| 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). |
| techa isei | expr. | what's-his-name; what's-her-name. [Used to refer to someone whose name the speaker has forgotten.] |
| tela isei | expr. | [used to refer to a number that the speaker has forgotten.] |
Examples: |
|
> When I went to Guam, I lived at Toki's place. |
|
> When they get up, they go fishing. |
|
> I am going to eat up that apple and those bananas. |
|
> Whenever a spider has disappeared (from its web), I take it as a sign that there will be a big storm. |
|
> Put the cup on the table; John was putting the cup on the table (just now, recently); John put the cup on the table (yesterday, a week ago, etc.). |
|
Proverbs: |
|
> 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: |
|
> What was it that I wanted to ask? |
|
> My kids are so unruly sometimes. |
|
> Wow, she's so good breaking it down with them hips. |
|
> Be careful descaling the fish so that you don't get hurt from its spikes. |
|
> Yes, it's been raining since morning. |
|
