Airport & Customs

1. Ng ngera a uchul a omerolem?

   Ng nge-ra a u-chul a o-me-ro-lem?

   What is the purpose of your visit?

   Usage

   Standard immigration question

   Grammar Note

   "Ng ngera a uchul ...?" is the set frame for asking a reason (example: Ng ngera a uchul me ke mlo er a Saibal? = why did you go to Saipan?). "Omerolem" is the 2nd-person possessed form of "omerael" (trip)

2. Ng tela el klebesei a klteket er kau?

   Ng te-la el kle-be-sei a kl-te-ket er kau?

   How many nights are you planning to stay?

   Usage

   Commonly asked at immigration

   Grammar Note

   "Ng tela a X?" is the set frame for asking a quantity (example: Ng tela a cheral? = how much does it cost?). "El" is the linker joining numerals to nouns, as in "ede el klebesei" (three nights). "Klteket" = duration of stay

3. Ng diak el mei a nimots er ngak.

   Ng di-ak el mei a ni-mots er ngak.

   My luggage hasn't arrived

   Usage

   Tell baggage claim staff

   Grammar Note

   "Ng diak el ..." is the fixed negator placed at the front of the clause; Palauan marks negation with this phrase rather than on the verb. "Nimots" (luggage) is borrowed from Japanese "nimotsu"

4. Tia a nimots er a chim.

   Ti-a a ni-mots er a chim.

   This is carry-on luggage

   Usage

   Tell airline staff at check-in or boarding gate

   Grammar Note

   "Tia a X" is the set frame for "this is X" (example: Tia a telkib el beralm. = this tastes a little bland). "X er a Y" is the productive pattern for "X of/for Y", so "nimots er a chim" = hand luggage

5. Ng ngar er ker a gate?

   Ng ngar er ker a gate?

   Where is the gate?

   Usage

   Ask when looking for your boarding gate

   Grammar Note

   "Ng ngar er ker a X?" is the set frame for "where is X?"; the location interrogative is "er ker"

6. A boarding a mo omuchel er a oingerang?

   A boar-ding a mo o-mu-chel er a oi-nge-rang?

   When does boarding begin?

   Usage

   Ask while waiting at the boarding gate

   Grammar Note

   "A X a mo omuchel er a oingerang?" = "when does X begin?"; the time interrogative "oingerang" follows the preposition "er a"

7. Ng ngar er ker a duty-free shop?

   Ng ngar er ker a du-ty-free shop?

   Where is the duty-free shop?

   Usage

   Ask after clearing security

   Grammar Note

   Airport terms are used in English in Palau; the frame for asking a location is "Ng ngar er ker a X?"

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