A tekoi er a Belau

Palauan

Austronesian

FamilyAustronesian Speakers~17K ScriptLatin CountriesPalau Official inPalau (alongside English) Vitalityvulnerable ISO 639-3pau

Palauan (Tekoi er a Belau) is an Austronesian language with ~17K speakers — co-official with English in the Republic of Palau (Western Pacific). Sole representative of its branch within Western Malayo-Polynesian. Latin orthography developed by missionaries 19th c. Influenced by Japanese (1914-1944 mandate era) — daiber "telephone" from Japanese denwa, etc. Polite-speech levels; complex possessive system.

Where it is spoken

20 core words in Palauan

Water

ralm

/ɾalm/

Fire

ngau

/ŋau/

Sun

sils

/sils/

Moon

buil

/buil/

Mother

delak

/ðɛlak/

Father

demak

/ðɛmak/

Eat

mengang

/mɛŋaŋ/

Drink

melim

/mɛlim/

Love

klou el reng

/klou ɛl ɾɛŋ/

Heart

reng

/ɾɛŋ/

Tree

kerrekar

/kɛrːɛkar/

House

blai

/blai/

Dog

bilis

/biˈlis/

Cat

katuu

/katuː/

Hand

chim

/ʔim/

Eye

mad

/mað/

Hello

alii

/aliː/

Thank you

sulang

/sulaŋ/

One

tang

/taŋ/

Good

klou

/klou/

Sources

Words compared

Compared with related Austronesian languages

Meaning PalauanIlocanoBununGilberteseToba BatakCentral Cagayan AgtaMaranao
Water ralm /ɾalm/ danum /danum/ danum /danum/ ran /ɾan/ aek /aek/ danum /danum/ ig /iɡ/
Fire ngau /ŋau/ apoy /ʔaˈpoj/ sapuz /sapuz/ ai /ai/ api /api/ apuy /ʔaˈpuj/ apoy /apoj/
Sun sils /sils/ init /ʔinit/ vali /vali/ tai /tai/ mata ni ari /mata ni ari/ agew /ˈʔaɡew/ alongan /aloŋan/
Moon buil /buil/ bulan /bulan/ buan /buan/ namwakaina /namʷakaina/ bulan /bulan/ bulan /bulan/ bolan /bolan/
Mother delak /ðɛlak/ ina /ʔiˈna/ tina /tina/ tinau /tinau/ ina /ina/ ina /ʔiˈna/ ina /ina/
Father demak /ðɛmak/ ama /ʔaˈma/ tama /tama/ tamau /tamau/ ama /ama/ ama /ʔaˈma/ ama /ama/
Eat mengang /mɛŋaŋ/ mangan /maŋan/ maun /maun/ amwarake /amʷaɾake/ mangan /maŋan/ mangan /maŋan/ mangan /maŋan/
Drink melim /mɛlim/ uminom /ʔumiˈnom/ muqun /muqun/ nima /nima/ minum /minum/ uminom /ʔumiˈnom/ minom /minom/
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Word order compared

Compare with major world languages

Palauan
Ak ousbech el melakl a suit el ak milsa er a stoang el kmeed er a hotel
أنا أريد أن أجرب بدلة رأيتها في محل مقابل الفندق
试穿 酒店 对面的 商店 看到的 那套西装
I want to try on a suit I saw ‌in a shop across from the hotel
Ich möchte einen Anzug anprobieren den ich in einem Geschäft gegenüber vom Hotel gesehen habe
मैं होटल के सामने एक दुकान में देखा सूट को पहनकर देखना चाहता हूँ
私は ホテルの 向かいの お店 見た スーツを 試着 したいです
Я хочу примерить костюм который я увидел в магазине напротив отеля

Compare with closely-related languages

Gusto nako sulayan ang suit nga nakita nako sa tindahan atbang sa hotel
Au via vakatovolei e dua na ivakatagedegede ka au raica e na sitoa e na otela
Makemake au e hoʻāʻo i kahi kamaʻa aʻu i ʻike ai ma kahi hale kūʻai ma mua o ka hōkele
Kayatko a padasan ti suit a nakitak iti tiendaan sangbay ti hotel
Palauan
Ak ousbech el melakl a suit el ak milsa er a stoang el kmeed er a hotel

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