Note: bel is often combined with many other words. There are many pairs of compound words (e.g., ol i belhat yet they’re still angry) and idiomatic phrase with i (e.g., bel bilong ol i hat yet they’re still angry), both with the same meaning. There is variation in usage and meaning among different regions.
1. stomach
- bel i bagarap to have an upset stomach, to need to go urgently to the toilet
- belpen/bel i pen stomach ache
- Beltait/bel bilong mi i tait.
My stomach is full. - strongim bel to settle the stomach
2. pregnancy
- givim bel to make pregnant
- i gat bel to be pregnant
- pasim bel (to use a) contraceptive
3. heart (emotions)
- belhat/bel i hat angry, impatient
- man bilong belhat a hot-tempered man
- Mi belhat long wanem PMV i no kam hariap.
I am angry because the public minibus didn’t come quickly. - bel hevi/bel i hevi sad, worried
- bel isi/bel i isi calm
- bel kirap/bel i kirap aroused, excited
- Mi lukim naispela meri na bel i kirap nogut tru.
I saw the beautiful woman and was really excited. - bel kol/bel i kol at ease, reconciled
- Tupela marit i bin pait moa, tasol nau bel bilong tupela i kol.
The married couple used to fight a lot, but now they’ve reconciled. - bel kros/bel i kros angry
- bel pas/bel i pas sad
- bel nogut/bel i nogut sad, depressed
- bel i sori regret
- beltru/bel i tru faithful
- givim bel to love (especially spiritual love)
- Pikinini bilong Man i save givim bel long yumi olgeta.
The Son of Man loves us all. - kolim bel to put at ease
- skelim bel to examine one’s conscience
- skrapim bel to tease, to provoke
- strongim bel to gird one’s loins, to convince
- sutim bel to tease, to provoke
- tanim bel to convert, to change one’s way of thinking
- Em i tanim bel long nupela lotu.
She converted to a new religion.