A collection of useful phrases in Bislama, an English-based creole language spoken in Vanuatu.
See these phrases in any combination of two languages in the Phrase Finder. If you can provide recordings, corrections or additional translations, please contact me.
Key to abbreviations: frm = formal, inf = informal, sg = singular (said to one person), pl = plural (said to more than one person).
| Phrase | Bislama |
|---|---|
| Welcome | Welkam |
| Hello (General greeting) | Halo |
| Hello (on phone) | Halo |
| How are you? | Olsem wanem? |
| Reply to 'How are you?' | I gud, by yu? I stret, by yu? I oraet, by yu? |
| Long time no see | Mi no lukum yu longtaem |
| What's your name? | Wanem nem blong yu? |
| My name is ... | Nem blong mi ... |
| Where are you from? | Yu kam wea? Yu blong wea? |
| I'm from ... | Mi blong ... Mi kam long ... |
| Pleased to meet you | Gud mitim yu Mi glad blong mitim yu Mi glad tumas blong mitim yu |
| Good morning (Morning greeting) |
Gudmoning |
| Good afternoon (Afternoon greeting) |
Gud aftenun |
| Good evening (Evening greeting) |
Gudnaet |
| Good night | Gudnaet |
| Goodbye (Parting phrases) |
Tata Ale tata Baibai Lukim yu (See you later) Lukim yu bakegen (See you later) Ale, lukim yu nekis taem (Ok, see you next time) |
| Good luck! | Mi hop se mbae yu gat gudlak |
| Cheers! Good Health! (Toasts used when drinking) |
Jis! |
| Have a nice day | |
| Bon appetit / Have a nice meal |
Mi hop se kaekae blong yu i harem swit |
| Bon voyage / Have a good journey |
Mi hop se trip blong yu i go gud |
| Yes | Yes Si |
| No | No |
| Maybe | Maet |
| I don't know | Mi no save |
| I understand | Mi save |
| I don't understand | Mi no kasem save Mi no harem save |
| Please speak more slowly | Plis talem moa slo |
| Please say that again | Plis talem bakagin |
| Please write it down | Plis, yu raetem hem long wan pepa |
| Do you speak English? | Yu save toktok English? |
| Do you speak Bislama? | Yu save toktok Bislama? |
| Yes, a little (reply to 'Do you speak ...?') |
Mi toktok smol Bislama nomo |
| Speak to me in Bislama | Talem mi long Bislama |
| How do you say ... in Bislama? | Haunau yu talem ... long Bislama? |
| Excuse me | Ekskius mi |
| How much is this? | Hamas long hemia? |
| Sorry | Sori Mi sori |
| Please | Plis |
| Thank you | Tangkyu Tangkyu tumas |
| Reply to thank you | I stret (nomo) I oraet (nomo) I gud (nomo) Welkam |
| Where's the toilet / bathroom? | Toilet i stap wea? |
| This gentleman will pay for everything | Man ia i pem evri samting |
| This lady will pay for everything | Woman ia i pem evri samting |
| Would you like to dance with me? | Plis, yu wanem danis witim mi? |
| Do you come here often? | Yu kam long ples ia plenti taem? |
| I miss you | Mi sori we mi no lukum yu longtaem |
| I love you | Mi lavèm yu |
| Get well soon | Mi hop se yu kam gud kwiktaem |
| Go away! | Lego! |
| Leave me alone! | Yu no mas tajem mi! Lego! |
| Help! | Help! Helpem mi! |
| Fire! | Faea! |
| Stop! | Stop! |
| Call the police! | Telem olgeta polis se oli mas kam kwiktaem! |
| Christmas greetings | Mi wisim yufala eerywan one gutfala Krismes |
| New Year greetings | |
| Easter greetings | Hapi Ista |
| Birthday greetings | Yumi selebretem de blong bon blong yu Hapi betdei |
| One language is never enough | Wan tokok i neva nuf |
| My hovercraft is full of eels | Sip blong mi we i flae antap long solwater be i no flae hae tumas, i fulap long ilfis |
Some phrases provided by Stan Combs
If you would like to make any corrections or additions to this page, or if you can provide recordings, please contact me.
Information about Bislama | Phrases | Numbers | Tower of Babel
Other collections of Bislama phrases
http://www.bislama.org/learn-bislama
http://wikitravel.org/en/Bislama_phrasebook
http://www.pentecostisland.net/languages/bislama/
http://www.santotoday.com/language.htm
https://www.livelingua.com/peace-corps/Bislama/Bislama%20Handbook%20-%20Revision%20July%202011.pdf
https://twitter.com/LearnBislama
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=burZKhcGpXA
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