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:

A Droteo a melamech a dekool se el losuub.

> Droteo smokes cigarettes when(ever) he studies.

A Sally a menguiu er se el hong.

> Sally is reading that book.

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

> They started out to invade the hill country.

Ak mo olengull se el kbo kmechas.

> I'm going to take it easy when I'm an old woman.

a mekngit el ralm er a sewer el me tuobed er se er a Ongedei me a Ongeuang el Ureor er tia el mlo merek el sandei

> the bad sewer water that came out on Wednesday and Thursday of last week

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:

Tiang ngera isei el leko kuker er ngii?

> What was it that I wanted to ask?

Ng milskak tiang ... ngera isei a ngklel el klekedellel a balech er a ngikel.

> He gave me this ... whatchamacallit piece for a speargun.

Se el lomrechorech a meduu e ke lmuut el mechirei el locha teruich me a eim el bung.

> When it starts boiling, let it boil for about 15 more minutes.

Ak mla mtengii se el kuabang el mileuukel.

> I propped up that guava tree that fell.

Alii, k emo kerekikl se el momecholo a ngikel e ke mo metacheb.

> Be careful descaling the fish so that you don't get hurt from its spikes.

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:

A Klekekerengel a Belauad a di ua dimech er a map.

> The smallness of our Belau is like a dot on a map.

Ng ua ngara a ultikillel a bilsengem?

> How many passengers can your boat carry?/What's the capacity of your boat?

Ng dimlak kkingatsku el ua se ng mla mesodel a bilek.

> I didn't notice that my clothes were torn.

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

> Droteo fixes cars as well as you.

A ultirek er kau a di uai a chudel er a mekesokes.

> My love for you is boundless.

Proverbs:

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 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

Ng mlenga a telochel a demal me ng uai ngii.

> Like his father, for he ate his father's premasticated food.

Applied to a child by adoption, with the implication that the adopted child resembles his adoptive father

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

More Examples:

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

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

Ke ua ngarang?

> How are you?

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.

Ng ua ngara a odimiu?

> How's your meat?

Ke ua ngarang?

> How are you?

Palauan Language Online: Palauan-English Dictionary

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