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 mo olengull se el kbo kmechas.

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

Se el sekum ng diak lsoam, e ng diak mdu er ngak me kuruul er ngii.

> If you don't like it, then don't tell me to do it.

Ng mo metirem a rengum er a Ekipten, el di ua se er a lemetirem a rengum er a Asiria.

> You will be disappointed by Egypt, just as you were by Assyria.

Ng soal a redil a chazi er se el kuabang.

> The woman likes the taste of that guava.

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 mekngit a renguk se el bo kletkii a delak me a demak el dibus.

> I get sad when I think of my mom and dad that are gone.

Ngkang techa isei el mle er a blai?

> Who was it that came to the house?

Ng dimlak kisang er sei.

> I didnt see him or her there.

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.

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.

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 mo ua kerrekar el mla medul er a ngau a rechelel, me a bngal a mosebek er a eolt el mo cheroid.

> They will be like trees whose branches are burned by fire, whose blossoms are blown away by the wind.

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 ua ngara a kldidiul a kerrekar?

> How high is the tree?

E le a rechad a diak lsal mellomes a rengrir el ua a recharm.

> Because humans aren't as smart as animals.

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.

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 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

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:

Ng ua ngara a eanged?

> How is the weather?

Ng ua ngara omelechesel tia el tekoi?

> How do you spell or write this word?

Ng ua techa ngikal el chad?

> What is this person like?

Ng ua ngara a teletelel a iedel?

> What's the shape and texture of mangoes?

Ng sebechek el olturk e bo kultuil, ng ua ksal ko er a mesululang.

> May I be excused and go to bed, feeling a bit sleepy.

Palauan Language Online: Palauan-English Dictionary

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