Tok Pisin (or New Guinea 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)
- Off.
- Offim (“Off-im”)
- On.
- Onim (“On-im”)
- 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, fotiv |
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 / namba 1 mun (JEN-oo-eh-ree) |
February | Februeri / namba 2 mun (FEB-roo-eh-ree) |
March | Mars / namba 3 mun (mahrs) |
April | Epril / namba 4 mun (EPP-reel) |
May | Me / namba 5 mun (may) |
June | Jun / namba 6 mun (joon) |
July | Julai / namba 7 mun (joo-LIGH) |
August | Ogas / namba 8 mun (AW-goose) |
September | Septemba / namba 9 mun (sep-TEM-bah) |
October | Oktoba / namba 10 mun (ock-TOH-bah) |
November | Novemba / namba 11 mun (noh-VEM-bah) |
December | Disemba / namba 12 mun (dee-SEM-bah) |
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?
- Yu gat sampela kaikai bilong bar? (…)
- 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? (…)
- Via: Wikitravel