Tok Pisin phrasebook

Tok Pisin (or Pidgin) is spoken in Papua New Guinea, and is closely related to Pijin blong Solomon (Solomon Islands), Bislama (Vanuatu), and Ailan Tok (Torres Strait); these Bislamic languages are descended from a pidgin which formed around 1820 or 1860. The vocabulary is 5/6 Indo-European (mostly English, some German, Portuguese, and Latin), 1/7 Malayo-Polynesian, and the rest Trans-New-Guinea and other languages. The grammar is creolized and unlike those of the source languages.

Notable features of Tok Pisin include the frequent suffix -pela, which is used to pluralize personal pronouns and mark that an adjective or number is modifying a noun, and the suffix -im, which usually indicates a transitive verb. Many words are reduplicated, which may make a completely different word (sip ship, sipsip sheep), form a derivative (tok word, talk, language, toktok conversation, phrase), or just be part of the word (pukpuk means crocodile, but there is no word puk).

Pronunciation Guide

Vowels

a 

like father

e 

like set or name

i 

like hit or machine

o 

like squawk, fork, or home

u 

like soup

Consonants

b 

like bed

d 

like dog

f 

like fun or a bilabial fricative; often interchangeable with "p"

g 

like go

h 

like help

j 

like judge; only word-initial

k 

like keep

l 

like love

m 

like mother

n 

like nice

p 

like pig; often interchangeable with "f"

r 

trill or flap

s 

like sue or zoo

t 

like top

v 

like five

w 

like weigh

y 

like yes

Common diphthongs

ai 

like time (taim), trying (traim), or offering (without the "r") (ofaim), depending on the word

au 

like cow

Phrase list

Basics

Hello. 

Gude. (goo-DAY)

Hello. (informal) 

Hi. Hai. (HIGH)

How are you? 

Yu stap gut? (yoo stahp goot?)

Fine, thank you. 

Mi stap gut. (mee stahp goot)

What is your name? 

Husat nem bilong yu? (HOO-zaht naym bee-LONG yoo?)

My name is ______ . 

Nem bilong mi emi ______ . (naym bee-LONG mee em ee _____ .)

Nice to meet you. 

Gutpela long bungim yu. (GOOT-peh-lah long BOONG-im YOO)

Please. 

Plis. (plees)

Thank you. 

Tenkyu. (TENK-yoo)

You're welcome. 

Nogat samting. (NO-gaht sahm-ting)

Yes. 

Yes. (YESS)

No. 

Nogat. (noh-GAHT)

Excuse me. (getting attention) 

Skius. (skyooz)

Excuse me. (begging pardon) 

Skius. (skyooz)

I'm [very] sorry. 

Mi sori [tumas]. (mee SOH-ree [too-MAHS])

Goodbye 

Gutbai. (GOOT-bigh.)

Goodbye (informal) 

Lukim yu bihain. (LOO-keem yoo bee-HIGHN)

I can't speak tok Pisin [well]. 

Mi no save [gut] long Tok Pisin. (mee noh SAH-vay [goot] long tohk PIH-zin)

Do you speak English? 

Yu save long tok Inglis, a? (yoo SAH-veh long tohk ING-glis ah?)

Is there someone here who speaks English? 

Husat i save long tok Inglis? (hoo-ZAHT ee SAH-veh long tohk ING-glis?)

Help! 

Help! (HEHLP!)

Good morning. 

Moning/Moning tru/Moning nau (MOHN-ing/MOHN-ing troo/MOHN-ing now)

Good night. 

Gut nait. (guhd NIGHT)

Good night (to sleep) 

Gut nait. (good NIGHT)

I don't understand. 

Mi no harim tok bilong yu. (mee noh HAH-reem tawk bee-LONG yoo)

Enough of all this talking! 

Maski long planti toktok! (MAHS-kee long PLAHN-tee TOHK-tohk!)

Where is the toilet? 

Smolhaus i stap we? (SMOLL-hows ee stahp WEH?)

Problems

Leave me alone. 

Larim mi. (lah-rim mee)

Don't touch me! 

Noken holim mi! (no-kehn hole-im mee)

I'll call the police. 

Mi bai singautim polis. (mee buy sing-out-im pole-ees)

Police! 

Polis! (Pole-ees!)

Stop! Thief! 

Holim! Raskol! (hole-im! rahs-kohl)

I need your help. 

Mi nidim halivim bilong yu. (mee nee-dim hah-lee-vim bee-long yoo)

It's an emergency. 

Dispela em wanpela imegensi. (dis-pela em one-pela ee-meh-jen-see)

I'm lost. 

Mi no inap painim rot bilong mi. (mee no ee-nahp phai-nim rote bee-long mee)

I lost my bag. 

Mi lusim bek/bilum bilong mi. (mee loo-sim bek/bee-loom bee-long mee)

I lost my wallet. 

Mi lusim hanpaus bilong mi. (mee loo-sim hahn-pows bee-long mee)

I'm sick. 

Mi pilim sik. (mee pheel-im seek)

I've been injured. 

Mi kisim birua/asua. (me kiss-im bee-roo-ah/ah-soo-ah)

I need a doctor. 

Mi nidim dokta. (me need-eem dohk-tah)

Can I use your phone? 

Inap mi yusim telefon bilong yu? (ee-nahp mee you-sim tele-fohn bee-long you?)

Numbers

The forms ending in -pela are used when the number is followed by a noun other than a unit of measurement and is counting that noun, unless the number already has -pela in it. So tu kilok is a time of day, but tupela kilok is a pair of timepieces.

1 

wan(pela) (WAN(-peh-lah))

2 

tu(pela) (TOO(-peh-lah))

3 

tri(pela) (TREE(-peh-lah))

4 

foa, fopela (FOH-ah, FOH-peh-lah)

5 

faiv, faipela (FIGHV, FIGH-peh-lah)

6 

sikis(pela) (SIH-kiss(-peh-lah))

7 

seven(pela) (SEH-ven(-peh-lah))

8 

et(pela) (AYT(-peh-lah))

9 

nain(pela) (NIGHN(-peh-lah))

10 

ten(pela) (TEN(-peh-lah))

11 

wanpela ten wan (...), eleven

12 

wanpela ten tu (...), twelv

13 

wanpela ten tri (...), tetin

14 

wanpela ten foa (...), fotin

15 

wanpela ten faiv (...), fiftin

16 

wanpela ten sikis (...), sikistin

17 

wanpela ten seven (...), seventin

18 

wanpela ten et (...), etin

19 

wanpela ten nain (...), naintin

20 

tupela ten (...), twenti

21 

tupela ten wan (...), twentiwan

22 

tupela ten tu (...), twentitu

23 

tupela ten tri (...), twentitri

30 

tripela ten (...), teti

40 

fopela ten (...), foti

50 

faipela ten (...), fifti

60 

sikispela ten (...), sikisti

70 

sevenpela ten (...), seventi

80 

etpela ten (...), eti

90 

nainpela ten (...), nainti

100 

wan handet (...)

200 

tu handet (...)

300 

tri handet (...)

1000 

tausen (...)

2000 

tu tausen (...)

1,000,000 

wan milien (...)

number _____ (train, bus, etc.) 

namba _____ (...)

half 

hap (...)

less 

ananit (...)

more 

antap (...)

Time

now 

nau (now)

later 

bihain (bee-HIGHN)

before 

bipo (BEE-poh)

morning 

moning (MOH-neeng)

afternoon 

apinun (ah-pee-NOON)

night 

nait (night)

Clock time

one o'clock PM 

wan kilok (long san) AM (...)

two o'clock PM 

tu kilok (long apinun) (...)

noon 

belo (...)

one o'clock AM 

wan kilok (long) biknait (...)

two o'clock AM 

tu kilok (long) biknait (...)

midnight 

biknait (BIK-night)

Duration

_____ minute(s) 

_____ minit (MIH-nit)

_____ hour(s) 

_____ aua (OW-ah)

_____ day(s) 

_____ de (day)

_____ week(s) 

_____ wik (week)

_____ month(s) 

_____ mun (moon)

_____ year(s) 

_____ yia (YEE-ah)

Days

today 

tude (tu-deh)

yesterday 

asde (as-deh)

tomorrow 

tumora (tu-mora)

this week 

dispela wik (...)

last week 

wik igo pinis ( )

next week 

wik bihain ( )

Sunday 

Sande (...)

Monday 

Mande (...)

Tuesday 

Tunde (...)

Wednesday 

Trinde (...)

Thursday 

Fonde (...)

Friday 

Fraide (...)

Saturday 

Sarere (sah-reh-reh)

Months

January 

Jenueri / Wan mun (JEN-oo-eh-ree)

February 

Februeri / Tu mun (FEB-roo-eh-ree)

March 

Mars / Tri mun (mahrs)

April 

Epril / Foa mun (EPP-reel)

May 

Mei / Faif mun (may)

June 

Jun / Sikis mun (joon)

July 

Julai / Sewen mun (joo-LIGH)

August 

Ogas / Eit mun (AW-goose)

September 

Septemba / Nain mun (sep-TEM-bah)

October 

Oktoba / Ten mun (ock-TOH-bah)

November 

Novemba / Ilewen mun (noh-VEM-bah)

December 

Disemba / Twelf mun (dee-SEM-bah)

Writing Time and Date

Give some examples how to write clock times and dates if it differs from English.

Colors

black 

blak(pela) (...)

white 

wait(pela) (...)

gray 

gre(pela) (...)

red 

ret(pela) (...)

blue 

blu(pela) (...)

yellow 

yelo(pela) (...)

green 

grin(pela) (...)

orange 

orange (...)

purple 

hap ret (...)

brown 

braun(pela) (...)

Transportation

Bus

How much is a ticket to _____? 

Hamas long baim tiket igo long _____? (...)

One ticket to _____, please. 

Wanpela tiket long _____, plis. (...)

Where does this plane/bus go? 

Displa balus/bas em i go long we? (...)

Where is the plane/bus to _____? 

Balus/bas i go long _____ em we? (...)

Does this plane/bus stop in _____? 

Dispela balus/bas bai go tu long _____? (...)

When does the plane/bus for _____ leave? 

Wanem taim bas balus/bas i go? (...)

When will this plane/bus arrive in _____? 

Wanem taim bai dispela balus/bas kamap long _____? (...)

Directions

How do I get to _____ ? 

Bai mi go long _____ olsem wanem? (mee GO long _____ OLL-saym WAH-naym?)

...the bus station? 

ples bilong wetim bas? (PLAYS bee-long WAY-teem BUS)

...the airport? 

ples balus? (pleys BAH-loos)
Note: balus also means "pigeon".

...downtown? 

namel long taun? (NAH-mel long TOWN?)

...the _____ hotel? 

... _____ hotel? (...)

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

...American/Canadian/Australian/British consulate? (...)

Where are there a lot of... 

I gat planti ... we? (WEH ee gaht PLAHN-tee ...)

...hotels? 

...hotel (...)

...restaurants? 

haus kaikai (hows KIGH-kigh?)

...bars? 

...bars (...)

...sites to see? 

...ol samting long lukim (...)

Can you show me on the map? 

Yu inap soim me rot long pepa map? (...)

street 

rot (...)

Turn left. 

Tanim long lephan. (TAHN-ihm lehp)

Turn right. 

Tanim long raithan. (TAHN-ihm right)

left 

lephan (lehp-hahn)

right 

raithan (right-hahn)

straight ahead 

stret (strayt)

towards the _____ 

go long _____ (...)

past the _____ 

lusim _____ (...)

before the _____ 

bipo long _____ (...)

Watch for the _____. 

Lukaut long _____. (...)

intersection 

intersection (...)

north 

not (noht)

south 

saut (sowt)

east 

is (ees)

west 

wes (wehs)

uphill 

i go antap (...)

downhill 

i go daun (...)

Taxi

Taxi! 

Taxi! (...)

Take me to _____, please. 

Mi laik go long _____, plis. (...)

How much does it cost to get to _____? 

Bai kostim hamas long go long _____? (...)

Take me there, please. 

Karim mi i go, plis. (...)

Lodging

Do you have any rooms available? 

I gat sampela rum? (...)

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

Rum long wanpela man/tupela man bai kostim hamas? (...)

Does the room come with... 

Rum igat... (...)

...bedsheets? 

...bedsit? (...)

...a bathroom? 

...smolhaus? (...)

...a telephone? 

...telefon? (...)

...a TV? 

...TV? (...)

May I see the room first? 

Inap mi lukim rum pastaim? (...)

Do you have anything quieter? 

Igat wanpela rum i no gat planti nois? (...)

...bigger? 

Igat wanpela rum i moa bikpela? (...)

...cleaner? 

Igat wanpela rum i moa klin? (...)

...cheaper? 

Igat wanpela rum we prais i go daun liklik? (...)

OK, I'll take it. 

Gutpela, mi laikim. (...)

I will stay for _____ night(s). 

Bai mi stap long _____ nait. (...)

Can you suggest another hotel? 

Inap yu tokim mi long narapela gutpela hotel? (...)

Do you have a safe? 

Sampla kain safe stap oh? (...)

...lockers? 

...lockers? (...)

Is breakfast/supper included? 

Is breakfast/supper included? (...)

What time is breakfast/supper? 

Wanem taim bai yumi kaikai nau morning? (...)

supper 

kaikai long nait (KIGH-kigh lohng night)

breakfast

kaikai long moningtaim (KIGH-kigh lohng MOH-ning-tighm)

Please clean my room. 

Inap yu klinim rum bilong mi? (...)

Can you wake me at _____? 

Bai yu kirapim mi long _____, a? (...)

I want to check out. 

I want to check out. (...)

Money

Do you accept American/Australian/Canadian dollars? 

yupla save kisim moni bilong America/Ostrelia/Keneda ? (...)

Do you accept British pounds? 

Yupla save kisim moni bilong Inglan? (...)

Do you accept credit cards? 

Yupla save kisim kredit kad? (...)

Can you change money for me? 

Inap yu senisim moni bilong mi? (...)

Where can I get money changed? 

Bai mi inap senisim moni bilong mi long we? (...)

Can you change a traveler's check for me? 

Inap yu senisim dispela trevelas sek bilong mi? (...)

Where can I get a traveler's check changed? 

Bai mi senisim trevelas sek we? (...)

What is the exchange rate? 

What is the exchange rate? (...)

Where is an automatic teller machine (ATM)? 

ATM i stap we? (...)

Eating

A table for one person/two people, please. 

Wanpela tebol bilong wanpela/tupela, plis. (...)

Can I look at the menu, please? 

Inap mi lukim menyu plis? (ee-NAHP mee LOOK-im MEHN-yoo plees)

Can I look in the kitchen? 

Inap mi lukluk insait long kitsen (...)

Is there a house specialty? 

Is there a house specialty? (...) NEEDS TO BE TRANSLATED

Is there a local specialty? 

Is there a local specialty? (...) NEEDS TO BE TRANSLATED

I'm a vegetarian. 

Mi no kaikai mit. (mee noh KIGH-kigh meet)

I don't eat pork. 

Mi tambu long kaikai pik. (mee TAHM-boo long pik)

I don't eat beef. 

Mi tambu long kaikai bulmakau. (mee TAHM-boo long BOOL-mah-kow)

I only eat kosher food. 

I only eat kosher food. (...) NEEDS TO BE TRANSLATED

Can you make it "lite", please? (less oil/butter/lard) 

Can you make it "lite", please? (...)NEEDS TO BE TRANSLATED

fixed-price meal 

fixed-price meal (...) NEEDS TO BE TRANSLATED

à la carte 

à la carte (...) NEEDS TO BE TRANSLATED, asking for a menu might help.

breakfast 

kaikai long moningtaim (KIGH-kigh lohng MOH-ning-tighm)

lunch 

kaikai bilong belo (KIGH-kigh bee-lohng beh-LOH)

tea (meal) 

ti (...)

supper 

kaikai long nait (KIGH-kigh lohng night)

I want _____. 

Mi laikim _____. (...)

I want a dish containing _____. 

Mi laikim kaikai igat _____. (...)

chicken 

kakaruk (KAH-kah-rook)

beef 

bulmakau (BOOL-mah-kow)

fish 

pis (pis)

lamb/mutton 

sipsip (SEEP-seep)

ham 

lek bilong pik (lek bee-long PIK)

sausage 

sosis (...)

milk 

susu (SOO-soo)

cheese 

sis (seess)

eggs 

kiau (kyow)

salad 

salad (...)

(fresh) vegetables 

kumu

(fresh) fruit 

(nupela) prut ((NOO-peh-lah) proot)

lemon 

moli (MOLL-ee)

orange 

switmoli (SWEET-moll-ee)

pineapple 

painap (PIGH-nahp), ananas (ah-nah-NAHS)

bread 

bret (bret)

biscuit 

drai bisket (DRIGH-bis-ket)

noodles 

nudal (NOO-dahl)

rice 

rais (righs)

beans 

bin (been)

May I have a glass of _____? 

Mi laikim wanpela glas _____? (...)

May I have a cup of _____? 

Mi laikim wanpela kap _____? (...)

May I have a bottle of _____? 

Mi laikim wanpela botol _____? (...)

coffee 

kofi (...)

tea (drink) 

ti (...)

juice 

jus (...)

(bubbly) water 

mineral wara (...)

water 

wara (WAH-rah)

beer 

bia (BEE-ah)

red/white wine 

retpela/waitpela wain (REHT-peh-lah/WIGHT-peh-lah wighn)

May I have some _____? 

Mi laikim sampela _____ (...)

salt 

sol (...)

black pepper 

Bilakpla pepa (...)
This also means betel ; butter : bata (BAH-tah)

Excuse me, waiter? (getting attention of server)

Sori, weta? (SOH-ree, WEH-tah)

I'm finished. 

Mi kaikai pinis. (mee KIGH-kigh PIH-nis)

It was delicious. 

Kaikai em swit nogut tru (...)

Please clear the plates. 

Plis inap yu rausim ol pelet. (...)

The check, please. 

Mi laik baim bil blong kaikai bilong mi. (')

Bars

Do you serve alcohol? 

Yu save salim alkahol? (...)

Is there table service? 

Igat tabel sevis? (...)

A beer/two beers, please. 

Wanpla bia/tupla bia, plis. (...)

A glass of red/white wine, please. 

Wanpla galas-ret wain plis. (...)

A pint, please. 

Wanpela pint bia, plis. (...)

A bottle, please. 

Wanpela botol, plis. (...)

_____ (hard liquor) and _____ (mixer), please. 

_____ na _____, plis. (...)

whiskey 

wiski (WIH-skee)

vodka 

vodka (...)

rum 

rum (...)

water 

wara (WAH-rah)

club soda 

club soda (...)

tonic water 

tonic wara (...)

orange juice 

orange juice (...)

Coke (soda) 

Coke, lolli wara (...)

Do you have any bar snacks? 

Do you have any bar snacks? (...)

One more, please. 

wanpela moa, plis. (...)

Another round, please. 

Wanpla raun ken/gen, plis. (...)

When is closing time? 

Wanem taim bai yupela pas? (...)

Shopping

Do you have this in my size? 

Yu gat dispela long sais blong mi tu? (...)

How much is this? 

Hamas long dispela? (hah-MAHS lohng DIS-pe-lah)

That's too expensive. 

Prais i antap tumas. (prighs ee ahn-TAHP too-MAHS)

Would you take _____? 

Inap mi baim long _____? (...)

expensive 

dia tumas (DEE-yah too-MAHS)

cheap 

daun (down)

I can't afford it. 

moni bilong mi no nap. (...)

I don't want it. 

Mi les long dispela. (...)

You're cheating me. 

Yu wok long giamanim mi!. (...)

I'm not interested. 

Mi no laikim tumas. (..)

OK, I'll take it. 

Koan, bai mi kisim. (koh-ahn, bigh mee KEE-sim)

Can I have a bag? 

Can I have a bag? (...)

Do you ship (overseas)? 

Yu save salim (ovasis)? (...)

I need... 

Mi laikim... (mee LIGH-keem)

...toothpaste. 

...sop bilong tit. (sohp bi-LOHNG teet)

...a toothbrush. 

...bras bilong tit. (brahs bi-LOHNG teet)

...tampons. 

...ol tampon. (...)

...soap. 

...sop. (sohp)

...shampoo. 

...sop blong garas. (sohp blhong gah-rahs)

...pain reliever. (e.g., aspirin or ibuprofen) 

...marasin long rausim pen. (...)

...cold medicine. 

...marasin bilong kus. (...)

...stomach medicine. 

...marasin bilong bel i pen. (...)

...a razor. 

...resa. (RAY-sah)

...an umbrella. 

...umbarela. (...)

...sunblock lotion. 

...sunblock lotion. (...)

...a postcard. 

...poskat. (POHS-kaht)

...postage stamps. 

...stem. (stehm)

...batteries. 

...betri. (...)

...writing paper. 

...pepa. (peh-pah)

...a pen. 

...pen. (pehn)

...English-language books. 

...buk long tok Inglis. (...)

...English-language magazines. 

...magasin long tok Inglis. (...)

...an English-language newspaper. 

...niuspepa long tok Inglis. (...)

...an English-English dictionary. 

...dikseneri long tok Inglis. (...)

Driving

I want to rent a car. 

Mi laik rentim kar. (...)

Can I get insurance? 

Inap mi kisim insurens? (...)

stop (on a street sign) 

stop (...)

one way 

one way (...)

yield 

give way (...)

no parking 

no parking (SORI TUMAS NOKIN PARKIM KA HIA...)

speed limit 

speed limit (...)

service (petrol, gas) station 

sevis steisen (...)

petrol 

bensin (BEHN-seen)

diesel 

diesel (...)

Authority

I haven't done anything wrong. 

Mi no wokim wanpela samting i rong. (...)

It was a misunderstanding. 

mipela faul olgeta (...)

Where are you taking me? 

Yu kisim mi go long we? (...)

Am I under arrest? 

Am I under arrest? (...)

I am an American/Australian/British/Canadian citizen. 

Mi manmeri bilong Amerika/Ostrelia/Briten/Kanada. (...)

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

Mi mas toktok wantaim American/Australian/British/Canadian embassy/consulate. (...)

I want to talk to a lawyer. 

Mi laik toktok long wanpela loia. (...)

Can I just pay a fine now? 

Inap mi baim fain nau tasol? (...)

See also