Useful Phrases

1. Ak milruul a app tiang

   I made this app

   Usage

   Used when introducing an app you created

   Grammar Note

   Palauan is verb-initial (VOS). The preverbal particles ak / ke / ng carry subject agreement, and a full noun-phrase subject comes last (e.g. Ng mo el bub a laochel = "a storm is approaching"). An alternative analysis reads those particles as subject pronouns and puts the subject first, so the point is unsettled

2. Tia el app a tada

   This app is free

   Usage

   Used to inform someone the app is free of charge

   Grammar Note

   "Tada" is a loanword from Japanese ただ meaning "free of charge"; chelsel means "inside", not "cost"

3. Molasem el download er ngii.

   Please try downloading it

   Usage

   Used to encourage someone to download the app

   Grammar Note

   Palauan has no word for "please"; a polite request is simply the imperative (Bo mokokau el melekoi. = "Please speak slowly."). Molasem is the imperative of melasem "try"; the mel- to mol- shift is the same as melangch to Molangch! "Guess!". "melasem el + verb" means "try to do" (Ak mo melasem el merrob er a omelmechek er a buuch. = "I am going to try to stop chewing betelnut."). Modern actions such as download keep the English verb.

4. Ak chad er a Siabal.

   I'm Japanese

   Usage

   Basic phrase for introducing your nationality

   Grammar Note

   Japan is Siabal, and "a Japanese person" is the expression chad er a Siabal (alongside tekoi er a Siabal, "the Japanese language"). Chad is "person" and er a marks origin.

5. Ak chad el merael.

   I'm a traveler

   Usage

   Used to identify yourself as a tourist/traveler

   Grammar Note

   "Chad" (person) linked with "el" to "merael" (to travel) gives "traveller".

6. Ak merael el di ngak el tang.

   I'm traveling alone

   Usage

   Used to say you are traveling by yourself

   Grammar Note

   "El di ngak el tang" is an idiom meaning "alone, by myself" (literally "just me, one").

7. Ng ko el ta el ak mei er tiang.

   It's my first time here

   Usage

   Common phrase when visiting a place for the first time

   Grammar Note

   The idiom is ko el ta el ..., "the first time in a long while". Both examples use ta: Ng ko el ta el leme chull. = "It's the first time it's rained in a long while."; Ng ko er a ko el ta el mmermang. = "This is the first time you've been here in ages." The word tang means "foundation pillar; support post; stake" and is not used in this idiom.

8. Ak sebechek el chutsus?

   May I take a photo?

   Usage

   Used when asking permission to take a photo

   Grammar Note

   "Chutsus" is a loan from Japanese "utsusu" and is a transitive verb "take (a photo)"; it needs no affix to work as a verb.

9. Ak sebechek el chutsus er kid?

   Shall we take a photo together?

   Usage

   Used to suggest taking a photo together

   Grammar Note

   "Kid" is the inclusive first-person plural (we, including you), as opposed to the exclusive "kemam". Taking a photo together is expressed by making "kid" the object.

10. Ke sebechem el scan a QR code?

    Please scan the QR code

    Usage

    Used when asking someone to scan a QR code

    Grammar Note

    Palauan has no word for "please." A polite request is framed as Ke sebechem el ...? ("are you able to ...?"), as in Ng sebechem el meskak a sesei er a ralm? = "Can you give me some water?", or else said as a plain imperative. Modern verbs such as scan stay in English after el, as in el charge.

11. Lak mongeblad er ngak!

    Don't cheat me / Stop ripping me off

    Usage

    Used informally when you feel cheated or overcharged

    Grammar Note

    A negative command is Lak + imperative (Lak molim a biang! = "Don't drink beer!" - that molim is the imperative of melim "drink", not a word for "please"; also Lak mongerodech. = "Don't make noise."). Mongeblad is the imperative of mengeblad "deceive, cheat"; meng- to mong- is the same shift as mengerodech to mongerodech. A related phrase is choblad a udoud, "cheat someone out of money."

12. Lak momdasu el kmo ng diak a belkuk!

    Don't underestimate me / Don't look down on me

    Usage

    Used informally when someone is being dismissive or disrespectful toward you

    Grammar Note

    Omdasu is the verb "think", and its complement is introduced by el kmo (Ak omdasu el kmo a Droteo a me er a party. = "I think Droteo's coming to the party."). Momdasu is its imperative, as in lak momdasu. "Worthless" is diak a belkul (A klechelid er tirka el chad a diak a belkul. = "The religion of these people is worthless."), and belkuk is its first-person possessive.

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