Tok Pisin also known as Neo-Melanesian is a creole combining gramatical elements of indigenous languages, some German, and, increasingly, English. In addition to Tok Pisin, Papua New Guinea speaks 840 difference languages, the most languages spoken for a single country in the world! This is more than twice the number of languages use across all of Europe according to SBS.
Before you travel to PNG, here are a few Tok Pisin phrases and words from the PNG Tourism Authority that you can learn. It is quite simple!
PHRASES
What is your name? - Wanem nem bilong yu? Who are you? - Yu whosait? My name is (Joe) - Nem bilong mi (Joe) Thank you very much - tenk yu tru(e) No thank you - sori nogut How are you? - yu orait ? (you alright) I’m fine - mi orait tasol How much is that? - em hamas? How much is this? - dispela em hamas?
Where is the toilet? Toilet stap weh?
I’d like one please - mi laikim wanpela plis
I would like to go to the (Airport) - mi laik go long Airport
Can you come with me? - inap yu kam wantaim mi?
Sorry No, I don’t want to/this/that - sori nogut, mi less
Please, can you help me with this? - plis, inap ya halivim mi wantaim dispela samting?
What is that? - em wanem?
That is/was very good - em i gutpela stret!
That is/was bad! - em no gut
Where are you from? - yu bilong wanem hap?
I’m from (Australia) - mi bilong Australia
I’d like lots please - mi laikim planti plis
I need a rest - lait malolo liklik
WORDS
ketch - see you later plis - please sori - sorry wanem - what Dispela - this nogut - no em nau - yes/that’s right bagarup - broken meri - woman/girl Haus meri - housekeeper liklik pikinini meri - little girl Man- man boy - boi sista/brata - sister/brother (can also denote cousins or friends) mama/papa - mother/father bubu - grand person / Older family Aunty/uncle - respectful term for other adults/wantoks Pikinini - child/children malolo - rest/sleep/holiday silip - sleep Haus - house raus/rausim - remove/throw out itambu - forbidden sindaun - sit down sanap - stand up dring - drink/drinking kaikai - food kaibar - place to buy food Laikim - like/ would like wantaim - together, with halivim - help noken - do not no i nap - not enough, I can’t inap - enough, can risit - receipt pulap - full up/full yu - you mi - me em - him / her / it / that blong, bilong - long belong liklik - little bikpela - big planti - plenty, lots pinis - finished
NUMBERS
Wanpela/wanpla 1 Toopela/toopla 2 Tripela/tripla 3 Forpela/forpla 4
ANIMALS
Dog - Dok
Cat - Ket
Chicken - Kakaruk
Fish - Pis
Bird - Pisin
Pig- Pik
Ants - Anis
Butterfly - Bataplai
Fly - Lung
Mosquito - Moskito
Learn Tok Pisin Further: https://utalk.com/store/tok-pisin
Here is a video to help you with some more conversation starters:
References:
PNG Tourism Authority: https://www.papuanewguinea.travel/learn-the-language