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:

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

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

A Toki a kmal soal el mo er a Guam, e ng di ng mla mo diak a ududel.

> Toki wanted to go to Guam, but her money ran out.

A Rubak a diak di lemereched el ngmasech a rengul.

> The Lord does not easily become angry.

Ng kesib a rengrir e le a remeklou el chad a di melekoi e ng diak el loruul.

> They are angry because the adults are all talk and no action.

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).

Proverbs:

Ng di ua dorael er a medal a oles.

> It's as if we were walking on the blade of a knife.

i.e., we're treading on dangerous ground; if we make one wrong move, we're finished.

Ng ko er a meiko er a Tmel, el di mengereel el olsiu er ngii er a ngau.

> Like the blind man of Ngetmel, twisting twine into the fire.

The image is that of a blind elder, warming his frail body beside the fire while twisting strands of fiber into twine against his thigh. Only as he pulls the finished twine away, he pushes it into the flames. The saying may be applied to any utterly pointless activity or dissipation of wealth.

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.

Ke di lotkii a Chelechang, e diak mletkii a Cherechar.

> You think only of Present, not of Future.

Chelechang (Present) and Chrechar (Future) were brothers. Present was the favorite of his mother. These are the words of Future reprimanding his mother. The idiom is used of those who inadequately plan for the future.

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."

More Examples:

Ng bai soak a di beches el ouchais er ngak er a bai mongeteket er ngii.

> I want you to be direct with me instead of prolonging it.

Ochoi, ng di ungil.

> Yes, it's correct.

A Ulang a mera el sekodechelakl, ng kuk milcheliang el di oumondai.

> Ulang is so fiesty, she's back at it arguing again.

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

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

Ngka el sechesech a mera el di uletemtimd er a kesus, tiang locha ngera belkul.

> The gecko kept chirping last night, I wonder what it meant.

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:

A John a blechoel el diak losuub.

> John never studies.

Ng diak lsoal el mong.

> He doesn't want to go.

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

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

Ng diak a cheldechulel er ngak.

> I have no means or way to do it.

Kede ko er a di telokl le ng diak dodengei a telngachet.

> We are completely uninformed because we don't know any information (about that).

Proverbs:

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 Beachedarsai el di telkib, e diak bo lak

> Like Beachedarsai's food, only a little but it does not disappear.

Beachedarsai and a friend, one day, went to heaven. On arrival they were very hungry, so they visited one of the gods who provided food for them. The "food" was one tiny piece of taro and a bit of fish. Beachedarsai thought to himself that this would hardly suffice, but he picked up the taro and ate it. As he did so another piece appeared on the plate. He ate the piece of fish and another piece of fish appeared. His friend also ate and on his plate as well a new piece of taro or fish appeared as each was consumed. When they were satisfied, there remained on their plates a piece of taro and fish. The idiom is applied to any small blessing, such as a small but steady income, or Western meals that, in contrast with the Palauan tray full of food, are served in small portions, and so on.

Ng ko er a Chelebesoi er a Ngeriil el mad er a diak lebngel.

> He's like Chelebesoi of Ngeriil, dead in a fishtrap not his own.

A man named Chelebesoi (also the name of a fish) was robbing another man's fish trap when a head-hunting party came by and removed his head. He lost both his head and his reputation. The idiom may apply to one who gets hurt while trying to do someone else's job.

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."

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.

More Examples:

Ng diak, ng diak lsebechem el longir a babilengek.

> No, you can't borrow by book.

Ng diak lemekngit a debo dechacheroid.

> Its not bad if we go our separate ways.

Aika el meldung er a tutau a diak e mengodech me a klukuk e domes er ngii.

> What was said this morning will stay as is until we resume tomorrow.

A ildisel aika el ngikel, dimlak a kokemiu!

> That's a lot of fish, you guys should not have brought so much.

Ka bo er a oreomel e mues aike el rambotang el kmo mla mo marek e mngai a bebil mei. Ke mo ungil mart me ng diak leues a rechad el lolengit er a uchei er a be mrei.

> Go check the rambutan in the rain forest. If there are ripe ones, bring them home but make sure to hide them so people don't bum them off you.

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:

Te ulemuchel el mo melai er se el bukl el beluu.

> They started out to invade the hill country.

Ak milengang er se el ringngo me aike el tuu.

> I was eating that apple and those bananas.

A blik a di kea lengar er sei.

> My house is no longer located here.

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.

Ng meral melemalt a lomechas me ng di mo mas er sel kired el melecholech er ngii.

> It is exactly marked and it is to cut when when we need to saw it.

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 mekera isei sel doruul a subliual?

> How do we make pumpkin soup again?

Uukel, mera el medecheduch el mengib er se el sengchel.

> Wow, she's so good breaking it down with them hips.

Ng kmal mera el omosiroi ngkang se el loloik.

> He is a riot and funny when dancing.

Se el sungata er a ngke el ngalek a ko er a kmal el ungil.

> The silhouette of that woman is very attractive.

Ak milruul a udong er se er a sueleb.

> I made udon soup for lunch.

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 Toki a mla chomeklii a ta el bilel.

> Toki has completed her first month of pregnancy.

Ng di mle ngii el tang el mo ngmasech er a rois el mo meluluuch. Me se er a bocha lekebesengei, e a Jesus a di mle ngii el tang.

> He went up a hill by himself to pray. When evening came, Jesus was there alone.

Ng ko er a ko el ta el mmermang.

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

Me ta er a kiklou el sualo.

> Give me a basket that's a little bigger.

Te mle ungil a rengrir er a chelsel a ta el sikang.

> They were happy in an hour.

Proverbs:

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.

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 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 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."

More Examples:

Ochoi, Ng di mle ta el bo kuloik.

> Yes, but I only danced once.

Ngka el chad a mla mo dengerengel er a ta er a redil.

> This guy is having an affair with another woman.

A ochellek a di tang.

> I have one younger brother. (Can only be said by a maile).

Ak meleng a udoud el diak lengesonges me a lechub lemekesai er a ta el telael.

> I'm borrowing money not less than a thousand dollars.

A delak a milsa ta er a bekerkard el techel a til.

> My mom gave him a piece of Palauan money for his wallet.

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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