📖 Bislama Dictionary

Hello

/ha-LO/

Good morning

/good MO-ning/

Good night / Good evening

/good NAET/

How are you? / How is it?

/ol-sem wa-NEM/

I'm fine / Everything's fine

/ee STRET/

I'm good / It's good

/ee GOOD/

Goodbye

/ta-TA/

See you later

/LU-kim yoo/

Thank you very much

/TANK-yoo too-MAS/

Please

/plees/

Sorry / Excuse me

/SO-ree/

What is your name?

/wa-NEM nem BLONG yoo/

My name is ...

/nem BLONG mee/

I am very happy to meet you

/mee GLAD too-MAS blong MEE-tim yoo/

I am doing well

/mee stap GOOD/

Okay / All right / Then

/ah-LEH/

Where are you going?

/yoo go WEH-ah/

I come from ...

/mee kam LONG/

I am from ...

/mee BLONG/

I speak only a little Bislama

/mee TOK-tok smol bis-LA-ma NO-mo/

I / me

/mee/

you (singular)

/yoo/

he / she / it

/hem/

we (inclusive — you and I)

/YOO-mee/

we (exclusive — not including you)

/mee-FA-la/

you (plural)

/yoo-FA-la/

they / them / everyone / all

/ol-GE-ta/

the two of them / both

/too-FA-la/

the three of them

/tree-FA-la/

of / for / belonging to

/blong (often "blow")/

at / in / to / on / by / with

/long (often "low")/

will (future tense marker)

/bai/

past tense marker (been)

/bin/

to be (at) / to stay / ongoing action marker

/stap/

finished / already / then

/FI-nis/

only / just / no longer

/NO-mo/

that / so that / to say / whether

/seh/

like / as / such as / like this

/OL-sem/

that / which / who / where

/weh/

and / more

/mo/

but / and

/beh/

if / suppose

/si-POS/

because

/from/

plural marker (the)

/ol/

a / an / one

/wan/

this / that (demonstrative)

/ee-AH/

again

/bak-e-GEN/

now / right now

/now-EE-ah/

just (just now)

/jas/

still / yet

/yet/

very / too much

/too-MAS/

small / a little / rather

/smol/

close / near / almost

/KLO-sap/

mother

/MA-ma/

father / dad

/PA-pa/

child / children

/pi-ki-NEE-nee/

boy / son

/boy/

girl / daughter

/gel/

brother

/BRA-ta/

sister

/SIS-ta/

wife

/waef/

man / husband / person

/man/

woman / wife

/WU-man/

grandparent / grandchild

/BOO-boo/

uncle

/ANG-kel/

aunt

/AN-tee/

cousin

/KA-sen/

in-law

/ta-WEE-an/

family

/FAM-lee/

baby

/BEH-beh/

young person / teenager

/YANG-fa-la/

old person / elder

/OL-fa-la/

friend

/fren/

married / to marry

/MA-red/

food / to eat

/ka-KAI/

to drink / a drink

/dring/

water

/WO-ta/

rice

/raes/

taro

/TA-ro/

yam

/yam/

sweet potato

/ku-MA-la/

cassava

/MA-nee-ok/

banana

/ba-NA-na/

coconut

/KO-ko-nas/

papaya / pawpaw

/PO-po/

orange

/a-RA-nis/

mango

/MANG-go/

breadfruit

/BRED-frut/

pineapple

/PAI-na-pol/

cabbage

/KA-bis/

island cabbage (local greens)

/AI-lan KA-bis/

tomato

/to-MA-to/

cucumber

/ku-KAM-ba/

carrot

/KA-rot/

pumpkin

/PAM-kin/

corn

/kon/

beans

/bin/

lemon

/LE-mon/

ginger

/JIN-ja/

fish

/fis/

meat

/mit/

pig / pork

/pik/

chicken / fowl

/faol/

bread

/bred/

sugar

/SU-ga/

salt

/sol/

tea

/tee/

milk

/ME-lek/

laplap (traditional pudding)

/LAP-lap/

tuluk (meat-filled laplap)

/TOO-luk/

kava

/KA-va/

butter

/BA-ta/

to cook

/KU-kum/

coconut oil

/o-EL KO-ko-nas/

avocado

/a-VO-ka/

guava

/GWA-va/

bell pepper / capsicum

/KAP-si-kom/

taro leaf

/TA-ro leef/

sweet / delicious

/sweet/

bitter

/KON-kon/

ripe

/raep/

fresh

/fres/

one

/wan/

two

/too/

three

/tree/

four

/fo/

five

/faef/

six

/SI-kis/

seven

/SE-ven/

eight

/eit/

nine

/naen/

ten

/ten/

twenty

/TWEN-tee/

one hundred

/wan HAN-dred/

one thousand

/wan TAO-sen/

today

/te-DEI/

tomorrow

/tu-MO-ra/

yesterday

/YES-te-dei/

morning

/MO-ning/

afternoon

/AF-te-nun/

night

/naet/

midday / noon

/ME-del dei/

midnight

/ME-del naet/

week

/wik/

month

/MA-nis/

year

/yee-AH/

Monday

/MAN-de/

Tuesday

/TUS-de/

Wednesday

/WE-nes-dei/

Thursday

/TOS-de/

Friday

/FRAI-de/

Saturday

/sa-RE-re/

Sunday

/SAN-de/

time / when

/taem/

clock / o'clock

/klok/

half past

/haf pas/

always / all the time

/OL-taem/

a long time / long ago

/LONG-taem/

before / previously

/bi-FO/

next

/NEK-is/

head

/hed/

eye

/ai/

ear

/SO-ra/

nose

/nos/

mouth

/maot/

tooth / teeth

/tut/

tongue

/tang/

neck

/nek/

shoulder

/SOL-da/

hand / arm

/han/

finger

/FING-ga/

chest

/jes/

stomach / belly

/bel/

back

/bak/

leg / foot

/lek/

knee

/nee/

skin / body

/skin/

body

/BO-dee/

hair

/HEH-ah/

face

/fes/

throat

/trot/

cheek

/jik/

buttocks / bottom

/as/

sick / ill

/sik/

fever / malaria

/FI-va/

medicine

/ME-re-sin/

doctor

/DOK-ta/

nurse

/nes/

hospital

/OS-pi-tal/

sore / painful

/so/

not feeling well

/HA-rem no-GOOD/

feeling well / feeling good

/HA-rem GOOD/

pregnant

/gat bel/

mosquito

/mos-KEE-to/

dead / to die

/ded/

sun

/san/

moon

/moon/

star

/sta/

rain

/ren/

wind

/win/

cloud

/klaod/

ground / land / earth

/graon/

stone / rock

/ston/

tree

/tree/

wood / tree

/wud/

leaf / leaves

/leef/

flower

/FLA-oa/

bush / forest / jungle

/bus/

hill

/hil/

river

/RI-va/

volcano

/vol-KE-no/

fire

/FA-ea/

grass

/kras/

banyan tree

/na-BANG-a/

firewood

/FA-ea-wud/

dog

/dog/

cat

/PUS-kat/

cow / bull / cattle

/BU-luk/

horse

/hos/

rat

/rat/

snake

/snek/

bird / pigeon

/PI-jin/

crab

/krab/

squid / octopus

/na-WEE-ta/

gecko / lizard

/GE-ko/

clam shell

/na-ta-LAI/

shellfish / shell

/sel/

ocean / sea / saltwater

/SOL-wo-ta/

beach / sand

/SAN-bij/

reef

/rif/

ship / boat

/sip/

boat

/bot/

canoe

/KE-nu/

shore / ashore

/so-ah/

wharf / pier

/wof/

to dive

/DAE-va/

to swim / to bathe

/swim/

island

/AI-lan/

hot

/hot/

cold

/KOL-kol/

dry

/drae/

wet

/wet/

cyclone / hurricane

/SAI-klon/

earthquake / to shake

/SEK-sek/

to erupt / eruption

/FAI-rap/

town

/taon/

village

/VI-lej/

road / path / way

/rod/

bus

/bas/

truck / car / vehicle

/trak/

plane / airplane

/plen/

airport

/EH-ah-pot/

to walk / to travel / journey

/WOK-a-baot/

to go

/go/

to come

/kam/

to come back / to return

/KAM-bak/

to arrive

/KAM-tru/

to leave / to let go

/LE-go/

ticket

/TI-ket/

country

/KAN-tree/

to rent

/REN-tem/

to drive

/DRAEV-em/

up / uphill / above / on top

/AN-tap/

down / downhill / towards coast

/daon/

inside / into

/IN-saed/

outside

/AOT-saed/

under / underneath

/AN-da-nit/

behind / after / later

/bi-HAEN/

in front

/FO-ret/

opposite / beside / the other side

/NA-ra-saed/

over there / far away

/long WEI/

right side / on the right

/RAET-saed/

left side / on the left

/LEF-saed/

north

/not/

south

/saot/

east

/is/

west

/wes/

red

/red/

blue

/blu/

green

/grin/

yellow

/YE-lo/

white

/waet/

black

/blak/

brown

/braon/

meeting place / kava bar

/na-KA-mal/

custom / tradition / traditional way

/KAS-tom/

chief

/jif/

to chat / to tell stories / story

/STO-ree-an/

song / to sing / traditional dance

/SING-sing/

dance / to dance

/DA-nis/

church

/jee-OJ/

Bible

/BAI-bol/

pastor / priest

/PAS-ta/

wedding / to marry

/MA-ret/

taboo / forbidden / sacred

/TA-bu/

textile / loincloth / cloth

/ka-LEE-ko/

penis wrapper (traditional dress)

/NAM-bas/

spirit / devil / supernatural being

/DE-vel/

language

/LAN-wis/

local person / person from the area

/man ples/

citizen of Vanuatu

/nee vah-noo-ah-too/

to make / to do

/ME-kem/

to say / to tell

/TA-lem/

to see / to look at

/LU-kim/

to hear / to feel

/HA-rem/

to know / can / know how to

/SA-ve/

to give

/GI-vim/

to take

/TE-kem/

to carry / to bring / to drive

/KA-rem/

to catch / to reach / to understand / until

/KA-sem/

to put / to place

/PU-tum/

to hit / to kill

/KI-lim/

to cut

/KA-tem/

to break

/BRE-kem/

to open

/O-pe-nem/

to close

/KLO-sem/

to hold

/HO-lem/

to throw

/SA-kem/

to pull

/PU-lum/

to push

/PU-sum/

to read

/RI-dim/

to write

/RAE-tem/

to talk / to speak / a word

/TOK-tok/

to ask

/AS-kem/

to call / to shout / to scream

/SING-aot/

to follow

/FO-lem/

to find

/FAE-nem/

to help

/HEL-pem/

to like / to love / to want

/LAE-kem/

to want

/WAN-tem/

to run

/ron/

to sit / to sit down

/si-DAON/

to stand / to stand up

/sta-NAP/

to get up / to rise

/gi-RAP/

to sleep

/slip/

to cry

/krae/

to laugh

/laf/

to play

/plei/

to buy / to pay

/pem/

to sell

/SA-lem/

to wash

/WA-sem/

to climb

/klaem/

to dig

/DI-gim/

to plant

/PLA-nem/

to steal

/STI-lim/

to spoil / to damage / to ruin

/SPO-lem/

to fix / to repair

/FIK-si-map/

to build

/BIL-dim/

to teach

/TI-jim/

to learn

/LA-nem/

to try

/TRAE-em/

to think about / to consider

/TING-baot/

to forget

/FO-ge-tem/

to change / to exchange

/JE-ni-sim/

to close / to shut

/SA-rem/

to use

/YU-sum/

to lift / to raise / to encourage

/LEF-te-map/

to fly

/flae/

to tie / to fasten

/FA-sem/

to see / to look

/luk/

to smell

/SME-lem/

to touch

/TA-jem/

to watch

/WA-jem/

to send

/SA-nem/

to look for / to search / to be careful

/luk-AOT/

to continue / to go ahead / to proceed

/go-HED/

to run away / to escape

/RON-wei/

to fall / to fall down

/fol-DAON/

to fish / to hook

/HU-kum/

to shoot

/SU-tum/

to show

/SO-em/

to understand

/KA-sem-SA-ve/

to recognize / to notice

/luk-SA-ve/

to rest / to take a break

/spel/

to lie / to tell a lie / to trick

/GIA-man/

to believe

/bi-LIF/

to hope

/hop/

to let / to allow / to permit

/LE-tem/

to punish

/PA-ni-sim/

to fight

/faet/

to bury

/BE-rem/

to promise

/PRO-mi-sim/

house / home

/haos/

room

/rum/

kitchen

/KI-jin/

table / desk

/TE-bol/

chair

/jeh-ah/

bed

/bed/

door

/doh-ah/

window

/WIN-do/

plate

/plet/

cup

/kap/

knife

/naef/

saucepan / pot

/SOS-pen/

mat / carpet / rug

/mat/

broom

/brum/

soap

/sop/

towel

/TA-wel/

box

/BO-kis/

blanket

/BLAN-ket/

key

/kee/

lamp / light

/lamp/

rope / string

/rop/

basket / bag

/BAS-ket/

spoon

/spun/

fork

/fok/

work / job

/wok/

money

/MA-ne/

vatu (Vanuatu currency)

/VA-tu/

store / shop

/stoh-ah/

market

/MA-ket/

price / value

/praes/

expensive

/sas/

cheap

/jip/

How much for ...?

/ha-MAS long/

office

/O-fis/

boss

/bos/

school

/skul/

teacher

/TI-ja/

book

/buk/

paper

/PE-pa/

pen

/pen/

to study

/STA-dee/

letter

/LE-ta/

news

/nius/

radio

/RE-dee-o/

phone / telephone

/fon/

thing / something

/SAM-ting/

place / area

/ples/

garden

/KA-ren/

copra (dried coconut meat)

/KO-pra/

fuel / petrol / gasoline

/BEN-sin/

happy / glad

/glad/

angry / cross / upset

/kros/

afraid / scared

/fraet/

hungry

/HANG-ri/

tired

/taed/

lazy / can't be bothered

/les/

worried / anxious

/WA-ri/

jealous

/JA-lus/

surprised

/sa-PRAES/

proud

/praod/

confused

/kon-FI-us/

shy / ashamed

/sem/

big / large

/BIG-fa-la/

small / little

/SMOL-fa-la/

new

/NIU-fa-la/

good / nice

/GUD-fa-la/

long / tall

/LONG-fa-la/

short

/SOT-fa-la/

strong / loud / hard / difficult

/strong/

heavy

/HE-vi/

nice / beautiful / pretty

/naes/

useless / garbage / rubbish

/RA-bis/

clean / clear

/klin/

dirty

/DO-ti/

full / plenty / a lot

/FU-lap/

bad / not good

/no-GUD/

straight / correct / right / exact

/stret/

wrong

/rong/

easy / gentle / slow down

/I-si/

hard / difficult

/had/

drunk

/drong/

fat

/FAT-fat/

thin / skinny

/TIN-tin/

sharp

/sap/

soft

/SOF-sof/

wild

/wael/

lucky

/LA-ki/

clothes / clothing

/klos/

shirt

/set/

trousers / pants

/TRAO-ses/

dress

/dres/

shoes

/sus/

hat

/hat/

skirt

/sket/

slippers / sandals / thongs

/sa-VAT/

jacket / coat

/JA-ket/

socks

/soks/

what

/wa-NEM/

who

/hoo/

where

/weh-ah/

why

/from wa-NEM/

when / what time

/wa-NEM taem/

how much / how many

/ha-MAS/

which one

/WES-wan/

with

/WE-tem/

that's why / therefore / so

/TAS-we/

after / later / then / afterwards

/AF-ta/

even though / despite / although

/NA-ting se/

somewhat / rather / a little bit

/LE-le-bet/

more than / greater than

/BI-tim/

maybe / perhaps / might

/maet/

must / have to

/mas/

should

/sud/

to need

/NI-dim/

every / all

/EV-ri/

many / plenty / a lot

/PLAN-te/

another / other / different

/NA-ra-fa-la/

same

/sem/

different

/DEF-ren/

will (future tense marker, full form)

/bam-BAE/

to have / there is/are

/gat/

true / really / very

/tru/

butterfly

/BA-ta-flae/

lion

/LAE-on/

mouse

/maos/

goat

/goat/

ground dove / short-legged bird

/SOT-leg/

rainbow

/REN-bo/

bamboo

/BAM-bu/

sky

/skai/

earthquake

/ET-kwek/

egg

/eg/

passionfruit

/PA-sen-frut/

peanut

/PI-nat/

coffee

/KO-fi/

cheese

/jis/

grapefruit

/PAM-ple-mus/

watermelon

/WO-ta-me-lon/

Chinese cabbage

/waet bun/

soup

/sup/

sausage

/SO-sis/

chilli pepper

/PI-ma/

cake / donut

/GA-to/

hammer

/HA-ma/

nail

/nil/

shovel

/SA-vel/

stick

/stik/

scissors

/SI-sis/

bow and arrow

/ba-NA-ra/

chainsaw

/JEN-so/

feast / party / celebration

/LA-fet/

way / manner / attitude / personality

/FA-sin/

friend / person from same language group

/WAN-tok/

slit drum

/TAM-tam/

dancing ground / ceremonial ground

/na-SA-ra/

land diving

/NANG-gol/

bush almond / ngali nut

/NANG-ae/

octopus

/na-WI-ta/

police

/PO-lis/

government

/GAV-man/

law

/loh-ah/

music

/MIU-sik/

soccer / football

/FUT-bol/

electricity / electrical

/LEK-trik/

to turn on

/O-nem/

to turn off

/O-fem/

to call (phone)

/KO-lem/

to ring / to call by phone

/RING-im/

quick / fast / hurry

/kwik/

hurry up / be quick

/HA-ri-ap/

thought / idea / mind / thinking

/TING-ting/

origin / root / base / trunk

/STAM-ba/

life / alive

/laef/

quiet / calm / peaceful

/kwaet/

noise / noisy

/noes/

dark / darkness

/tu-DAK/

light / bright

/laet/

traffic

/TRA-fik/

accident

/AK-si-den/

danger / dangerous

/DEN-ja/

safe

/sef/

hole

/hol/

fence

/FA-nis/

why / what for

/blong wa-NEM/

the best / number one / awesome

/NAM-ba wan/

swollen

/swel/

to vomit

/traot/

to be born

/bon/

husband

/HAS-ban/

daughter

/DO-ta/

grandson / grandchild

/GRAN-san/

to win / to earn

/WI-nim/

to lose

/LU-sum/

to turn / to translate

/TA-nem/

to finish / to complete

/FI-ni-sim/

to leave

/LI-vim/