A - a

a   pron. he, she, it; 3SG irrealis subject pronoun. A kiri? Is it going to rain? See: mo.

a le tavilihahi   v.phr. quickly, immediately, at once. O vano ana vanua ronjoa a le tavilihahi! Go to the hospital at once!

a te tuai   v.phr. soon, in a little while. Nanatuku, a te tuai kumbo vanotiu kamim. My children, soon I will be leaving you.

aeni   interj. an expression of surprise or disbelief; Really!

aente   interj. an expression to show one does not know the answer to something, and that it is not important, as with a shrug of the shoulders; No idea!; Could be, I don''t know!

aie   adv. there. Tamalohi waririhi nale ovi aie hisara duli. Little people called 'duli' used to live there.

aien   adv. here. Iau kule ate aien manihi. I'm just staying here.

aiente   quant. some. Aiente bong ravavine rindi na jivo Vila. Sometimes the women went to Vila.

aimo   n. home. Na laia mo mai aimo They brought it home. Truk mo mai matana ne nia mote ate aimo. The truck came for him but he wasn't home.

aiono   num. six. Variant: haiono.

aira   vi. wet. Ruru na aira. The clothes are wet. Tano mo aira. The ground is wet.

aiso   conj. then, afterwards. Kumbo jivo Vila aiso kumbo mule. I'll go down to Vila and then I'll return home.

aka   n. general term for a boat. Votawaina mo ate ana batui aka. Her older sister sat in the bow of the boat.

aka hambahambana   n. sailboat, sailing ship.

aka mo buloa   n. shipwreck.

aka suasua   n. canoe, small boat used with oars.

alau   loc.n. coast, shore; direction of coast/ shore from inland. Alima nale ovi alau. Five lived down on the coast. Ka jivo alau. We went down to the shore. Usage: With verbs of 'going', alau can only be used with jive.

ale₁   conj. if. Ale a alo, vetai na sula a duhu. If it's sunny, bananas grow well. Usage: Often replaced by are, because of frequent use of ale 2.

ale₂   interj. 1 • alright then, okay. From: Bislama.

2 • An expression of discomfort or some pain, such as when back or leg is hurting; 'Oo-ah!'.

alima   num. five. Variant: halima.

alo₁   n. sun.

alo₂   vi. swim. Tovon na jivo alau, mo matahu matani mote matavosai a alo. When they went down to the shore, he was scared because he couldn't swim.

alo mo suvu   v.phr. sunset, sun is going down /went down. Tovon alo mo suv, a suvutoho a mai aimo a hanhani. When the sun went down, he would hurry to get home to eat. Variant: suv.

alo (mo) koru   v.phr. sunny over a long period of time, a hot drying sun.

alo (mo) rerehi   v.phr. early afternoon about 2 or 3 o'clock when the sun starts to go lower in the sky.

alo (mo) tavuranda   v.phr. sunrise, first light, time when the sun is rising.

alo (mo) vosa   v.phr. sun overhead,middle of the day, See: butengi.

alolo   loc.n. in the inner or inside part of s.t. Na suvuruhu na jivo alolo. They hurried to go inside. Usage: Often used to refer to being inside a house.

alolona   n. garden for soft yams, where the garden is in use and productive. See: kari.

Alotu   prop.n. name given to the island of Santo, immediately to the north of Malo. Kumbo vano Alotu avuho. I'm going to Santo tomorrow.

alotusi   vt. swim across somewhere.

alovi   vt. beckon s.o. to come, using hand movement. Mo aloviau. He beckoned me to come.

alua-   n. nephew. Aluana ata sile tovu a vano telei te nona vorae atea. His nephew would give sugar cane again to go to some brother of his. Usage: Male speaker referring to sister's son; female speaker referring to husband's sister's son.

alungi   vt. put a laplap leaf quickly over a fire to dry out the leaf a little.

ambe   vi. killed on purpose, dead by killing as in a fight. Mo ambe. He's been killed. See: tanumuei ambe.

ambea   interr. where. Muende arua nate matavosai nambo ambea. Those two didn't know where they would go. Vui mo vano ambea? Where has Vui gone?

ambeluai   vt. wound someone, kill someone on purpose.

ambeluaia   n. wounds, killing, done on purpose.

ambitu   num. seven. Variant: hambitu.

ambo sohena   v.phr. amen.

ambu   n. fruit of the vuiambu (tree). The fruit has poisonous seeds; these were traditionally used for catching fish by throwing the fruit in the water to poison/stun the fish. The method was not always popular, as both the desired and the undesired fish were killed.

amiami   vi. bitter to taste. Nia dam amiami. It's a bitter-tasting yam.

ana   prep. in, at, to, from. Mo walau ana mesu. He ran into/ out from/ the bush.

anataem   vi. give thanks, be grateful. Ku anataem ku masere matana. Thank you so very much for it. Usage: Used only by older, or more traditional speakers See: manjine.

Anavu   prop.n. name given to Malakula island, immediately south of Malo.

andi   adv. skilful, proficient, good at something. Mo andi sorasora. He's good at speaking.

andihi   vt. ordain s.o. Pasta mo andihira ana Sande. The pastor ordained them on Sunday.

andosale   n. nettlefish.

anji₁   vt. scoop out, prise off something. Mo anji na bombo. He scooped out the coconut flesh.

anji₂   vt. spread out. Ka anji na dilana. We spread out its (the fireplace's) stones.

Aore   prop.n. name of the island to the east closest to Malo.

Araha   prop.n. Pentecost island.

Araki   prop.n. name of a small island between Malo and Santo.

arouvohivohi   n. twins, one boy, one girl. See: havo.

arua   num. two. Variant: harua.

asahi   vt. light a lamp.

asa-   loc.n. home, one's own traditional place. asaku my place (where I belong). Also used in reference to one's father's and paternal grandfather's traditional lands, even though one might no longer live there.

ase   vt. share out s.o., divide s.t.

asease   vi. be sharing out, be dividing.

aseikala   n. woven wall pattern. Bamboo strips are woven on the diagonal in a closed V pattern, a popular design for the walls of houses.

asena   adv. very, extremely. Nom ovia mo duhu asena. Your life is very good.

ase-   n. chin, jaw. aseku my chin.

asi   n. rope, vine. Many different kinds for different purposes and of different strengths. Ropes that last a long time include asi hamalidovu, asi vuavolavola, asi tasiho, asi daeha. Longest lasting rope for house or boat use is asi venue.

asi aka   n. rope used to tie an outrigger.

asi heletu   n. rope used to secure a pig.

asi imbuito   n. umbilical cord.

asihi   n. a strong personal force or honour, which is passed on to a man through the pig-killing ritual of the sumbuea. Usage: Old word, used mostly in reference to Kastom. See: susunahi.

asihiha   vi. lucky. Ku asihiha. I'm lucky.

asinduele   n. kind of rope or vine from the duele plant.

asitalu   vi. harvest yams. Turuvui kale asitalu, ka laia mo mai ana skul. Always when we harvest yams, we bring them to the church. See: bongi asitalu. Variant: astalu.

asitoho   n. day after tomorrow. Usage: Same in East dialect Variant: astoho.

asituatua   n. belt, one worn in kastom times. Mo ua, mo sahe mo hisi na asituatuana. The tide came up, and it went up as far as his belt. Variant: astuatua.

asituvua   n. kind of rope or vine hanging down from tree, strong enough to climb. Variant: asituwa; astuwa.

asiviroviro   n. caterpillar. Asviroviro mo nohi vembe. The caterpillar changed into a butterfly. Variant: asviroviro.

asu₁   n. smoke, what can often be seen as white or grey in the air arising from a fire.

asu₂   vi. be smoky or smoking, as when a fire is burning. Variant: asuasu.

asua   num. nine. Variant: hasua.

atano   loc.n. down, on the ground.

ate   vi. sit, stay, be there. Mole ate? Is he/she/it there? Iau kule ate manihi. I'm just staying here.

ate bese   vi. sit leaning against something.

ate dindiho   vi. squat, balancing on toes.

ate sakinikini   vi. squat, with feet flat on ground.

ate vono   idiom. be idle, doing nothing. Tamalohi rindi mo ate vono. That man just sits around.

ate voro   idiom. weak, not able to walk a long way, as with an old or sick person. Mama mo ate voro, mo tere ata sahe aulu. Dad is not able to walk much, he's no longer going up to the gardens. See: eno voro.

atea   num. 1 • one, someone. Heletu atea mo tihai ana mesu. One pig is lost in the bush. Atea mo mai, hisei? Someone came, who was it?

2 • a, indefinite reference. Burusi atea mo hao ana vuhatombola atea. A wild vine grew on a dragon plum tree. Variant: hatea.

ateateahi   num. one each, each other, one at a time. O silera vetai ateateahi. Give them one banana each. Na tuanira ateateahi. They help each other. No mai ateateahi. Come in one at a time. Usage: Distributive function also used with other numbers, as in alimalimahi five by five, five each, etc.

atei   n. chair, stool, something to sit on.

ateletea   interj. an exclamation to stop another's action for a short time; Not yet!

atete   v.phr. 1 • no, a negative reply. A kiri? Is it going to rain? Atete! No! Usage: Used to express a negative to events to which one cannot know the answer See: motete.

2 • if not, if it's no, should it not be. Sondo a mai, atete ku mule. Perhaps he'll come, if not I'll go home.

atetewati   interj. an exclamation to express a negative incredulity or disbelief; Impossible! Can't be done! Usage: Older speakers.

atihai   loc.n. distant, far away, long way away. Nale sahasaha ana alolona atihai. They are working in a yam garden a long way away. See: tihai.

atolu   num. three. Variant: hatolu.

aulu   loc.n. up direction, up in the air, high area of s.w. Voi mo sahe aulu moiso Mum's already gone up to the gardens. Usage: Often used with reference to bush, gardens, as these are on the higher plateau of Malo. To indicate 'going', aulu can only be used with sahe.

auta   loc.n. shore direction (from sea), inland direction, middle of island (from coast). Harivi rindi mo walau mo sahe auta, mo hao mo sahe ana vuhai atea. That rat ran up on the shore. and climbed up into a tree.

ava   v. let, allow. Ava na mai! Let them come!

avae   n. general term for a ray fish.

avae kakarai   n. eagle ray fish.

avahi   vt. swing something or someone.

avahisi   v.phr. until, up to. Nambo sundusundu aien avahis Krisimis. They will teach here until Christmas. Variant: avahis.

avareo   loc.n. in the outside area of somewhere. Nole ate wanju aimo, note vano avareo. You're staying quietly at home, don't go outside.

avati   num. four. Variant: havati.

avisa   num. 1 • some, a few. Tamalohi avisa na mai, nate were. A few people came, there weren't many.

2 • how many? Bulam toa avisa? How many chickens have you got? Variant: havisa.

avu₁   n. lime ash. See: batiavu; banoi.

avu₂   vt. prise up, lever up something, especially to dig up the ground with indule stick prior to planting yams. Nale avu na tano. They are digging up the ground.

avu₃   vi. fly, spread wings and travel through the air. Mala rindi mo avu mo sahe ana vuhai. The hawk flew up into the tree. Ka avu tolu ana plen rindi. We travelled together in the plane. See: sale.

avua   n. turtle. Avua mana siho na le ovi ana ureure vorivori atea. Turtle and kingfisher used to live on a little island.

avualu   num. eight. Variant: awalu.

avuavu₁   vi. spread on cement (of lime) on walls.

avuavu₂   vi. pull out, lever earth, with lots of people at the same time.

avuavu₃   vi. be flying. See: manji avuavu.

avuavuri   vi. smear ash on body during mourning time as part of Kastom ceremonies (females only). The ash can be removed from 7th day after death of the relative.

avuho   n. tomorrow. Tamalohi rindi ambo kakau Vila avuho. The man will arrive in Vila tomorrow. Usage: Same in East dialect

avulahi   vi. feel surprised and happy.

avusi   vt. remove ash, clear out ash, from earth oven. Tinaku mo avusi na buru moiso. My mother has finished clearing out the ash from the oven.

avusi buru talaua   n.phr. ring around the moon.

avutehi   vi. appear suddenly without warning. Mo avutehi telei vavine rindi. It appeared suddenly to the woman.

avuti   vt. tie up leaves around laplap. Ka avuti na wewe moiso. We've finished tying up the laptop in the leaves.

avutusi   vt. fly across somewhere.

awei   vt. rebuke someone, talk strongly to someone. Tamaku mo aweia. My father talked strongly to him.

a-   gramm.part. at, in, on; locative marker. alolo in the inside part. atano on the ground. Usage: Separable only with some words, e.g. lolo, tano, but fused with others auta, alau.

-a   pron. him, her, it; 3SG object pronoun. Ku lolia I did it.