Bislama phrasebook
Photo: Asamboi, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Bislama is a pidgin language used in Vanuatu and is now a creole in urban areas. Closely related but not identical to Tok Pisin in Papua New Guinea and Pijin in the Solomon Islands, it combines a typically Melanesian grammar with a mostly English vocabulary. It is the only language that can be understood and spoken by the whole population of Vanuatu, generally as a second language.
It is a mixture of phonetic English woven in a loose French sentence structure spoken with ‘local sound' producing some comical outcomes e.g., a lady's brassiere or bathing top is called "basket blong titi"; no offense intended. An excellent Bislama dictionary is available from good book shops: 'A New Bislama Dictionary,' by the late Terry Crowley.
Pronunciation guideBislama pronunciation is generally straightforward for English speakers, as much of the vocabulary is derived from English.
GrammarBislama pronouns have no gender and do not conjugate, but there are special forms for two and three people, as well as a distinction between inclusive we, when the person you're speaking to is in the group, and…
Phrase listMonths are usually the English names, sometimes slightly adapted.
Learning more
Sources and licences
- Guide text adapted from the Wikivoyage article "Bislama phrasebook" by its contributors, available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read on Wikivoyage · Contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Photo: Asamboi, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons