de

Tulait em i kolim “De”, na tudak em i kolim “Nait”. Nait i go pinis na moning i kamapage. Em i de namba wan.

1989, Buk Baibel long Tok Pisin, Port Moresby: Bible Society of Papua New Guinea, Jenesis 1:5:


het

Na bai mi mekim yu i stap birua bilong meri, na meri i stap birua bilong yu. Na bai mi mekim ol lain bilong yu i birua long lain bilong meri. Bai ol i krungutim het bilong yu, na bai yu kaikaim lek bilong ol.”

1989, Buk Baibel long Tok Pisin, Port Moresby: Bible Society of Papua New Guinea, Jenesis 3:15:


man

...i no gat diwai na gras samting i kamap long graun yet, long wanem, em i no salim ren i kam daun yet. Na i no gat man bilong wokim gaden.

1989, Buk Baibel long Tok Pisin, Port Moresby: Bible Society of Papua New Guinea, Jenesis 2:5:


ai

Sapos yutupela i kaikai pikinini bilong dispela diwai, bai ai bilong yutupela i op na yutupela i kisim save long wanem samting i gutpela, na wanem samting i nogut, na bai yutupela i kamap wankain olsem God. God i save long dispela, olsem na em i tambuim yutupela long kaikai pikinini bilong dispela diwai.”

1989, Buk Baibel long Tok Pisin, Port Moresby: Bible Society of Papua New Guinea, Jenesis 3:5:


mama

Man i kolim meri bilong em Iv, long wanem, em i tumbuna mama bilong olgeta manmeri.

1989, Buk Baibel long Tok Pisin, Port Moresby: Bible Society of Papua New Guinea, Jenesis 3:20:


san

God i mekim kamap tupela bikpela lait. Bikpela em san bilong givim lait long de, na liklik em mun bilong givim lait long nait. Na God i mekim kamap ol sta tu.

1989, Buk Baibel long Tok Pisin, Port Moresby: Bible Society of Papua New Guinea, Jenesis 1:15:


Tok Pisin

From English talk + pidgin (ultimately from business).

1992, collected by Mühlhäusler et al. quoted in Language, Education, and Development: Urban and Rural Tok Pisin in Papua New Guinea (Suzanne Romaine, Oxford: 1992)

And we didn't know Tok Pisin either. Our brothers went to the station, and then learned new things in the station. Then they returned speaking in creole.

Na mipela i no save long Tok Pisin tu. Brata bilong mipela ol i go long stesin, orait ol i kisim save long stesin. Ol i kam bek orait ol i tok pisin.


bus kanaka

An uncivilised person; a person who follows a traditional rather than modern lifestyle.


meri

From English Mary. Attested in St. Johnston (1927:72) in reference to Solomon Islands laborers.


tupela

Bihain God i tok olsem, “Wanpela banis i mas kamap bilong banisim wara, bai wara i stap long tupela hap.” Orait dispela banis i kamap. God i mekim dispela banis i kamap bilong banisim wara antap na wara daunbilo.

1989, Buk Baibel long Tok Pisin, Port Moresby: Bible Society of Papua New Guinea, Jenesis 1:6:


balus

This term is from the Western Oceanic substrate languages; it was considered by Mihalic to have entered Tok Pisin from Tolai, but Mosel argues that it "has certainly not been introduced from Tolai, but from a southern New Ireland language. For, apart from some marginal dialects […] Tolai […] lack[s] the phoneme /s/."

Balus i stap long graun.


wan

Tulait em i kolim “De,” na tudak em i kolim “Nait.” Nait i go pinis na moning i kamap. Em i de namba wan.

Naming the light, Day, and the dark, Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.


wan

One. Used with units of measurement and in times: wan aua, wan klok. See also wanpela.


skin

Orait God, Bikpela i mekim man i slip i dai tru. Na taim man i slip yet, God i kisim wanpela bun long banis bilong man na i pasim gen skin bilong dispela hap.

1989, Buk Baibel long Tok Pisin, Port Moresby: Bible Society of Papua New Guinea, Jenesis 2:21:


pater

From English pater (Christian priests are often referred to as 'Father'), from Latin pater.


binatang

Borrowed from Malay binatang (“animal”).

Dispela i kamapim olsem win inap long kilim ol binatang i dai.

Evidently, something about being in the open air kills germs.


pes

Na bai yu wok hat tru long kisim kaikai bilong yu na tuhat bai i kamap long pes bilong yu. Na bai yu hatwok oltaim inap yu dai na yu go bek long graun. Long wanem, mi bin wokim yu long graun, na bai yu go bek gen long graun.”

1989, Buk Baibel long Tok Pisin, Port Moresby: Bible Society of Papua New Guinea, Jenesis 3:19:


kanaka

Probably from German Kanake (see other entries on this page for more).


anti

aunt (polite term for any woman a generation older than oneself)


gol

Long kantri Havila i gat gutpela gol, na i gat wanpela kain diwai, blut bilong en i gat gutpela smel. Na i gat wanpela kain ston i dai tumas, em ol i save kolim kanilian.

1989, Buk Baibel long Tok Pisin, Port Moresby: Bible Society of Papua New Guinea, Jenesis 2:12:


Bikpela

Long dispela pasin tasol, God i wokim skai na graun na olgeta samting. Taim God, Bikpela i mekim kamap skai na graun,

1989, Buk Baibel long Tok Pisin, Port Moresby: Bible Society of Papua New Guinea, Jenesis 2:4:


God

Tudak i karamapim bikpela wara na spirit bilong God i go i kam antap long en.

1989, Buk Baibel long Tok Pisin, Port Moresby: Bible Society of Papua New Guinea, Jenesis 1:2:


yia

Bihain God i tok olsem, “Ol lait i mas kamap long skai bilong makim tulait na nait, na bilong makim ol de na ol yia na ol kain kain taim bilong yia.

1989, Buk Baibel long Tok Pisin, Port Moresby: Bible Society of Papua New Guinea, Jenesis 1:14:


susu

From Malay susu, from Proto-Malayic *susu(ʔ), from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *susu, from Proto-Austronesian *susu.


jem

Taim ol jem bilong kamapim sik i go insait long wara na kaikai, o i stap long han, ol plet kap samting, o ples bilong redim na sutim kaikai, yumi inap kaikai na daunim, na long dispela rot yumi kisim sik.

When disease-causing germs get into water and food or onto hands, utensils, or surfaces used for preparing and serving food, they may be passed into the mouth and swallowed, resulting in illness.


bubu

Possibly from Hiri Motu tubu (“grandparent”)


wara

Na wanpela wara i kamap long Iden bilong givim wara long dispela gaden. Dispela wara i bruk na i kamap 4-pela han wara

1989, Buk Baibel long Tok Pisin, Port Moresby: Bible Society of Papua New Guinea, Jenesis 2:10:


melek

From Dutch melk (“milk”), Dutch Low Saxon melk (“milk”) or German Low German Melk (“milk”).


nus

Bihain God, Bikpela i kisim graun na em i wokim man long en. Na em i winim win bilong laip i go insait long nus bilong man, na man i kisim laip.

1989, Buk Baibel long Tok Pisin, Port Moresby: Bible Society of Papua New Guinea, Jenesis 2:7:


pikinini

From English pickaninny. Compare Bajan pickney, Bislama pikinini, Jamaican Creole pickney, and Pijin pikinini.


wain

→ Rotokas: uain


matmat

From Tolai or Ramoaaina matmat (“the dead”), considered by Mosel to have been coined by missionaries. Compare Fijian mate (“dead”), Malay mati (“death”).


lotu

→ Rotokas: rotu

From Samoan Plantation Pidgin lotu, from Fijian lotu (“religion”).


belo

From English bellow (horns signifying midday).


leta

letter (written or printed communication)


dringim

From English drink + -im (transitivity suffix).


puripurimeri

From puripuri (“witchcraft”) + meri (“woman”).


pekpekman

From pekpek (“excrement”) + man (“man”).


pispis

Reduplication of English piss, to avoid confusion with pis (“fish”).

Ol soldia i mas i gat wanpela ples bilong pispis na pekpek ausait long kem.

1989, Buk Baibel long Tok Pisin, Port Moresby: Bible Society of Papua New Guinea, 23:12:


gras bilong het

gras (general concept of growing) + bilong (general concept of belonging to) + het (head). Thus it is literally "The grass that grows on heads."


bipo

Bipo bipo tru God i mekim kamap skai na graun na olgeta samting i stap long en.

1989, Buk Baibel long Tok Pisin, Port Moresby: Bible Society of Papua New Guinea, Jenesis 1:1:


apinun

Long apinun, taim ples i kol, tupela i harim God, Bikpela i wokabaut long dispela gaden, na tupela i hait namel long ol diwai.

1989, Buk Baibel long Tok Pisin, Port Moresby: Bible Society of Papua New Guinea, Jenesis 3:8:


wik

Na God i tambuim de namba 7 na em i tok olsem de namba 7 bilong olgeta wik em i bikpela de bilong em yet, long wanem, em i wokim pinis olgeta samting na long dispela de em i malolo.

1989, Buk Baibel long Tok Pisin, Port Moresby: Bible Society of Papua New Guinea, Jenesis 2:3:


Ostrelia

Australia (A country in Oceania comprising the islands of Australia, Tasmania and other smaller islands in the Pacific Ocean, as well as a former colony in the British Empire)

(geology) Australia (a continent consisting of the islands of Australia, New Guinea and intervening islands)


tambu

From Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *tambu (compare taboo). In some Papuan cultures, speaking the names of in-laws is forbidden.


gras bilong ai

From gras (“hair”) + bilong + ai (“eye”).


tambaran

From Tolai tabaran or a closely related language; compare Samoan Plantation Pidgin taberan.


haus lotu

From haus (“house”) + lotu (“church, religion”).


sios

Inherited from English church, from Middle English chirche, from Old English ċiriċe (“church”), from Proto-West Germanic *kirikā, from Ancient Greek κυριακόν (kuriakón), neuter form of κυριακός (kuriakós, “belonging to the lord”).


tumbuna

From one of the Polynesian languages; compare Maori tupuna.

Man i kolim meri bilong em Iv, long wanem, em i tumbuna mama bilong olgeta manmeri.


mambu bilong blut

mambu (“tube”) + bilong (“of”) + blut (“blood”)


mambu bilong nek

mambu (“branch”) + bilong (“of”) + nek (“neck”)


ensel

God i rausim pinis man na meri, na em i makim ol strongpela ensel bilong sanap na was i stap long hap sankamap bilong gaden Iden. Na tu em i putim wanpela bainat i gat paia i lait long en na i save tanim tanim long olgeta hap. Oltaim ol dispela ensel wantaim dispela bainat i save was i stap, nogut wanpela man i go klostu long dispela diwai bilong givim laip.

1989, Buk Baibel long Tok Pisin, Port Moresby: Bible Society of Papua New Guinea, Jenesis 3:24:

angel; any supernatural creature in heaven according to Christian theology


helikopta

Ankave: erɨ´kura´


takis

→ Rotokas: takisi


gelpren

From English girlfriend. Equivalent to gel + pren.


imigresen

From English immigration. Cognates to Malay imigresen, Tagalog imigrasyon, and Indonesian imigrasi.


poketnaip

From English pocketknife. Equivalent to poket + naip.


pikbel

(pathology) colitis (caused by eating too much pork)


wanwok

From English one work (alternatively, it can be seen as a compound of wan + wok).


blakpela sos

Any black sauce, such as barbecue sauce and soy sauce


PMSA

Pot Mosbi Soka Asosiesen
Pot Mosbi Soka Asosiesen#Tok_Pisin

(soccer) Initialism of Pot Mosbi Soka Asosiesen.


maunten paia

From maunten (“mountain”) + paia (“fire”).


sik suga

From sik (“illness, disease”) + suga (“sugar”).

Narapela samting tu i kamapim bagarap long skin, em ol birua na sik samting, olsem sik suga.

Also taking a toll are accidents and disease, such as diabetes.


tupela ten wan

From tupela ten (“twenty”) + wan (“one”).


tupela ten tu

From tupela ten (“twenty”) + tu (“two”).


tupela ten tri

From tupela ten (“twenty”) + tri (“three”).


tupela ten foa

From tupela ten (“twenty”) + foa (“four”).


tupela ten faiv

From tupela ten (“twenty”) + faiv (“five”).


tupela ten sikis

From tupela ten (“twenty”) + sikis (“six”).


tupela ten seven

From tupela ten (“twenty”) + seven (“seven”).


tupela ten et

From tupela ten (“twenty”) + et (“eight”).


tupela ten nain

From tupela ten (“twenty”) + nain (“nine”).


tripela ten wan

From tripela ten (“thirty”) + wan (“one”).


tripela ten tu

From tripela ten (“thirty”) + tu (“two”).


tripela ten tri

From tripela ten (“thirty”) + tri (“three”).


tripela ten foa

From tripela ten (“thirty”) + foa (“four”).


tripela ten faiv

From tripela ten (“thirty”) + faiv (“five”).


tripela ten sikis

From tripela ten (“thirty”) + sikis (“six”).


tripela ten seven

From tripela ten (“thirty”) + seven (“seven”).


tripela ten et

From tripela ten (“thirty”) + et (“eight”).


tripela ten nain

From tripela ten (“thirty”) + nain (“nine”).


fopela ten wan

From fopela ten (“forty”) + wan (“one”).


fopela ten tri

From fopela ten (“forty”) + tri (“three”).


fopela ten foa

From fopela ten (“forty”) + foa (“four”).


fopela ten faiv

From fopela ten (“forty”) + faiv (“five”).


fopela ten sikis

From fopela ten (“forty”) + sikis (“six”).


fopela ten seven

From fopela ten (“forty”) + seven (“seven”).


fopela ten et

From fopela ten (“forty”) + et (“eight”).


fopela ten nain

From fopela ten (“forty”) + nain (“nine”).


wan handet wan

From English one hundred one. Equivalent to wan handet (“one hundred”) + wan (“one”).


tu handet

From English two hundred. Equivalent to tu (“two”) + handet (“hundred”).


tri handet

From English three hundred. Equivalent to tri (“three”) + handet (“hundred”).


foa handet

From English four hundred. Equivalent to foa (“four”) + handet (“hundred”).


faiv handet

From English five hundred. Equivalent to faiv (“five”) + handet (“hundred”).


sikis handet

From English six hundred. Equivalent to sikis (“six”) + handet (“hundred”).


seven handet

From English seven hundred. Equivalent to seven (“seven”) + handet (“hundred”).


et handet

From English eight hundred. Equivalent to et (“eight”) + handet (“hundred”).


nain handet

From English nine hundred. Equivalent to nain (“nine”) + handet (“hundred”).


tu tausen

From English two thousand. Equivalent to tu (“two”) + tausen (“thousand”).


tri tausen

From English three thousand. Equivalent to tri (“three”) + tausen (“thousand”).


foa tausen

From English four thousand. Equivalent to foa (“four”) + tausen (“thousand”).


faiv tausen

From English five thousand. Equivalent to faiv (“five”) + tausen (“thousand”).


sikis tausen

From English six thousand. Equivalent to sikis (“six”) + tausen (“thousand”).


seven tausen

From English seven thousand. Equivalent to seven (“seven”) + tausen (“thousand”).


et tausen

From English eight thousand. Equivalent to et (“eight”) + tausen (“thousand”).


nain tausen

From English nine thousand. Equivalent to nain (“nine”) + tausen (“thousand”).


ten tausen

From English ten thousand. Equivalent to ten (“ten”) + tausen (“thousand”).


wan handet tausen

From English one hundred thousand. Equivalent to wan (“one”) + handet (“hundred”) + tausen (“thousand”).

one hundred thousand
one hundred thousand


wan handet

From English one hundred. Equivalent to wan (“one”) + handet (“hundred”).


sikispela ten wan

From sikispela ten (“sixty”) + wan (“one”).


sikispela ten tu

From sikispela ten (“sixty”) + tu (“two”).


sikispela ten tri

From sikispela ten (“sixty”) + tri (“three”).


sikispela ten foa

From sikispela ten (“sixty”) + foa (“four”).


sikispela ten faiv

From sikispela ten (“sixty”) + faiv (“five”).


sikispela ten sikis

From sikispela ten (“sixty”) + sikis (“six”).


sikispela ten seven

From sikispela ten (“sixty”) + seven (“seven”).


sikispela ten et

From sikispela ten (“sixty”) + et (“eight”).


sikispela ten nain

From sikispela ten (“sixty”) + nain (“nine”).


sevenpela ten wan

From sevenpela ten (“seventy”) + wan (“one”).


sevenpela ten tu

From sevenpela ten (“seventy”) + tu (“two”).


sevenpela ten tri

From sevenpela ten (“seventy”) + tri (“three”).


sevenpela ten foa

From sevenpela ten (“seventy”) + foa (“four”).


sevenpela ten faiv

From sevenpela ten (“seventy”) + faiv (“five”).


sevenpela ten sikis

From sevenpela ten (“seventy”) + sikis (“six”).


sevenpela ten seven

From sevenpela ten (“seventy”) + seven (“seven”).


sevenpela ten et

From sevenpela ten (“seventy”) + et (“eight”).


sevenpela ten nain

From sevenpela ten (“seventy”) + nain (“nine”).


etpela ten wan

From etpela ten (“eighty”) + wan (“one”).


etpela ten tu

From etpela ten (“eighty”) + tu (“two”).


etpela ten tri

From etpela ten (“eighty”) + tri (“three”).


etpela ten foa

From etpela ten (“eighty”) + foa (“four”).


etpela ten faiv

From etpela ten (“eighty”) + faiv (“five”).


etpela ten sikis

From etpela ten (“eighty”) + sikis (“six”).


etpela ten seven

From etpela ten (“eighty”) + seven (“seven”).


etpela ten et

From etpela ten (“eighty”) + et (“eight”).


etpela ten nain

From etpela ten (“eighty”) + nain (“nine”).


nainpela ten wan

From nainpela ten (“ninety”) + wan (“one”).


nainpela ten tu

From nainpela ten (“ninety”) + tu (“two”).


nainpela ten tri

From nainpela ten (“ninety”) + tri (“three”).


nainpela ten foa

From nainpela ten (“ninety”) + foa (“four”).


nainpela ten faiv

From nainpela ten (“ninety”) + faiv (“five”).


nainpela ten sikis

From nainpela ten (“ninety”) + sikis (“six”).


nainpela ten seven

From nainpela ten (“ninety”) + seven (“seven”).


nainpela ten et

From nainpela ten (“ninety”) + et (“eight”).


nainpela ten nain

From nainpela ten (“ninety”) + nain (“nine”).


faivpela ten wan

From faivpela ten (“fifty”) + wan (“one”).


faivpela ten tu

From faivpela ten (“fifty”) + tu (“two”).


faivpela ten tri

From faivpela ten (“fifty”) + tri (“three”).


faivpela ten foa

From faivpela ten (“fifty”) + foa (“four”).


faivpela ten faiv

From faivpela ten (“fifty”) + faiv (“five”).


faivpela ten sikis

From faivpela ten (“fifty”) + sikis (“six”).


faivpela ten seven

From faivpela ten (“fifty”) + seven (“seven”).


faivpela ten et

From faivpela ten (“fifty”) + et (“eight”).


faivpela ten nain

From faivpela ten (“fifty”) + nain (“nine”).


pekpek wara

From pekpek (“excrement”) + wara (“water”).

Long olgeta de inap 8,000 pikinini i save dai long pekpek wara, long wanem, wara i pinis long skin.

Some eight thousand children die each day from diarrheic dehydration.


pekpek blut

From pekpek (“excrement”) + blut (“blood”).

Long dispela rot ol man i save kisim ol sik nogut olsem sik taifoit, pekpek blut, na sik kolora.

In this way, people contract such serious diseases as typhoid, dysentery, and cholera.


sik bilong kaikai

From sik (“illness”) + bilong (“from”) + kaikai (“food”). Literally translates to "illness from food."

af

Insait long sampela yia nau, ol ripot i soim olsem planti man i gat sik bilong kaikai na bel i no laikim kaikai.

In recent years, there has been a rise in reported food allergies and intolerances.


bel i no laikim kaikai

A compound phrase that literally translates to "the stomach does not like a food."


daiabitis

PLANTI man i kisim sik daiabitis, na dispela i kamap olsem wanpela bikpela hevi long olgeta hap bilong graun.

THE incidence of diabetes mellitus is increasing so quickly that it has become a global epidemic.


dairia

Malnutrisen em i wanpela sik we i wok long hait na kilim ol pikinini wantaim ol narapela bikpela sik olsem malaria, dairia o pekpek wara na numonia.

2023, Konrad Radomyski, Anonymous, Circumlocution in Tok Pisin:

Malnutrition is one of the sicknesses that is silently killing children with other major sicknesses such as malaria, dysentery or diarrhea and pneumonia.