Palauan Language Online: Palauan-English Dictionary

be betei

, expr.

(You) come down!.

mei
/me

, v.i.

come; arrive.

mei a okedongel a chad; mei er tiei, mei me kulekoi, ka mei.

be

v.imp.

be a ta er a telengtengil a tekoi el mengai er a tekoi el mei; be bong, be metengel.

ble

v.past.hypothetical

mera

cont.

mei er a

merekung
/merkung

v.i.pred.

is about to come or arrive.

mermang
/meremang

v.inch.

meremang a merael mei; ngar er a omerolel el mei; dumiang er a dmuil.

mlei
/mle

v.past

came; arrived.

mlei a mla mei me ngar tiang; skoki a mlei er a tutau.
mle a melekoi er a rrekui; Bung a mle tmuu; ng mle mekerang?

mlera

cont.

mlei er a

be kbong

expr.

goodbye; I'm leaving.

me e mong

expr.

pass by; go on; "(in a direction) towards me and then keep going (past me)."

nguu el mei

expr.

bring.

ta el buil er mla me e mong

expr.

one month ago.

Examples:

Mal ko er a mechetong tia el mlik me ng di merroakl.

> My car is really getting old and is making rattling noises.

A Droteo a dimlak longang me a ka lullim a merael.

> Droteo neither ate nor drank and just left.

Ulang! Ke ke meral meleberuou me ke di belchoel el olengeseonges.

> Ulang, you are always inept and end up short.

Ngara me ke di dechor e omengur?

> Why are you standing up while eating?

Ak mlo omes er a Droteo e dimlak lemei, me ak okor e mo remei.

> I went to meet Droteo, but he didn't come, so I went home instead.

Proverbs:

Ng kora bechars er a Ngerdobotar, el di kiei me ng chelengang

> Like the cockroach of Ngerdobotar, staying on till it became white.

Presumably if a cockroach remains in the darkness for a long time, as one at Ngerdobotar (in Aimeliik) apparently did, it will turn white. Application pertains to a visitor who stays on and on, especially one who is not helpful in the household. Such behavior is not properly human; the person is somehow different, like a white cockroach.

Mengar me a mecherocher.

> Bitter and salty.

The strategy of "doing things the hard way." When alternatives are available, the appropriate choice is the more difficult one. In voice, expression, and action there is a positive accent on personal ability.