Palauan Language Online: Palauan-English Dictionary

Ke ua ngarang?

, expr.

How are you?

mellemau

, v.s.

blue; green; black and blue; bruised.
mellemau a bedengel a toachel; a blai a melelemau, oumellemau.

ngera
/ngerang
/ngarang
/ngara

, pro.

what; which; what kind of; anything (but or except).
ngerang a ker; ngera ke melekoi? tia ng ngerang? ngera soam?

omerrous

, v.t.

dream about.
omerrous a berrusel; merrusii a mla mad el demal; merrous a meklou el blai.

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 telkelel a subelengem?

> What's the measurement of your trousers?

Kau ng blak a rengum el merirem er a renguk el ua a omoachel el mo medirt er a blsechel a kleald?

> Do you intend to disappoint me like a stream that goes dry in the summer?

A beab a sebechel kmerd er a Ngcheangel el ngar er a chelsel a blil a kall el ua bek el beras.

> Rats can get to Kayangel in bags of food such as rice.

Ke ua ngarang?

> How are you?

Ng ua ngara a dertel a selokel?

> How is the laundry coming along (i.e. is it dry yet)?

Proverbs:

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 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

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 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

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.

More Examples:

Ng mle ua ngerang a cherellem?

> How was your labor?

E kau a ua ngarang?

> And How are you?

Ng ua ngara a odimiu?

> How's your meat?

Ng ua ngara a teletelel a iedel?

> What's the shape and texture of mangoes?

Ke ua ngarang?

> How are you?

Palauan Language Online: Palauan-English Dictionary

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