Palauan Language Online: Palauan-English Dictionary

dmung

, v.pf.3s

say; tell. In some constructions, the initial d sound may be dropped.
dmung a melekoi, "a le mei a Siang e ke dmung er ngii me ng choielak".

duch

, n.

ability; skill.
duch a meduch; dachelbai, chedechuul, duch er a omenged, ngar ngii a duch er ngii er a urreor; ngar ngii a dechal er a omerreder, meduch el merreder.

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:

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?

Ng ua ngara a kedel a blim?

> How close is your house?

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.

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 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 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 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

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

More Examples:

Ng ua ngara a bedengel a bilel a Tina?

> What color is Tina's dress?

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 ngera a imeliu?

> How's your drink?

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.

Palauan Language Online: Palauan-English Dictionary

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