Palauan Language Online: Palauan-English Dictionary

di

, mod.

only; just; any.
di a olkael; di kau a mei e diak a ngodech; di tedei el buik a mong; se di kau, se di ngii.

el di mle ngii

expr.

all by himself; on his own.

ngii di lebong

expr.

whatever it is; whatever there may be.

Examples:

Ke di tmak er a llel a omerael.

> Why are you just inviting yourself to go along.

A Droteo a di omdid a ultil a ochil a demal.

> Droteo is following in his fathers footsteps (i.e., following his father's way of life).

Ng diak a ngara el soal, e ng di soal a biang.

> He doesn't want anything but or except a beer.

Ke ko er a terriid el di teloi er a klab e mengerem.

> You're like the terriid bird which stays among the taro plants but goes hungry (i.e. you're surrounded by girls but can't make it with any of them).

Tia el party er a Tokia a ko er a omenga el Raus, el sosokod e di keang.

> Toki's party was just getting interesting when it ended.

Proverbs:

Ng ko er a kim er a Murael, el di dengarech e oker a chais.

> She's like the clams at Murael, lying face up (and open) and asking for news.

i.e., she just sits at home asking passersby about what's going on outside. Murael is a reef near Ngerechelong where, as elsewhere in Palau, the various kinds of tradacna shell bask, open and feeding, in the shallow lagoon. The saying applies to gullibility combined with high curiosity for news and to persons who simply sit at home, letting the happenings of the community come to them via passing persons.

Ng ko er a chelebed er a 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

Ng di ngmai a llechul er a rael.

> He gets his law from the streets.

Rael has the general meaning "way," applicable both to method and to a street. The implication is that if a child will not learn from his parents, he will learn the hard way from experience. It may be used in the positive sense of someone who is quick to learn from experience.

Ke ko er a otaor el di omtitechakl el diak a blil.

> You're like a floating log without a resting place.

You have no fixed abode.

Ng ko er a mud er a Bngei, el di melecheb er a rrengor.

> Like the mud fish of the Bngei lagoon, drawn to the passing wind

The reef fish mud seldom leaves a given rock or cleft in the reef, but according to this saying the mud of Bngei lagoon, near Airai, may be attracted away from their locus by the dust raised by a passing school of fish. The latter portion of this proverb is difficult to translate. The word melecheb may be applied to a person drawn forward by a current of water. Rrengor refers to a movement of air caused by one body passing another. The idiom is applied to a changeable person, a faddist, or a joiner

More Examples:

Ng di bita el mera el mo soal mo er ngii a eolt.

> It seems like there is a possibilty of a typhoon.

Ochoi, ng di ungil.

> Yes, it's correct.

Soak lekong e ng di motenai ochik.

> I want to go (with you) but my legs are too painful.

Ak omdasu e a rechad er a Irrai a bai ungil el meruul a omelai el oleng er a ngii di el chad el mo er a skozio.

> I think people in Airai should make toll booths at the airport and collect fees.

Ng kmal di ior er tir.

> It's really up to them.

diak

, v.s.

is/are not; does not exist; non-existent.
diak a bechachau; diak a kall, diak a udoud, diak a chad er a blai.

diadiak

v.s.redup.

dikeang
/di kea
/di keang
/dikea

v.s.inch.

no longer; no more; not... after all.
di keang a mla er ngii e mla mo diak, udoud a di keang.

dimlak

v.s.past

were not; did not exist; was/were non-existent.
dimlak a di mla diak, dimlak le medung er a cheldecheduch, dimlak rengesii, dimlak lemei.

ng diak

mod.

no.

ngdiak

cont.

ng diak

diak a rengul

expr.

inconsiderate; impolite.

mo diak

expr.

run out; stop; disappear; become non-existent.

Examples:

Ng diak kukerang er kau.

> I'm not going to do anything to you./I'm not going to hurt you.

Ng mla mo diak a chull.

> The rain's stopped.

Kau a kmal diak momekerreu er a remeklou el chad.

> You really don't obey your elders.

A cheldecheduch a diak lemekimd.

> The meeting is lasting forever.

A Droteo a di kea lungil el omengur me a ka lungil el mechiuaiu.

> Droteo can neither eat nor sleep well any more.

Proverbs:

A isnged a di kmeed e diak dengetemii.

> Our nose is close (to the mouth), but cannot be licked.

i.e. we shouldn't be too sure of, or overconfident in, ourselves. The nose is very close to the mouth, but, no matter how reassuringly available, it cannot be licked by the tongue. The idiom cautions those who are careless with their possessions to be less assured about wealth.

Ng ko er a chelatngikl el diak lebeldakl oltellel e dingemuu.

> Like the honey bee, celebrating without first boiling down the coconut syrup.

Once coconut syrup, dripping from the cut flower stem, is collected it is thickened by boiling. The honeybee, however, collects his nectar, puts it in the hive without boiling it, then proceeds to fly around noisily as though celebrating the completed task. Hence, to talk or boast loudly about successes and accomplishments when one has none; to make plans but never carry them out; to celebrate without cause.

Ng ko er a omelkesel Ngirakerisil, el di diak lecheldereder a mlil.

> Like Kerosene, poling his canoe with no obvious destination

Under the German administrator Winkler before World War I, a Palauan named Ngirakerisil (Mr. Kerosene) was employed as a canoe operator. Daily he would take the tireless administrator to a different part of Palau to inspect the various economic programs (largely coconut planting) instituted by the now legendary Winkler. The operator, least of all, could predict where they would be going next. The idiom is applied to any aimless person or action; indecision; a changeable person.

Ng dimlak longesimer a tekoi el chad.

> One for whom the door of words was not closed.

When the secrets of a clan or a profession were being taught by an expert, the house was completely closed and instruction took place in strict, whispered secrecy. the idiom may be applied to a person who, while having the proper status to be knowledgeable, has never learned in closed session; an important but uninformed person. Conversely, an expert or knowledgeable clan his torian is one who "has had the door closed" (mleng a simer).

A ukall a diak lebo ltitimel.

> An ukall tree won't become a titimel tree.

i.e., a child will resemble its father; human nature will not change. The ukal, a lumber tree, resembles the titiml, a fruit bearing tree, at least to the extent that both are trees and become quite large. Both have assets but are quite different. The idiom is applied in the sense that a child resembles its father and will become what its father was. It may also be used to mean "human nature can't be changed."

More Examples:

Ak mengiil er ngii el kmul kmo ng diak el soal.

> I'm waiting for him to say he does not want to.

Ng diak merur.

> I'm not shy.

Ng dimlak ledurenguk el melius. Ak tilemir a ngerek.

> I didn't mean to cuss or swear. It slipped out of my mouth.

Ng kmal mle meringel a daob me ng dimlak a cheldemam.

> We didnt catch anything as the waves were really strong.

Ng diak, ng diak lemeringel a delel.

> No, he or she doesn't have a stomachache.

e ng di

, mod.

but.

meau

, v.s.

naked; nude; bare; (young people) untitled.
meau a blechetoel; diak le blail, rengalek a di meau e mengedub.

melemotem

, v.t.

clear (trees, land); clear land (for garden).
melemotem a omukel; meledaes; tomotem a kerrekar, tometemii a rael; temetemel.

merekui

, v.t.

finish (completely; entirely); consume; accomplish.
merekui a mochu merek; merekui er a urrereel a blai; kmedu el mo merek.

ngii di el

, pro.

any.

se
/sei
/isei

, pro.

that object far from speaker and far from listener.
sei a melutk er a cheroid er a mengedecheduch; ngar sei; diak el tiang; sei er a mong a skuul.

se el

conj.

when (in the future); whenever.

se el sekum

conj.

if (used in negative sentences).

sel

cont.

se el

er se er a

expr.

when (in the past).

er se er a Sebadong

expr.

last Saturday.

er se er a taem er a mekemad

expr.

during the war.

er sei

expr.

over there; in that place.

mekera isei

expr.

[used to refer to a method of doing something that the speaker has forgotten.]

ngera isei

expr.

thingamajig; thingamabob; whatchamacallit. [used to refer to something whose name the speaker has forgotten.]

se di kau

expr.

it's up to you.

se el soam

expr.

whatever you want; it's up to you.

se el tebel

expr.

that table (over there).

se er a

expr.

conj. when (in the past).

tela isei

expr.

[used to refer to a number that the speaker has forgotten.]

tia isei

expr.

what's-his-name; what's-her-name. [Used to refer to someone whose name the speaker has forgotten.]

Examples:

Ng soal a redil a chazi er se el kuabang.

> The woman likes the taste of that guava.

Ngera me ke di dengchokl er tiang? - A ldu ng chetirir a kbo er sei.

> Why are you just sitting here? - Because they don't want me to go over there.

A Satsko a chiliis er se er a lesa a deleb.

> Satsko fled when she saw the ghost.

A blik a di kea lengar er sei.

> My house is no longer located here.

A rebek el babii el mla mo ungil el odoim a leblechoel el omekoad se el lebo lemekelekolt a beluu.

> All the pigs that are ready to eat are always killed in the winter.

Proverbs:

Se el obutek a medak.

> When my eyes are closed.

When one dies the eyes are "closed"; hence, to be dead. The term for "death" is mad as is the term for "eye," (mad; madak: "my eye"). Some sources suggest that the term for death refers to the closed eyes of a dead person.

More Examples:

Ng locha ungil a cheliuir se el klebesei.

> Bet they sleep in peace at night.

Ng locha ngar er ngii a chisil a cheluch er se el isiobing.

> There might be a few drops of oil in the bottle.

Se el kokil ribsakl a sils.

> When the sun sets slowly.

Ng kmal mle betok a ultil a ochik er se el omoachel.

> I had many footsteps at the river.

Se el kunga a kim e aika el ulechel a blechoel el metecherakl er a ungelek.

> When I eat clam, the big muscle always gets stuck in my teeth.

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:

A chesimer a ulebok er a ta er a resensei el mengelekolt er a klas.

> The door was opened by one of the teachers to cool down the classroom.

Te ulemais er a chelsel a ta el sikang.

> They wandered around in an hour.

Te mlo merek el mengedub er a chelsel a ta el sikang a resechelik.

> My friends finished swimming in an hour.

Ng ko er a ko el ta el mmermang.

> This is the first time you've been here in ages.

Te oumesingd el omuchel el me a rechad er a ta el klok.

> People tend to start arriving at one o'clock.

Proverbs:

Ng cheiko e omekrael er a ta er a cheiko.

> A blind man leading another blind man.

The application is identical to that of the familiar English idiom

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 kora chebiei el Cheangel, el di ta e chutur a ta el 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. It is said of the Chebiei variety of breadfruit found at Kayangel atoll that one rotten one will spoil others packaged with it. Similar to "One bad apple spoiled the bushel."

Ng ko er a chelebed er a 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

Ng ta el suk me ng diilut re Meduu.

> A full basket was dropped in Ngeremeduu bay.

From the folk tale about Obak era Kedesau on his way to a feast being given in honor of his wife by her adoptive father. While crossing Ngeremeduu Bay between Ngatpang and Ngeremlengui, Obak dropped a basket of Palauan money overboard. Despite this terrible loss, he still had the courage and sufficient cash to carry off his visit in high style. The saying may be used to reassure someone, following a loss, reminding them that Obak era Kedesau recovered from an even greater loss.

More Examples:

Morael el mo er a stoang e mocherar a ta er a malk el mei bo lodoim er a kebesengei.

> Go to the store and buy a chicken for dinner tonight.

Ak oureng er a ta er a taem el mo sebeched el kasoues.

> I only wish that we will see each other in the future.

Ng di ta el sandei el kngar er a Belau.

> I'll be in Palau for only one week

Ng diak lsoam 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?

Ak mo mesab er a ta er a blungek. Ng kmal klou a omesab er chelechang.

> I'm going to harvest one of my taro square. It is now big harvest season time.

telkib

, v.s.

a little; a bit; part of piece of.
telkib a diak le klou; kekerei; telkib el kall.

di telkib

expr.

only a little; just a bit.

el telkib

expr.

for a while.

telkib a bebetok

expr.

a shade too much.

telkib el betok

expr.

a bit too much.

telkib el kekesai

expr.

just barely not enough.

telkib el kesai

expr.

not enough.

telkib el taem

expr.

a short while; a short time.

telkib er a Ngiual

expr.

part of the village of Ngiual.

telkib er a kall

expr.

part of the food.

telkib er a lius

expr.

small piece of coconut.

Palauan Language Online: Palauan-English Dictionary

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