Nature & Outdoors

10 phrases · Tok Pisin with romanization, English and audio

  1. Nambis i naispela tumas!

    The beach is very beautiful!

    Usage

    When expressing the beauty of the beach or natural scenery

    Grammar Note

    "Nambis" (beach) is said to derive from "number one beach." "Naispela tumas" (very beautiful) = adjective + intensifier "tumas" (very/too much).

  2. Wara i klinpela.

    The water is clean.

    Usage

    When describing clean water in rivers or the sea

    Grammar Note

    "Klinpela" = "klin" (clean) + "-pela" (adjectival suffix). "Wara" (water) is also used for "river," showing Tok Pisin's tendency toward semantic breadth.

  3. Bikpela bus i stap long hap.

    There is a big forest over there.

    Usage

    When describing the surrounding natural environment

    Grammar Note

    "Bus" (bush/jungle) from English "bush" refers to forest or wilderness. "Hap" (there/over there) is a vague locative expression indicating a general direction.

  4. Mi lukim wanpela bikpela pisin.

    I saw a large bird.

    Usage

    When spotting wildlife such as birds or animals

    Grammar Note

    "Pisin" (bird) derived from English "pigeon," but in Tok Pisin it generalized to mean any bird. This semantic broadening is a common process in creole formation.

  5. Maunten i antap tumas.

    The mountain is very high.

    Usage

    When expressing the height or grandeur of a mountain

    Grammar Note

    "Antap" (high/above) contracted from English "on top." It functions both as an adjective (high) and a positional adverb (on top), demonstrating Tok Pisin's flexibility.

  6. Ren bai kamap.

    Rain is coming.

    Usage

    When warning about approaching rain

    Grammar Note

    "Bai kamap" (will come) uses the future marker "bai." "Ren" retains the final "n" from English "rain" while dropping the vowel-ending glide.

  7. Graun i grin olgeta.

    The land is completely green.

    Usage

    When describing lush natural scenery

    Grammar Note

    "Olgeta" (all/completely) adds totality or completeness when placed after adjectives. "Graun i grin olgeta" vividly describes a completely green landscape.

  8. San i hat tumas.

    The sun is very hot.

    Usage

    When describing hot tropical weather

    Grammar Note

    "San" (sun) and "hat" (hot) both retain their English forms with the final consonants. "I hat tumas" (is very hot) is a typical Tok Pisin predicate sentence.

  9. Wara bilong solwara i blupela.

    The ocean water is blue.

    Usage

    When describing the color of the sea or water

    Grammar Note

    "Solwara" (sea) = "sol" (salt) + "wara" (water) = "saltwater" = ocean. "Blupela" (blue) adds the "-pela" suffix to the color adjective "blu."

  10. Gras bilong solwara i naispela.

    The seaweed is beautiful.

    Usage

    When talking about underwater nature such as seaweed

    Grammar Note

    "Gras bilong solwara" (grass of the sea) = "gras" (grass) + "bilong solwara" (of the ocean). This illustrates Tok Pisin's creative use of "bilong" to build descriptive compounds.

More Tok Pisin phrases

Browse all TravelPhrases languages