Palauan Language Online: Palauan-English Dictionary

bab

, n.

area/space above; top; surface.

bab a bebul, melidiul, a sils a ngar bab. skoki a merael er a bab.

bebuk

n.poss.1s

bebum

n.poss.2s

bebul

n.poss.3s

bebul a ngar er a bab er ngii, bebul a tebel.

bebmam

n.poss.1pe

bebud

n.poss.1pi

bebmiu

n.poss.2p

bebrir

n.poss.3p

bebul a daob

expr.

surface of the sea.

bebul a tebel

expr.

top of the table.

Examples:

Kengti, a eanged a uchul e a National Emergency Management Office (NEMO) a mla otebedii A Small craft warning er a beluu er Belau rokir. Daob er a delongelel a Beliliou me a Ngeaur, Ollei ma Ngcheangel me a ikrel a chelmoll a kmal mekngit er elecha el taem. Me a leuaisei, e aike el banderang er a small craft warning a mla mengerd el mo er bab el merrob a rokui el omerael el mo tuobed el mo er aike el basio. A obis er a NEMO a melemolem el omes er a teletelel a daob e ouchais er a buai lokiu tia el radio station.

> Due to the weather conditions and increasing hazardous surf, the National Emergency Office (NEMO) is issuing a Small Craft Warning for the entire Republic of Palau. Water conditions from outside the reef through all exposures are very rough at this time. Travel between Peleliu and Angaur, Kayangel and Ollei and/or outside the reefs are strictly prohibited. Small craft warning flags have been raised and the republic is requested to observe this warning. NEMO will continue to monitor these marine conditions and advise the public accordingly.

A klok a ngar er a bebuk.

> The clock is up there above me.

Bo mkodir se el kob er a bebul a tebel; a John a mlo kmedii a kob er a bebul a tebel; a John a kiledir a kob er a bebul a tebel.

> Put the cup on the table; John was putting the cup on the table (just now, recently); John put the cup on the table (yesterday, a week ago, etc.).

A Droteo a kie er a bab.

> Droteo lives upstairs.

A Tony a ngar er a bab el chad.

> Tony is higher in the rank.

Proverbs:

Ng ko er a chelid er a Ngebuked, el di rirekir er a bab.

> Like the gods of Ngebukd, completed up above.

As part of the festivities of a village feast or in celebration of some event, such as the completion of a community hall, Palauan young people produce a variety of named dances. One type of dance, called ruk, was never conducted in Ngebukd (in Ngaraard, northern Palau). It was said that the gods of the village had done their dancing in heaven before coming to earth and thus it was not necessary for the people of Ngebukd to dance. The saying pertains to a completed task, indicating to another that the work need not be repeated.

Ke ko er a kuaol el sbungel er bab me iou.

> You're like a fish bait which can be eaten or pecked from the top and bottom.

You don't know what to do coz chores keep coming in from left and right.

More Examples:

Mnguu a hong el loia er a bebul a tebel.

> Put the book on top of the dest

A Lurvey a mlo elireuakl e ngubetii tia el medalia el ngkedel a Wilbur el mla er a chiklel e nguu el turecheklii er a deel el ngar er a bebul a blil a Wilbur.

> Lurvey bent down and removed Wilbur's medal from his neck and hung it from a nail at the top of Wilbur's pen.

Ng ngarang a ngar er a bebul �a tebel

> What is on the table or desk?

Ng mla mo suibes a deromukang me ng omelloes er a bab.

> The drum was overfull and flowed over the top.

Mnguu a oluches el loia er a bebul a hong.

> Put the pencil on top of the book.

beab

/uploads/pics/3093.jpg, n.

rodent; rat; mouse.
beab a ta er a bedengel a melekesako el charm; omuchel a rakd e dirrek el menga dellomel.

bebul

n.poss.3s

olechiul a beab

club moss.

bedengel a beab

expr.

gray.

blil a beab

expr.

jail; prison.

ullemachel el beab

expr.

small mouse; field mouse.

Examples:

A beab a sebechel mertii er a delongelel a sairio er a blai, rael e kmerd er a Ngcheangel.

> Rats can get to Kayangel by hiding in construction materials.

Aika el merkong el elolem el buil e ng ngar ngii a dellemelem el mla mekang er a beab?

> In the past 6 months have rats eaten your plants?

A bebul a tebel a mla mo dekimes.

> The top of the table has gotten wet.

A beab a milsa a medal a sechelil el telemall.

> The mouse saw his friend's injured face.

A beab a sebechel kmerd er a Ngcheangel el ngar er a chelsel a blil a kall el ua bek el beras.

> Rats can get to Kayangel in bags of food such as rice.

Proverbs:

Ng ua beab el mengard.

> Nibbling like a rat.

Activity that slowly destroys another person or institution. Generally applied to verbal actions; spreading malicious gossip; a speech loaded with subtle insults. However, it can be applied to wider behavior such as economic behavior that destroys the resources of the country: killing fish by dynamite; cutting forests without planting

Ng ko er a cherellel a beab el di ta e keroker.

> It's like the birth of a rat with one offspring per mother.

It's something that happens just once, something I put up with only once. According to this saying, the rat bears but one litter. Hence the application "once is enough" about an act that bears no repeating.

Ng ko er a beab er a Ngerard, el kma a lisiu me a lisam.

> It's like the rat of Ngerard, which eats up all your coconuts and (then) all of ours.

It's a decision, plan etc. that will backfire. A pet rat owned by Mad, chief of Ngaraard, ate the coconuts of most of the chief's neighbors, then, still hungry, ate the chief's own coconuts.

More Examples: