Bislama
English-based creole
Bislama is an English-based creole and the national language of Vanuatu, evolving from the 19th-century South Pacific labor trade ('blackbirding'). With 'yumi' (we-inclusive) vs 'mifala' (we-exclusive), it preserves Oceanic-style pronoun distinctions absent in standard English. Sister languages are Tok Pisin (Papua New Guinea) and Pijin (Solomon Islands).
Where it is spoken
31 core words in Bislama
Water
wota
/wota/
Fire
faea
/faea/
Sun
san
/san/
Moon
mun
/mun/
Star
sta
/sta/
Mother
mama
/mama/
Father
papa
/papa/
I
mi
/mi/
You
yu
/ju/
Name
nem
/nem/
Eye
ae
/ae/
Hand
han
/han/
Heart
bel
/bel/
Love
laekem
/laekem/
Tree
tri
/tri/
House
haos
/haos/
Dog
dog
/doɡ/
Cat
pusi
/pusi/
Eat
kakae
/kakae/
Drink
dring
/driŋ/
One
wan
/wan/
Two
tu
/tu/
Hello
halo
/halo/
Thank you
tangkyu
/taŋkju/
Good
gud
/ɡud/
Sources
Words compared
Compared with related English-based creole languages
| Meaning | Bislama | Pijin | Tok Pisin | Torres Strait Creole | Krio | Sranan Tongo | Nigerian Pidgin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | wota /wota/ | wata /wata/ | wara /waɾa/ | woda /woda/ | wata /ˈwata/ | watra /watra/ | wọtá /wɔta/ |
| Fire | faea /faea/ | faea /faja/ | paia /paja/ | paya /paja/ | faya /ˈfaja/ | faya /faja/ | faya /faja/ |
| Sun | san /san/ | san /san/ | san /san/ | san /san/ | san /san/ | son /son/ | sọn /sɔn/ |
| Moon | mun /mun/ | mun /mun/ | mun /mun/ | mun /mun/ | mun /mun/ | mun /mun/ | mun /mun/ |
| Star | sta /sta/ | sta /sta/ | sta /sta/ | sta /sta/ | star /staː/ | stari /ˈstari/ | star /staː/ |
| Mother | mama /mama/ | mami /mami/ | mama /mama/ | mama /mama/ | mama /ˈmama/ | mama /mama/ | mama /mama/ |
| Father | papa /papa/ | dadi /dadi/ | papa /papa/ | papa /papa/ | papa /ˈpapa/ | papa /papa/ | papa /papa/ |
| I | mi /mi/ | mi /mi/ | mi /mi/ | ai /ai/ | mi /mi/ | mi /mi/ | A /a/ |
| You | yu /ju/ | iu /iu/ | yu /ju/ | yu /ju/ | yu /ju/ | yu /ju/ | you /ju/ |
| Name | nem /nem/ | nem /nem/ | nem /nem/ | nem /nem/ | nem /nɛm/ | nen /nɛn/ | nem /nɛm/ |
| Eye | ae /ae/ | ae /ae/ | ai /aj/ | ai /aj/ | ay /aj/ | ai /ai/ | ai /aɪ/ |
| Hand | han /han/ | han /han/ | han /han/ | han /han/ | an /an/ | anu /anu/ | hand /hand/ |
| Heart | bel /bel/ | hat /hat/ | bel /bel/ | hart /hart/ | at /at/ | ati /ati/ | hat /hat/ |
| Love | laekem /laekem/ | lavem /lavem/ | laikim /lajkim/ | lavem /lavɛm/ | lɛk /lɛk/ | lobi /lobi/ | lọv /lɔv/ |
| Tree | tri /tri/ | tri /tri/ | diwai /diwaj/ | tri /tri/ | tik /tik/ | bon /boŋ/ | tri /tɾi/ |
| House | haos /haos/ | haos /haos/ | haus /haʊs/ | haus /haʊs/ | os /ɔs/ | oso /oso/ | haus /haʊs/ |
| Dog | dog /doɡ/ | dogi /doɡi/ | dok /dok/ | dog /dɔɡ/ | dɔg /dɔɡ/ | dagu /daɡu/ | dọg /dɔɡ/ |
| Cat | pusi /pusi/ | puskat /puskat/ | pusi /pusi/ | pusiket /pusiket/ | pus /pus/ | poesi /pusi/ | pus /pus/ |
| Eat | kakae /kakae/ | kaikai /kajkaj/ | kaikai /kajkaj/ | kaikai /kajkaj/ | it /it/ | nyan /ɲan/ | chọp /tʃɔp/ |
| Drink | dring /driŋ/ | dring /driŋ/ | dring /dɾiŋ/ | dringk /driŋk/ | drink /drɪŋk/ | dringi /driŋi/ | drink /dɾiŋk/ |
| One | wan /wan/ | wanfala /wanfala/ | wanpela /wanpɛla/ | wan /wan/ | wan /wan/ | wan /wan/ | wan /wan/ |
| Two | tu /tu/ | tu /tu/ | tu /tu/ | tu /tu/ | tu /tu/ | tu /tu/ | tu /tu/ |
| Hello | halo /halo/ | halo /halo/ | halo /halo/ | wis wei /wis wej/ | kushɛ /kuˈʃɛ/ | odi /odi/ | how far /haʊ faː/ |
| Thank you | tangkyu /taŋkju/ | tagio /taɡio/ | tenkyu /tɛŋkju/ | eso /ɛso/ | tɛnki /ˈtɛŋki/ | grantangi /ɡrantaŋi/ | tenki /tɛnki/ |
| Good | gud /ɡud/ | gud /ɡud/ | gutpela /ɡutpɛla/ | gud /ɡud/ | gud /ɡud/ | bun /bun/ | fain /faɪn/ |
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