Directions

1. Ng ngar er ker a rael er a ...?

   ng ngar er KER a ra-EL er a

   Where is the road to ...?

   Usage

   Asking for directions to a specific place

   Grammar Note

   "Where" is ker (Ng ngar er ker a X? = "Where is X?"). er is a preposition meaning "to / toward". techa means "who", not "where"

2. Morael er a meklou el rael

   mo-ra-EL er a me-KLOU el ra-EL

   Go to the main road

   Usage

   Directing someone to take the main road

   Grammar Note

   morael is the imperative of merael (to go, proceed). meklou is the plural form of klou (big)

3. Ng diak le cheroid

   ng di-AK le che-ROID

   It's not far

   Usage

   Telling someone that the destination is not far

   Grammar Note

   diak is the basic negation word

4. Ng cheroid

   ng che-ROID

   It's far

   Usage

   Informing someone that the destination is far

   Grammar Note

   ng is the Palauan copula meaning "it is"

5. Morael er a kadikm

   mo-ra-EL er a ka-DIKM

   Turn to the right

   Usage

   Directing someone to go right; the verb for "turn right" is mengladikm

   Grammar Note

   morael is the imperative of merael (to go). mengladikm can also be paraphrased as merael er a kadikm. kiei means "live / sit", not "right"

6. Morael er a katur

   mo-ra-EL er a ka-TUR

   Turn to the left

   Usage

   Directing someone to go left; the verb for "turn left" is menglasekl

   Grammar Note

   The paired direction words are kadikm (right) and katur (left); kebui means "betel pepper leaf" and has nothing to do with direction

7. Ng tela el kilomiter?

   ng te-la el ki-lo-MIT-er

   How many kilometers?

   Usage

   Asking about the distance in kilometers

   Grammar Note

   tela is the quantity question word (same pattern as Ng tela a cheral? = "How much is it?")

8. Mo er a medad el beluu?

   mo er a me-DAD el be-LUU

   Which village are you going to?

   Usage

   Asking which village someone is heading to

   Grammar Note

   medad is a question word meaning "which / what"

9. A mlei er ker?

   a mle-I er ker

   Where did you come from?

   Usage

   Asking where someone came from

   Grammar Note

   mlei is the past form of mei (to come), i.e. mle + i. ker means "where"

10. Ng teru el kilomiter er a Koror

    ng te-RU el ki-lo-MIT-er er a ko-ROR

    It's two kilometers to Koror

    Usage

    Giving the distance to Koror, Palau's main town

    Grammar Note

    teru is the Palauan numeral for "two"

11. kadikm

    Right

    Usage

    For taxis and directions — one word stays readable while moving

12. katur

    Left

    Usage

    For taxis and directions

13. melemalt

    Straight

    Usage

    To tell a taxi to keep going straight

14. diluches

    North

    Usage

    Also means the north wind

15. dimes

    South

    Usage

    Also means the south wind

16. ongos

    East

    Usage

    Also means the east wind

17. ngebard

    West

    Usage

    Also means the west wind — and, confusingly, the pineapple

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