseh lemah( la-sach lay-mah)

June

Laseh nem( la-sach name)

July

Laseh tuju( la-sach two-ju)

August

laseh ayah( la-sach ai-yah)

September

Laseh pien( la-sach pee-end)

October

Laseh polo( la-sach polo)

November

Laseh polo jah( la-sach polo jaa)

December

Laseh polo duah( la-sach polo do-wah)

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?

( )

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.

( )

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/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

 Penan language redirects to this page