Vowels & Diphthongs

Tok Pisin and diphtongs are pronounced clearly as in Italian or German, even in an unstressed position and at the end of a word.

The r's are trilled like the Irish, Scottish... Consonants

Most of the consonants are pronounced as in English, however some English consonants
such as 'th', 'sh', 'ch' do not occur. Thus ship become sip. Also rarely a distinction between 'f' and 'p' in Tok Pisin.
fire                   paia
pump/palm       pam

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Confrontation:

How are you? - What's up?
1. Yu olsem wanem?

2. Yu orait ah? (How are you feeling? )

I'm fine
1. Me orait.

2. Me stap gut.

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And You?
1. Na yu olsem wanem?

2. Na yu?

3. Na yu tu oa?

How is the ____?
1. Na ____ olsem wanem?
- (when you refer to something belonging to the person you ad in [Na ____ bilong yu olsem wanem?] )

How's the family?
1. Na meri na ol pikinini bilong yu?
- (and wife and the children of yours?)

2. Na lain/famili bilong yu?

3. Famili bilong yu orait ah? / Famili bilong yu stap gut ah?

Well, I'll see you later. I've got to go now.
1. Oke, bai me lukim yu behain. Mi laik go nau.

2. Me laik go nau, lukim yu.
- (I need to go now, see you)

Isn't it a beatiful day today?
1. Tete em naispela dei turu ah?
- (Today is a nice/beautiful day really isn't it?)
[turu is the phonetic version of tru]

2. Nau em gutpela dei turu ah?
- (Now is good day really isn't it?)

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You look nice today.
1. Skin bilong yu luk gutpela turu.
- (skin of you looks really good - your skin looks really good)
[people often refer to the skin, but skin also can mean body]

2. Olgeta skin bilong you luk gutpela turu
- (all of body of yours look good)

3. Tete yu luk naispela / Yu luk naispela tete
- (today you look nice)
[tete is pronounced teh teh, or teh (d)teh

Thank you very much.
1. Tenku turu
- (thank you a lot) [turu/tru can mean - really, a lot, ]

That's alright
emi orait

So what are you going to do today?
1. Bai yu go na mekim wanem long tundei (tete)
- [tunde can also be confused with tuesday so when saying tunde point to the ground, this represents now!]

Can I come along?
1. Bai inap long me kam wantaim yu?
- (is it alright if I come with you?)

Where are you going?
1. Bai yu go we?

2. Yu laik go we?

3. Yu go we?
- [this can also be confused with where did you go?, where have you been? ]

 

 

Where are they? - Where are susan, john, andy?
1. Ol lain ya we? - susan, john, andy ol we?

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