Food & Drinks

1. Mi hangre

   I am hungry

   Usage

   Used to express hunger at mealtimes

   Grammar Note

   Tok Pisin follows SVO order. Stative adjectives like "hangre" can follow the subject directly, functioning like verbs.

2. Kaikai i redi?

   Is the food ready?

   Usage

   Used to ask whether a meal is ready at a restaurant or home

   Grammar Note

   The predicate marker "i" appears before verbs after third-person subjects (Mi go = I go, Em i go = He goes). Reduplication is common in Tok Pisin.

3. Mi laik kaikai

   I want to eat

   Usage

   Used to order food or express a desire to eat

   Grammar Note

   "Laik" comes from "like" but functions as a desire modal: "want to." For example: "Mi laik kaikai abus" (I want to eat meat).

4. Kaikai i swit tumas

   The food is very delicious

   Usage

   A compliment about food after eating

   Grammar Note

   "Swit" derives from "sweet" but covers the whole range of "delicious" in Tok Pisin, not limited to sweet flavours.

5. Givim mi wara, plis

   Please give me water

   Usage

   Used to request water at a restaurant or café

   Grammar Note

   "Givim" = "give" + transitive marker "-im." In PNG eateries, water may not come automatically, so it's helpful to ask explicitly.

6. Abus o pis?

   Meat or fish?

   Usage

   A common question at local PNG eateries

   Grammar Note

   PNG is rich in seafood. "Abus" originally meant wild game but now covers meat in general.

7. Baim kaikai long wanem hap?

   Where can I buy food?

   Usage

   Used to ask where to find a market or food stall

   Grammar Note

   "Long" is the most versatile preposition in Tok Pisin, covering place, direction, and instrument. "Hap" (place/half) often combines with "wanem" for "where."

8. Kokonas i gutpela

   Coconut is good / delicious

   Usage

   Used when talking about coconut, a staple in PNG cuisine

   Grammar Note

   Coconut is a staple of PNG food culture. The predicate marker "i" links subject "kokonas" to the predicate adjective "gutpela."

9. Kam hariap plis

   Please come quickly (hurry up, please)

   Usage

   Used to hurry service at a restaurant. Adding "plis" keeps it polite

   Grammar Note

   "Kam hariap" means "come quickly". "Hariap" comes from English "hurry up". This phrase functions as an imperative; adding "plis" makes it polite.

10. Hamas olgeta?

    How much is it all together?

    Usage

    Used to ask for the total bill

    Grammar Note

    "Olgeta" derives from "altogether" and means "all," "everyone," or "total." "Hamas olgeta?" works universally at restaurants and markets.

11. Mi no laik spais

    I do not want spices (not spicy, please)

    Usage

    Used to request no spices or chilli. "Spais" covers spices in general

    Grammar Note

    Negation in Tok Pisin is formed by placing "no" before the verb: "Mi no laik〜" = "I don't want 〜."

12. Rais

    Cooked rice

    Usage

    Ordering cooked rice; a different word from raw rice

13. Bret

    Bread

    Usage

    Use when buying at a shop

14. Nudel

    Noodles

    Usage

    Use when ordering

15. Prut

    Fruit

    Usage

    Point at it in a market or eatery

16. Kumu

    Vegetables / greens

    Usage

    In PNG "kumu" covers leafy greens and vegetables generally

17. I no kuk

    Raw / not cooked

    Usage

    Point at it to check whether food is uncooked

18. Taro

    Usage

    Order or check this staple

19. Tapiok

    Cassava

    Usage

    Order or check this staple

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