Palauan Language Online: Palauan-English Dictionary

kid

, mod.

contentless word used for emphasis.

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:

Ak milengang aike el tuu me se el ringngo.

> I was eating those bananas and that apple.

Te oumesingd el chad er a Merikel a ousensei er se el skuul.

> The majority of those who are teachers at that school are Americans.

A rrat a mla er sei.

> The bicycle was over there.

Ng soal a redil a chazi er se el kuabang.

> The woman likes the taste of that guava.

Ngka el Ulang a kmal deleberuou a teletelel me ng di blechoel el olengesonges se el ngar er ngii a mechesang.

> Ulang always mismanages her finances; she is always short when there is a need for her.

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

> I had many footsteps at the river.

Ak milruul a udong er se er a sueleb.

> I made udon soup for lunch.

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

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

Ngkang techa isei el mle er a blai?

> Who was it that came to the house?

Alii! Kom kerkikl se el bo moumenged me ng diak mtemall a ochaieo e ng mekull.

> Dont mess with the spotted eagle ray when you go fishing as they are sacred.

ua
/uai

, mod.

like; as.
ua a ko er a; ua medal a demal; chad er a Belau e ua bedengel a chad er a ngebard.

uaisei

cont.

ua se

ua se
/uai sei

expr.

like that.

Synonyms: ,

Examples:

Ng ua ngara a kldidiul a kerrekar?

> How high is the tree?

A lsoal a rengum el me kmeed er a renguk, e ng di ua chad el soal el merael el mo er a chiloil el ngar er a chelmoll.

> When your heart wants to come close to my heart, it's like a person who wants to travel to the rocks in the reef.

Ng mo ua ngara a sichel a odimem?

> How do you want your meat to be cooked?

A Droteo a uai a decham er a omeruul el mlai.

> Droteo fixes cars as well as you.

Ng ua ngara a telkelel a subelengem?

> What's the measurement of your trousers?

Proverbs:

A ungil el merreder a ua chull el melemedem er a daob.

> A good leader, like rain, stills the ocean.

Rain falling during an ocean squall often seems to wipe away the winds and still the ocean. A good leader should be able to dispel the problems facing his people. He can calm down disputes and settle problems easily.

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 ua kukau el omertort a ditel e chemoes.

> Like taro, though the leaves are tall, still immature.

Taro (Colocasia esculenta) is mature only when the leaves produced by the plant are small. When the plant produces its largest leaves the tuber in the ground is still quite small. The saying may be applied to a person who, while yet young and inexperienced, is proud and boastful.

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 ua lemechebiso tolekngel a Modelab

> Like making a whirlpool in Modelab's water tub.

Probably having reference to a folk tale, this saying is applied to any state of general social confusion. Some worldly Palauans used it with reference to the state of world affair

More Examples:

Ngka el John el ko er a di ua chelideuid; ngera telemall?

> John is really in a hurry; what's wrong?

Ng locha bai kirel el lmuut el mo er ngii a bul er a beluu e meruul a skoki el di me soiseb se el mellomes el ua ngar e mong.

> I think there should be a curfew on land and have flights only come in during the day like before.

E a eanged er tilechang a ua ngarang?

> And how is the weather over there?

Ng diak molai delechil aikang, ng di uaisei e ng mecherdoched.

> Oh don't gut those ones, we're just gonna fry them like that.

Ng ua lsal meringel a cheral a dengki er chelecha el buil.

> The electric bill this month is a bit high.

Palauan Language Online: Palauan-English Dictionary

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