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:

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.

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.

Ak mo kolii se el ringngo me aike el tuu.

> I am going to eat up that apple and those bananas.

A Droteo a melamech a dekool se el losuub.

> Droteo smokes cigarettes when(ever) he studies.

Ak milsuub er se er a leme a Droteo.

> I was studying when Droteo came.

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:

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.

Ak mera el mo oureng er a demak me a delak se el bebil er a taem.

> Sometimes, i really miss my father and mother.

Ak milruul a udong er se er a sueleb.

> I made udon soup for lunch.

Ng Ngiradaob, el ochedal a Dirasils, a silkur se el kldait el mlo chelbechiil.

> It was Ngiradaob, Dirasils's brother, who received the keldait that was put in for the marriage.

Tiang ngera isei el leko kuker er ngii?

> What was it that I wanted to ask?

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:

Ak moalech el ua chudel.

> I wither like grass.

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

> Droteo fixes cars as well as you.

Ng mla mo ua ngara a chubs er a chimam?

> How's the wound on your arm healing?

Ng ua ngara a mekldebengir?

> How short are they?

Ng ua ngara a telemtemul a kall?

> What does the food taste like?/How is the food?

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 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 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 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

More Examples:

Ng ua ngara a teletelel a iedel?

> What's the shape and texture of mangoes?

Ke ua techang el chad?

> What are you like?

E kau a ua ngarang?

> And How are you?

Ng ua ngara a eanged?

> How is the weather?

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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