Palauan Language Online: Palauan-English Dictionary

ko

, mod.

just; kind of; similar to; like.
ko a chelutel; ua ingii, chad er a Merikel e mengedecheduch el ko er a chad er a Belau.

ko er a

mod.

kind of; like.

kora

cont.

ko er a

Synonyms: ,

Examples:

Ng ko er a btil a Titechingai.

> Just like Titechingai's buttocks. (He rushes crazily from one task to another).

Ng ko el techa a mellomes a rengul el sebechel el mechur a eabed, e okellakl me ng ruebet a chull?

> Who is wise enough to count the clouds and tilt them over to pour out the rain?

Ng ko er a osechel a mengur el di ngar er a milkolk el mo er a milkolk.

> It's like coconut juice that goes from the dark (of the inside of coconut) to the dark (of the inside of the drinker's mouth). - i.e. It's a matter kept secret or something whose source and use are unknown.

Ng ko er a bekebul a bung.

> It smells just like a flower.

A rengul a Droteo ng ko er a kebelu a Toki.

> Droteo has the idea that Toki is a little crazy.

Proverbs:

Ng kora bukitang el meduch el meldelodech a bedengel.

> He's like the octopus, which is able to keep changing color.

He's too erratic or too easily persuaded.

Ng kora Ngirekolik

> Like Ngirekolik

Ngirekolik never completed a task before he ran off to do another. The name can be translated "Mr. Fruitbat," apparently in reference to the animal's eating habit

Ng kora mur ra Ngchesar, el di klukuk el di klukuk.

> It's like the feast of Ngchesar, postoned till tomarrow, then the next, and forever.

You keep sayng tomorrow, tomorrow. You're lucky there's a tomorrow.

Ng kora chebiei el Cheangel, el di ta e chutur a tal suk.

> Like the breadfruit of Kayangel, just one rotten piece will spoil the whole bunch.

One bad person can ruin the reputation of a whole group.

Ng kora ilaot Itkib el dingii el romur.

> Like the ilaot [coconut juice] of Ngetkib, mixing itself.

Probably of folk-tale derivation, the idiom may be applied to a man who has married too close to his own clan, thus not gaining the assistance of the wife's clan in food and services, since this would amount to the clan giving to itself. Also applied to a situation where a person expects to have some service performed for him but ends up doing it himself.

More Examples:

Bai di beches el ouchais el kmo ng chetim el mong e lak ko bong e mouuchel er a rengum.

> Be honest and say you don't want to go instead of going and then regretting it.

Ak mera el ko er a songerenger.

> I am so starving.

Errang, diak el kora sebechem remusech a belsiich e domengur?

> Honey, cant you pound some taro so we could eat?

Ng diak el soam el ko er a mo ousueleb me a lechub e ng belsoil er a ta er a taem?

> Do you want to have lunch or dinner sometime?

Ngka el delal a bechik a ko er a telkib el sesmecher.

> My mother in law is a bit under the weather.

kom
/ko

, pro.

you (nonemphatic, plural).
ko a kemiu; ko mekerang? ko mo er ker e sechelei? ko mla mei!

omesiich

, v.t.

adorn (oneself, something); pretty (oneself) up; decorate; beautify.
omesiich a locha besichel; mesiich; mesichii a skuul; menglebokel, dil a mla mesichii, belsiochel.

ta
/tang

, num.

1 [one] (unit of time; human; counting).
tang a ochur el chimong , ta el buil, ta el tekoi, ta el chad.

tal

cont.

ta el

tara

cont.

ta er a

el di ngak el tang

expr.

alone; by myself.

ko el tang

expr.

the very first time; the first time after a long while.

ngii di el tang

expr.

either one; anything.

ta el chad

expr.

one person; (persons) having same mother or father; (persons) of same blood.

ta el rak

expr.

one year.

ta el sils

expr.

one day.

ta er kemam

expr.

one of our relatives (usually, close); one of us.

ta er ngak

expr.

one of my relatives (usually, close).

ta er tir

expr.

one of them.

Examples:

Me ta er a oluches.

> Give me one of the pencils.

Ng ko el ta el leme chull.

> It's the first time it's rained in a long while.

Te di mle ta el mengedecheduch.

> They both spoke at the same time.

A blai a mlukbeches er a chelsel a ta el buil.

> The house was renovated in a month.

Ng di mle ngii el tang a ngelekek el chiliis.

> My child ran away by himself.

Proverbs:

Ng kora chelebd ra Utaor, el di ta temetemir

> Like the blow at Utaor, one stroke for all

A person or perhaps a club of the hamlet of Utaor (a hamlet of either Koror or Chol) offended a major village and, in consequence, the village retaliated by attacking the whole hamlet. The idiom applies to any general statement or punishment that might better be directed toward a particular group or individual

Ngcheiku eomekrael era tara cheiku.

> A blind man leading another blind man.

The application is identical to that of the familiar English idiom