Schedule & Booking

1. Em bai stat long wanem taim?

   What time will it start?

   Usage

   When asking what time an event or activity starts

   Grammar Note

   "Em bai stat" (it will start) is the third-person future construction. "Bai" is the future marker from English "by and by" (meaning "eventually/soon").

2. Wanem taim stoa i op?

   What time does the shop open?

   Usage

   When asking what time a shop or facility opens

   Grammar Note

   Tok Pisin "sop" is from English "soap" and means soap. A shop is "stoa". ⚠ "Opim" is wrong too: "-im" is the transitive suffix, so "opim" means "to open something". A shop being open is intransitive and takes bare "op" ("dua i op" = the door is open).

3. Em i pas long wanem taim?

   What time does it close?

   Usage

   When asking about closing time

   Grammar Note

   "Pas" (to close) is the antonym of "opim" (to open). It likely derives from English "fasten" or "pass" (to end/finish), showing Tok Pisin's flexible etymology.

4. Wanem taim balus bai kamap?

   What time will the plane arrive?

   Usage

   When checking a flight arrival time

   Grammar Note

   "Balus" (airplane) comes from a PNG local language meaning "pigeon/bird" that was extended to mean airplane. This is a substrate word, not from English.

5. Taim tebel i senis pinis.

   The timetable has changed.

   Usage

   When announcing a change in the timetable or schedule

   Grammar Note

   "Pinis" (completive marker) from English "finish" follows verbs to express "already done/completed." It's Tok Pisin's primary completive aspect marker.

6. Wanem de em i holide?

   When is the holiday?

   Usage

   When asking about holidays or days off

   Grammar Note

   "Holide" comes from English "holiday". "Wanem de" (which day/when) = "wanem" (what) + "de" (day), asking about the specific date. "Day" is "de", not the English-looking "dei".

7. Mi laik wokim wan apointmen.

   I want to make an appointment.

   Usage

   When making an appointment at a medical facility or service

   Grammar Note

   "Wokim" (to make/do) from "work him" is a general-purpose verb. "Apointmen" drops the final "t" of "appointment," fitting Tok Pisin's tendency to open syllables.

8. Stoa i op olgeta de?

   Is the shop open every day?

   Usage

   When checking if a shop operates every day

   Grammar Note

   "Every day" is "olgeta de". ⚠ "Day" is "de" — "dei" is English bleed-through. And "ol" is the plural marker, so "ol de" means "(some) days", not "every day"; totality is expressed with "olgeta". A shop is "stoa" (sop is soap), and "to be open" is intransitive "op".

9. Sip i lusim taun long wanem taim?

   What time will the ship depart?

   Usage

   When asking about ship or ferry departure time

   Grammar Note

   "Lusim" (to leave/depart) came from "loose him," meaning to release or depart. Note the distinction: "lus" (to be lost) vs "lusim" (to leave/release).

10. Wanem skejul bilong mun i kam?

    What is the schedule for next month?

    Usage

    When asking about future plans or schedules

    Grammar Note

    "Mun i kam" (next month) = "mun" (month) + "i kam" (is coming). Tok Pisin expresses "next" through a relative clause "the month that is coming," rather than a single word.

Browse all TravelPhrases languages