Vehicles

15 phrases · Palauan with romanization, English and audio

  1. mlai

    Vehicle / car / canoe

    Usage

    The native word covering canoe, car and transport as one category — a sea people's word that stretched to cover land vehicles

  2. sidosia

    Car

    Usage

    Borrowed from Japanese "jidosha"; a word from the Japanese administration still in everyday use

  3. bas

    Bus

    Usage

    From English. Scheduled routes are very limited; in practice hotel shuttles do the work

  4. torak

    Truck

    Usage

    Borrowed by way of Japanese "torakku"

  5. chotobai

    Motorcycle

    Usage

    Borrowed from Japanese "otobai"

  6. rrat

    Bicycle

    Usage

    Borrowed from German "Rad", left over from the German administration

  7. skoki

    Airplane

    Usage

    Borrowed from Japanese "hikoki"; flights out of Koror are the only way off the islands

  8. bilas

    Boat

    Usage

    Everything to the Rock Islands and the outer islands goes by boat, and weather cancels trips

  9. bos

    Boat (motorless)

    Usage

    A boat without an engine, as distinct from "bilas"

  10. klubed

    Boat landing

    Usage

    Where boats put in at a village or island

  11. chambelangs

    Ambulance

    Usage

    Borrowed from English "ambulance"

  12. rael

    Road / way

    Usage

    Also used figuratively for a means or a solution, and even for the connection between families

  13. chades

    Stone-paved road / causeway

    Usage

    The old stone paths and causeways, seen at sites on Babeldaob

  14. kasorin

    Gasoline

    Usage

    Borrowed from Japanese "gasorin"; the English-derived "kas" is also used

  15. doraib

    To drive

    Usage

    Borrowed from English "drive"

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