Nauruan (Dorerin Naoero) is the main and official language of Nauru. Due to its significant amount of Australian influence, and even once part of Australia after WWII, most Nauruans can speak English quite well. A number of words in Nauruan is very similar to Micronesian as well, so both those languages may be confusing at times. It's an endangered language, with more younger people of Nauru not being able to speak Nauruan and only English.

Pronunciation guide

Vowels

• i
• e
• a
• à
• â
• o
• ò
• ô
• ö
• u
• ù
• û
• ü

Phrase list

Basics

Common signs OPEN baida CLOSED jimwa ENTRANCE eñut metu EXIT eñut metõ PUSH jow PULL urure TOILET oagun bwiya MEN eman WOMEN ien FORBIDDEN

Hello (Greetings)

Ekamawir Omo (Ekamowir omo)

Hello (informal)

Mo mo

How are you?

Wõ reit ed? (Wa raited?)

Fine, thank you.

Omo, Tūbwa kõr (Omo, Toob-wa kõr.)

What is your name?

Yen egõm? (Jen egum?)

My name is ______ .

Egõ aña nuñ/ Aña kõr (name) ( ega nga nung/ anga kõr (name))

Nice to meet you.

Ibibõgi aga yeduw/arowañauw

Please.

Magada

Thank you.

Tubwa kõr (Toob-wa kõr)

You're welcome.

( )

Yes.

Eh. (Eh.) or Ehm. (Ah-m.)

No.

Deõ/ Keo

Excuse me. (getting attention)

. ( )

Excuse me. (begging pardon)

. ( )

I'm sorry.

Ead aeõ dura

Goodbye

Tarowõñ kõ/ ar bao kõ (tarowang ka/ ar bao ka)

Do you speak English?

Dorerin aiyuk iburbur awe?

Is there someone here who speaks English?

Iña eñame ine dorerin burbur?

Help!

Ipuõk!

ipuk!

Look out!

( !)

Good morning.

Omo yoran:::: Good afternoon: Omo yekwõ

Good evening

Omo yemerõ:

Good night

Omo yūbūm

Good sleep

Omo mimi

Where are you from?

Auwe amen ee/ auwe enamõn ee

Awe amen e? (A-we me-ni?)

I'm from (country/district)

Aña amen (country/district)/ aña enamõn (country/district)

Problems

Leave me alone.

Erowiyõ.

Don't touch me!

 ! ( Weõ toweyõ!

I'll call the police.

. ( .)

Police!

 ! ( !)

Stop! Thief!

 ! ! ( ! !)

I need your help.

. ( .)

It's an emergency.

. ( .)

I'm lost.

. ( .)

I lost my bag.

. ( .)

I lost my wallet.

. ( .)

I'm sick.

. ( .)

I've been injured.

. ( .)

I need a doctor.

. ( .)

Can I use your phone?

 ? ( ?)

Numbers

1

aiquen (ai-quen)

2

aro (aa-ro)

3

aiju (aai-jew)

4

aeoq (a-eo-ck)

5

aijimo (ai-ji-mo)

6

año (añoh)

7

aeiu (aa-ee-eww)

8

ajou (aa-oo-ju)

9

ado (aa-do)

10

ata (aa-ta)

11

(ata ma aiquen)

12

(ata ma aro)

13

(ata ma aiju)

14

(ata ma aeoq)

15

(ata ma aijimo)

16

(ata ma año)

17

(ata ma aeiu)

18

(ata ma aoju)

19

(ata ma ado)

20

(anarama)

21

(anarama ma aiquen)

22

(anarama ma aro)

23

(anarama ma aiju)

30

(animo)

40

(ama)

50

(aijima)

60

(añama)

70

(aemo)

80

(aojomo)

90

(aduma)

100

(aibu)

200

(arobu)

300

(aijubu)

1,000

(araña)

10,000

(ata erañan)

100,000

(aibu erañan)

1,000,000

(araña erañan)

number _____ (train, bus, etc.)

( )

half

( )

less

( )

more

( )

Time

now

ñage (ngage)

later

Ñaga (ngaga)

before

ian obun (yan oben)

morning

ijoran (ijoran)

afternoon

iekwo (jekwo)

evening

iemerò (jemera)

night

iubum (jubum )

Clock time

one o'clock AM

eiquon kurak

two o'clock AM

Aro kurak

noon

Yekwo

one o'clock PM

Eiquon kurak

two o'clock PM

Aro kurak

midnight

Tugagan (toogagan)

Duration

_____ minute(s)

( )

_____ hour(s)

( )

_____ day(s)

_____ ibum ( )

_____ week(s)

( )

month(s)

Maramen

_____ year(s)

eobeni (yobeni )

Days

today

ñabumine (ng-aa-boo-meene)

yesterday

nene::

tomorrow

jaran

this week

( )

last week

( )

next week

( )

Sunday

tondak

Monday

mondak

Tuesday

rindak

Wednesday

mituwok

Thursday

donertak

Friday

preidak

Saturday

tarere

Months

January

( )

February

( )

March

( )

April

( )

May

( )

June

( )

July

( )

August

( )

September

( )

October

( )

November

( )

December

( )

Writing time and date

12 hr time is used locally: HH:MM AM/PM, DD/MM/YY (similar to Australia), but 24 hr time is used at the Australian detention site

Colours

black

tañañ (tangang)

white

burbur

grey

badeitsi

red

Mirara

blue

Ajitabwa

yellow

bababo

green

aditur

orange

Kaura

purple

Narabo

brown

( ): Pink: Miraro

Transportation

Bus and train

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

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

Taxi!

( )

Take me to _____, please.

( )

How much does it cost to get to _____?

( )

Take me there, please.

( )

Lodging

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

Do you accept American/Canadian dollars?

( )

Do you accept British pounds?

( )

Do you accept euros?

( )

Do you accept credit cards?

( )

Can you change money for me?

( )

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)?

( )

Where is the money?

Inga Mark? ( )

Eating

A table for one person/two people, please.

Bookeiy eiquon/aro tebur, magada

Can I look at the menu, please?

Gona ña aya menu, magada?

Can I look in the kitchen?

Gona ña aya yat kitchen?

Is there a house specialty?

( )

Is there a local specialty?

( )

I'm a vegetarian.

Ña vegetarian ña/ta yeiyi ña ebudabud

I don't eat pork.

Eõ yeiyi ña kumo

I don't eat beef.

Eõ yeiyi ña duwan.

I only eat kosher food.

( )

Can you make it "lite", please? (less oil/butter/lard)

( )

fixed-price meal

( )

a la carte

( )

breakfast

Yeiyi bwain joran

lunch

( )

tea (meal)

( )

supper

( )

I want _____.

Ña tengeiy____.

I want a dish containing _____.

( )

chicken

domo

beef

duwan

fish

iū

ham

yam

sausage

toded

cheese

( )

eggs

petamo

salad

ebudabud

(fresh) vegetables

ebudabud

(fresh) fruit

bread

brot

toast

brot mana toasteiy

noodles

noodur

rice

ereid

beans

( )

May I have a glass of _____?

( )

May I have a cup of _____?

( )

May I have a bottle of _____?

( )

coffee

kabe

tea (drink)

iti

juice

( )

(bubbly) water

( )

(still) water

( )

beer

piya

red/white wine

( )

May I have some _____?

( )

salt

brited

black pepper

peba

butter

pada

Excuse me, waiter? (getting attention of server)

( )

I'm finished.

Gwain ña

It was delicious.

Ita kõr

Please clear the plates.

Magada aderder ka mana pred.

The check, please.

( )

Bars

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!

Tubwa Kor! (Toob-waa Core)

Shopping

Do you have this in my size?

Tsimine aiyuk waña size ñarane?

How much is this?

Egen pumwen une?

That's too expensive

Ouwak kōr pumwen

Would you take _____?

Naw abu aiyuk _____?

expensive

Ouwak pumwen

cheap

Onuñ pumwen

I can't afford it.

Ña yogona affordeiyen une

I don't want it.

Ña eõ yeñ(yeng)

You're cheating me.

Kwaweiyan auwe

I'm not interested.

Eõ interested

OK, I'll take it.

Ougan, nan ña abu

Can I have a bag?

Gona oiyame eber

Do you ship (overseas)?

Send aiyuk mogo?

I need...

Ña needeiy

...toothpaste.

...a toothbrush.

( )

...tampons.

toda

...soap.

Toap

...shampoo.

( )

...pain reliever. (e.g., aspirin or ibuprofen)

Kagamwe

...cold medicine.

Kagamwe bwait garmwamwe

...stomach medicine.

... ( )

...a razor.

( )

...an umbrella.

( )

...sunblock lotion.

( )

...a postcard.

( )

...postage stamps.

( )

...batteries.

Badari

...writing paper.

( )

...a pen.

( )

...English-language books.

( )

...English-language magazines.

( )

...an English-language newspaper.

( )

...an English-English dictionary.

( )

Driving

I want to rent a car.

( )

Can I get insurance?

( )

stop (on a street sign)

( )

one way

( )

yield

( )

no parking

( )

speed limit

( )

service (gas) station

( )

petrol

( )

diesel

( )

Authority

I haven't done anything wrong.

( )

It was a misunderstanding.

( )

Where are you taking me?

( )

Am I under arrest?

( )

I am an Australian/New Zealand/Norfolk Island citizen.

Anga Dei Otereiriya/Niu Djiran/Eb Nobõk (An-ga De-i Au-té-rey-riya)

I want to talk to the Australian embassy

( )

I want to talk to a lawyer.

( )

Can I just pay a fine now?

( )