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Common phrases
  • Me / you - mi / yu
  • Him / her / it (neither masculine nor feminine)
  • this here - hem/ hemia
  • Us /we / all of us - mifala / mifala evriwan
  • You / you (plural) - yu / yufala
  • I do not know/understand - mi no save
  • See you later / ta ta - Lukim yu/ tata
  • I am going now - ale (French derivation of allez) mi go
  • One/ two / three - wan / tu / tri
  • How much (is that) - hamas (long hem)
  • Plenty or many - plenti
  • Filled to capacity / overfilled - fulap / fulap tumas (too much)
  • Day / evening / night - dei / sava (literally supper) / naet
  • Hot / cold - hot / kol
  • What / what is that - wanem / wanem ia (literally wanem here?)
  • Why / why did you - frowanem (for why?)
  • Please / thank you / sorry (very sorry) - plis / tangkyu / sori (sori tumas) - sorry too much
  • Do you know - yu save (pronounced savee)

Bislama is a pidgin language used in Vanuatu and is now a creole in urban areas. It essentially combines a typically Melanesian grammar with a mostly English vocabulary. It is the only language that can be understood and spoken by the whole population of Vanuatu, generally as a second language.

It is a mixture of phonetic English woven in a loose French sentence structure spoken with ‘local sound' producing some comical outcomes e.g., ladies brassieres or bathing top is called "Basket blong titi"; no offense intended. An excellent Bislama dictionary is available from good book shops: 'A New Bislama Dictionary,' by the late Terry Crowley.

Pronunciation guide

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Vowels

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Consonants

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Common diphthongs

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Phrase list

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Basics

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Common signs


OPEN
CLOSED
ENTRANCE
EXIT
PUSH
PULL
TOILET
MEN
WOMEN
FORBIDDEN
Hello.
. (Halo )
Hello. (informal)
. ( )
How are you?
afta? yu oraet? ( ?)
Fine, thank you.
. ( )
What is your name?
 ? (Wanem nem blong yu?)
My name is ______ .
______ . (Mi, nem blong mi _____ .)
Nice to meet you.
. ( )
Please.
. ( plis)
Thank you.
. (tankui )
You're welcome.
. (welkam )
Yes.
. (yes )
No.
. (no )
Excuse me. (getting attention)
. ( )
Excuse me. (begging pardon)
. ( )
I'm sorry.
. (sori )
Goodbye
. (lukim yu )
Goodbye (informal)
. ( ale tata)
I can't speak Bislama [well].
[ mi save toktok smol bislama nmo]. ( [ ])
Do you speak English?
 ? (yu save toktok ingish ?)
Is there someone here who speaks English?
 ? ( ?)
Help!
 ! ( !)
Look out!
 ! ( !)
Good morning.
. (Gud moning)
Good evening.
. (afanoon )
Good night.
. (Gud naet)
Good night (to sleep)
. ( )
I don't understand.
. ( mi no kasem save)
Where is the toilet?
wem toilet? ? ( ?)

Problems

[edit]
Leave me alone.
. ( .)
Don't touch me!
 ! ( !)
I'll call the police.
. ( .)
Police!
 ! ( polis!)
Stop! Thief!
 ! ! ( stop! Stilman!)
I need your help.
Mi needm help blong yu. ( .)
It's an emergency.
. ( .)
I'm lost.
. ( .)
I lost my bag.
. (Mi lusem basket blong mi.)
I lost my wallet.
. ( .)
I'm sick.
. ( mi sik.)
I've been injured.
. ( .)
I need a doctor.
mi needm wan dokta. ( .)
Can I use your phone?
mi save usum fone blong yu ? ( ?)

Numbers

[edit]
1
( )
2
( )
3
( )
4
( )
5
( )
6
( )
7
( )
8
( )
9
( )
10
( )
11
( )
12
( )
13
( )
14
( )
15
( )
16
( )
17
( )
18
( )
19
( )
20
( )
21
( )
22
( )
23
( )
30
( )
40
( )
50
( )
60
( )
70
( )
80
( )
90
( )
100
( )
200
( )
300
( )
1,000
( )
2,000
( )
1,000,000
( )
1,000,000,000
( )
1,000,000,000,000
( )
number _____ (train, bus, etc.)
( )
half
( )
less
( )
more
( )

Time

[edit]
now
( a)
later
( )
before
( )
morning
( )
afternoon
( )
evening
( )
night
( )

Clock time

[edit]
one o'clock AM
( )
two o'clock AM
( )
noon
( )
one o'clock PM
( )
two o'clock PM
( )
midnight
( )

Duration

[edit]
_____ minute(s)
( )
_____ hour(s)
( )
_____ day(s)
( )
_____ week(s)
( )
_____ month(s)
( )
_____ year(s)
( )

Days

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today
( )
yesterday
( )
tomorrow
( )
this week
( )
last week
( )
next week
( )
Sunday
( )
Monday
( )
Tuesday
( )
Wednesday
( )
Thursday
( )
Friday
( )
Saturday
( )

Months

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January
Januware ( )
February
Februrari ( )
March
Maj ( )
April
Epril ( )
May
Mei ( )
June
Jun ( )
July
Julae ( )
August
Ogis ( )
September
Septemba ( )
October
Oktoba ( )
November
Novemba ( )
December
Desemba ( )

Writing time and date

[edit]

Colors

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black
( )
white
( )
gray
( )
red
( )
blue
( )
yellow
( )
green
( )
orange
( )
purple
( )
brown
( )

Transportation

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Bus and train

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How much is a ticket to _____?
( )
One ticket to _____, please.
( )
Where does this train/bus go?
( )
Where is the train/bus to _____?
( )
Does this train/bus stop in _____?
( )
When does the train/bus for _____ leave?
( )
When will this train/bus arrive in _____?
( )

Directions

[edit]
How do I get to _____ ?
( )
...the train station?
( )
...the bus station?
( )
...the airport?
( )
...downtown?
( )
...the youth hostel?
( )
...the _____ hotel?
( )
...the American/Canadian/Australian/British consulate?
( )
Where are there a lot of...
( )
...hotels?
( )
...restaurants?
( )
...bars?
( )
...sites to see?
( )
Can you show me on the map?
( )
street
( )
Turn left.
( )
Turn right.
( )
left
( )
right
( )
straight ahead
( )
towards the _____
( )
past the _____
( )
before the _____
( )
Watch for the _____.
( )
intersection
( )
north
( )
south
( )
east
( )
west
( )
uphill
( )
downhill
( )

Taxi

[edit]
Taxi!
( )
Take me to _____, please.
( )
How much does it cost to get to _____?
( )
Take me there, please.
( )

Lodging

[edit]
Do you have any rooms available?
( )
How much is a room for one person/two people?
( )
Does the room come with...
( )
...bedsheets?
( )
...a bathroom?
( )
...a telephone?
( )
...a TV?
( )
May I see the room first?
( )
Do you have anything quieter?
( )
...bigger?
( )
...cleaner?
( )
...cheaper?
( )
OK, I'll take it.
( )
I will stay for _____ night(s).
( )
Can you suggest another hotel?
( )
Do you have a safe?
( )
...lockers?
( )
Is breakfast/supper included?
( )
What time is breakfast/supper?
( )
Please clean my room.
( )
Can you wake me at _____?
( )
I want to check out.
( )

Money

[edit]
Do you accept American/Australian/Canadian dollars?
(yu save tekm american dola? )
Do you accept British pounds?
( )
Do you accept euros?
( )
Do you accept credit cards?
( )
Can you change money for me?
(yu save changem money blo mi? )
Where can I get money changed?
( )
Can you change a traveler's check for me?
( )
Where can I get a traveler's check changed?
( )
What is the exchange rate?
( )
Where is an automatic teller machine (ATM)?
( )

Eating

[edit]
A table for one person/two people, please.
( )
Can I look at the menu, please?
( )
Can I look in the kitchen?
( mi save luk insaed kitchen)
Is there a house specialty?
( )
Is there a local specialty?
( )
I'm a vegetarian.
( mi no save kakai mit)
I don't eat pork.
( )
I don't eat beef.
(mi no save kakai beef )
I only eat kosher food.
( )
Can you make it "lite", please? (less oil/butter/lard)
( )
fixed-price meal
( )
a la carte
( )
breakfast
( )
lunch
( )
tea (meal)
( )
supper
( )
I want _____.
(mi wantem )
I want a dish containing _____.
( )
chicken
( faoul)
beef
( )
fish
( )
ham
( )
sausage
( )
cheese
( )
eggs
( )
salad
( )
(fresh) vegetables
( )
(fresh) fruit
( )
bread
( )
toast
( )
noodles
( )
rice
( )
beans
( )
May I have a glass of _____?
( )
May I have a cup of _____?
( )
May I have a bottle of _____?
( )
coffee
( )
tea (drink)
( )
juice
( )
(bubbly) water
( )
(still) water
( )
beer
(bia )
red/white wine
( )
May I have some _____?
( )
salt
( )
black pepper
( )
butter
( )
Excuse me, waiter? (getting attention of server)
( )
I'm finished.
( )
It was delicious.
( )
Please clear the plates.
( )
The check, please.
( )

Bars

[edit]
Do you serve alcohol?
( )
Is there table service?
( )
A beer/two beers, please.
( )
A glass of red/white wine, please.
( )
A pint, please.
( )
A bottle, please.
( )
_____ (hard liquor) and _____ (mixer), please.
( )
whiskey
( )
vodka
( )
rum
( )
water
( )
club soda
( )
tonic water
( )
orange juice
( )
Coke (soda)
( )
Do you have any bar snacks?
( )
One more, please.
( )
Another round, please.
( )
When is closing time?
( )
Cheers!
( )

Shopping

[edit]
Do you have this in my size?
( )
How much is this?
( hao mas lo hemia?)
That's too expensive.
( )
Would you take _____?
( )
expensive
( )
cheap
( )
I can't afford it.
( )
I don't want it.
(mi no wantem )
You're cheating me.
( )
I'm not interested.
(..)
OK, I'll take it.
( )
Can I have a bag?
( )
Do you ship (overseas)?
( )
I need...
( )
...toothpaste.
( )
...a toothbrush.
( )
...tampons.
. ( )
...soap.
( )
...shampoo.
( )
...pain reliever. (e.g., aspirin or ibuprofen)
( )
...cold medicine.
( )
...stomach medicine.
... ( )
...a razor.
( )
...an umbrella.
( )
...sunblock lotion.
( )
...a postcard.
( )
...postage stamps.
( )
...batteries.
( )
...writing paper.
( )
...a pen.
( )
...English-language books.
( )
...English-language magazines.
( )
...an English-language newspaper.
( )
...an English-English dictionary.
( )

Driving

[edit]
I want to rent a car.
( )
Can I get insurance?
( )
stop (on a street sign)
( )
one way
( )
yield
( )
no parking
( )
speed limit
( )
gas (petrol) station
( )
petrol
( )
diesel
( )

Authority

[edit]
I haven't done anything wrong.
( )
It was a misunderstanding.
( )
Where are you taking me?
( )
Am I under arrest?
( )
I am an American/Australian/British/Canadian citizen.
( )
I want to talk to the American/Australian/British/Canadian embassy/consulate.
( )
I want to talk to a lawyer.
( )
Can I just pay a fine now?
( )

Learning more

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