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
87 core words in Bislama
Sources
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: English-based creole
| Meaning | Bislama | Pijin | Torres Strait Creole | Tok Pisin | Krio | Nigerian Pidgin | Jamaican Patois |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | wota /wota/ | wata /wata/ | woda /woda/ | wara /waɾa/ | wata /ˈwata/ | wọtá /wɔta/ | waata /waːta/ |
| Fire | faea /faea/ | faea /faja/ | paya /paja/ | paia /paja/ | faya /ˈfaja/ | faya /faja/ | faiya /faja/ |
| Sun | san /san/ | san /san/ | san /san/ | san /san/ | san /san/ | sọn /sɔn/ | son /sɔn/ |
| Moon | mun /mun/ | mun /mun/ | mun /mun/ | mun /mun/ | mun /mun/ | mun /mun/ | muun /muːn/ |
| Star | sta /sta/ | sta /sta/ | sta /sta/ | sta /sta/ | sta /sta/ | star /staː/ | staar /staː/ |
| Night | naet /naet/ | naet /naet/ | nait /nait/ | nait /nait/ | nɛt /nɛt/ | nait /nait/ | nait /nait/ |
| Rain | ren /rɛn/ | ren /ren/ | ren /ren/ | ren /ren/ | ren /rɛn/ | rain /reːn/ | rien /rien/ |
| Snow | sno /sno/ | snou /snou/ | — | ais /ais/ | sno /sno/ | snow /sno/ | sunuo /sunuo/ |
| Wind | win /win/ | win /win/ | win /win/ | win /win/ | briz /briz/ | win /win/ | briiz /briːz/ |
| Earth | graon /ɡraon/ | graon /ɡraon/ | graun /ɡraun/ | graun /ɡraun/ | gron /ɡrɔn/ | graun /ɡraʊn/ | grung /ɡrʌŋ/ |
| Stone | ston /ston/ | ston /ston/ | ston /ston/ | ston /ston/ | ston /stɔn/ | ston /ston/ | stuon /stuon/ |
| Mountain | maunten /maunten/ | maonden /maonden/ | maunten /maunten/ | maunten /maunten/ | mawnten /ˈmawnten/ | mountin /maʊntin/ | mountn /mountn/ |
| Sea | solwora /solwora/ | solwata /solwata/ | solwata /solwata/ | solwara /solwaɾa/ | si /si/ | sea /si/ | sii /siː/ |
| Mother | mama /mama/ | mami /mami/ | ama /ama/ | mama /mama/ | mama /ˈmama/ | mama /mama/ | mada /mɑdə/ |
| Father | papa /papa/ | dadi /dadi/ | papa /papa/ | papa /papa/ | papa /ˈpapa/ | papa /papa/ | faada /faːda/ |
| Daughter | gel /ɡel/ | dota /dota/ | gel /ɡel/ | pikinini meri /pikinini meri/ | gyal pikin /ɡjal pikin/ | girl pikin /ɡɛl pikin/ | daata /dɑːtə/ |
| I | mi /mi/ | mi /mi/ | ai /ai/ | mi /mi/ | mi /mi/ | A /a/ | mi /mi/ |
| You | yu /ju/ | iu /iu/ | yu /ju/ | yu /ju/ | yu /ju/ | you /ju/ | yu /ju/ |
| We | yumi / mifala /jumi / mifala/ | iumi / mifala /jumi / mifala/ | yumpla / mipla /jumpla / mipla/ | yumi / mipela /jumi / mipela/ | wi /wi/ | wi /wi/ | wi /wi/ |
| Name | nem /nem/ | nem /nem/ | nem /nem/ | nem /nem/ | nem /nɛm/ | nem /nɛm/ | niem /niem/ |
| Person | man /man/ | man /man/ | — | man /man/ | pɔsin /pɔsin/ | pesin /pɛsin/ | sumadi /sumadi/ |
| Head | hed /hed/ | hed /hed/ | ed /ed/ | het /het/ | ed /ed/ | head /hɛd/ | ed /ɛd/ |
| Eye | ae /ae/ | ae /ae/ | ai /aj/ | ai /aj/ | ay /aj/ | ai /aɪ/ | yai /jaɪ/ |
| Ear | ia /ia/ | ia /ia/ | talinga /taliŋa/ | yau /jau/ | yes /jes/ | ear /ia/ | iez /iez/ |
| Nose | nus /nus/ | nos /nos/ | nus /nus/ | nus /nus/ | nos /nɔs/ | nose /noːs/ | nuoz /nuoz/ |
| Mouth | maot /maot/ | maot /maot/ | maut /maut/ | maus /maus/ | mɔt /mɔt/ | mout /maʊt/ | mout /mout/ |
| Tooth | tut /tut/ | titi /titi/ | tit /tit/ | tit /tit/ | tit /tit/ | tit /tit/ | tiit /tiːt/ |
| Tongue | tang /taŋ/ | tang /taŋ/ | tang /taŋ/ | tang /taŋ/ | tɔŋ /tɔŋ/ | tong /tɔŋ/ | tong /tɔŋ/ |
| Hand | han /han/ | han /han/ | an /an/ | han /han/ | an /an/ | hand /hand/ | an /an/ |
| Foot | leg /leɡ/ | leg /leɡ/ | put /put/ | lek /lek/ | fut /fut/ | leg /lɛɡ/ | fut /fʊt/ |
| Heart | bel /bel/ | hat /hat/ | at /at/ | bel /bel/ | at /at/ | hat /hat/ | aat /aːt/ |
| Bone | bun /bun/ | bon /bon/ | bon /bon/ | bun /bun/ | bon /bɔn/ | bón /bɔn/ | buon /bʊɔn/ |
| Blood | blad /blad/ | blad /blad/ | blad /blad/ | blut /blut/ | blɔd /blɔd/ | blod /blɔd/ | blod /blʌd/ |
| Poop | kaka /kaka/ | kaka /kaka/ | kaka /kaka/ | pekpek /pɛkpɛk/ | kaka /kaˈka/ | shit /ʃit/ | kaka /kaka/ |
| Love | laekem /laekem/ | lavem /lavem/ | lavem /lavem/ | laikim /lajkim/ | lɛk /lɛk/ | lọv /lɔv/ | lov /lɔv/ |
| Tree | tri /tri/ | tri /tri/ | tri /tri/ | diwai /diwaj/ | tik /tik/ | tri /tɾi/ | chrii /tʃɹiː/ |
| Dog | dog /doɡ/ | dogi /doɡi/ | dog /doɡ/ | dok /dok/ | dɔg /dɔɡ/ | dọg /dɔɡ/ | daag /daːɡ/ |
| Cat | pusi /pusi/ | puskat /puskat/ | pusiket /pusiket/ | pusi /pusi/ | pus /pus/ | pus /pus/ | puss /pʊs/ |
| Fish | fis /fis/ | fis /fis/ | pis /pis/ | pis /pis/ | fis /fis/ | fish /fiʃ/ | fish /fɪʃ/ |
| Bird | pijin /pidʒin/ | bed /bed/ | pizin /pizin/ | pisin /ˈpisin/ | bɔd /bɔd/ | bird /bɛd/ | bod /bɔd/ |
| Butterfly | bataflae /bataflae/ | bataflae /bataflae/ | bataplai /bataplai/ | bataplai /bataplaj/ | bɔtaflay /bɔtaflaj/ | — | botaflai /bɔtaflai/ |
| Egg | eg /ɛɡ/ | eg /eɡ/ | eg /eɡ/ | kiau /kiau/ | eg /ɛɡ/ | egg /ɛɡ/ | eg /ɛɡ/ |
| Bear | bea /bea/ | bea /bea/ | bea /bea/ | bea /bea/ | bia /ˈbia/ | bear /bɛ/ | bier /biɛr/ |
| Horse | hos /hos/ | hos /hos/ | os /os/ | hos /hos/ | ɔs /ɔs/ | horse /hɔs/ | aas /aːs/ |
| House | haos /haos/ | haos /haos/ | haus /haus/ | haus /haus/ | os /os/ | haus /haʊs/ | ous /ɔus/ |
| Milk | melek /melek/ | susu /susu/ | susu /susu/ | susu /susu/ | milk /milk/ | milk /milk/ | milk /mɪlk/ |
| Honey | hani /hani/ | hani /hani/ | ani /ani/ | hani /hani/ | ɔni /ˈɔni/ | honey /hɔni/ | oni /ɔni/ |
| Salt | sol /sol/ | sol /sol/ | solt /solt/ | sol /sol/ | sɔl /sɔl/ | salt /sɔlt/ | saalt /saːlt/ |
| Wine | waen /waen/ | waen /waen/ | wain /wain/ | wain /wain/ | wayn /wain/ | wine /waɪn/ | wain /wain/ |
| Rice | raes /raes/ | raes /raes/ | rais /rais/ | rais /rais/ | rɛs /rɛs/ | rais /rais/ | rais /rais/ |
| Chocolate | joklet /dʒoklet/ | — | — | soklet /soklet/ | — | — | chaklit /tʃaklɪt/ |
| Iron | aean /aean/ | aean /aean/ | aian /aian/ | ain /ain/ | ayɛn /ˈajɛn/ | iron /aiɔn/ | aiyan /aijan/ |
| Wheel | wil /wil/ | wil /wil/ | wil /wil/ | wil /wil/ | wil /wil/ | wil /wil/ | wiil /wiːl/ |
| Silk | silik /silik/ | silk /silk/ | silk /silk/ | slika /slika/ | silk /silk/ | silk /silk/ | silk /sɪlk/ |
| Book | buk /buk/ | buk /buk/ | buk /buk/ | buk /buk/ | buk /buk/ | buk /buk/ | buk /bʊk/ |
| Eat | kakae /kakae/ | kaikai /kajkaj/ | kaikai /kajkaj/ | kaikai /kajkaj/ | it /it/ | chọp /tʃɔp/ | nyam /ɲam/ |
| Drink | dring /driŋ/ | drinkim /driŋkim/ | dringk /driŋk/ | dring /dɾiŋ/ | drink /driŋk/ | drink /dɾiŋk/ | jringk /dʒrɪŋk/ |
| Sleep | slip /slip/ | slip /slip/ | slip /slip/ | slip /slip/ | slip /slip/ | slip /slip/ | sliip /sliːp/ |
| One | wan /wan/ | wanfala /wanfala/ | wan /wan/ | wanpela /wanpɛla/ | wan /wan/ | wan /wan/ | wan /wan/ |
| Two | tu /tu/ | tufala /tufala/ | tu /tu/ | tu /tu/ | tu /tu/ | tu /tu/ | tuu /tuː/ |
| Three | tri /tri/ | trifala /trifala/ | tri /tri/ | tripela /tripɛla/ | tri /tri/ | tri /tri/ | chrii /tʃɹiː/ |
| Four | fo /fo/ | fofala /fofala/ | fo /fo/ | fopela /fopɛla/ | fo /fo/ | fo /fɔ/ | fuo /fuo/ |
| Five | faev /faev/ | faefala /faefala/ | faiv /faiv/ | faiv /faiv/ | fayv /faiv/ | faiv /faiv/ | faiv /faiv/ |
| Hundred | handred /handred/ | handred /handred/ | andred /andred/ | handet /handet/ | ɔndrɛd /ˈɔndrɛd/ | hundred /hɔndrɛd/ | onjrid /ɔndʒrɪd/ |
| Hello | halo /halo/ | halo /halo/ | wis wei /wis wej/ | halo /halo/ | kushɛ /kuˈʃɛ/ | how far /haʊ faː/ | wah gwaan /wɑ ɡwɑːn/ |
| Thank you | tangkyu /taŋkju/ | tagio /taɡio/ | eso /eso/ | tenkyu /tɛŋkju/ | tɛnki /ˈtɛŋki/ | tenki /tɛnki/ | tanks /taŋks/ |
| Good | gud /ɡud/ | gud /ɡud/ | gud /ɡud/ | gutpela /ɡutpɛla/ | gud /ɡud/ | fain /faɪn/ | gud /ɡʊd/ |
| New | niufala /niufala/ | niu /niu/ | niu /niu/ | nupela /nupɛla/ | nyu /nju/ | new /nju/ | nyuu /ɲuː/ |
| Red | red /red/ | red /red/ | red /red/ | retpela /retpela/ | rɛd /rɛd/ | red /rɛd/ | red /ɹɛd/ |
| White | waet /waet/ | waet /waet/ | wait /wait/ | waitpela /waitpela/ | wayt /wajt/ | white /waɪt/ | wait /wait/ |
| Black | blak /blak/ | blak /blak/ | blak /blak/ | blakpela /blakpela/ | blak /blak/ | black /blak/ | blak /blak/ |
| Green | grin /ɡrin/ | grin /ɡrin/ | grin /ɡrin/ | grinpela /ɡrinpela/ | grin /ɡrin/ | green /ɡrin/ | griin /ɡɹiːn/ |
| Blue | blu /blu/ | blu /blu/ | blu /blu/ | blupela /blupela/ | blu /blu/ | blue /blu/ | blu /blu/ |
| Computer | kompiuta /kompiuta/ | kompiuta /kompiuta/ | — | komputa /komˈputa/ | kɔmpyuta /kɔmpjuta/ | kọmputa /kɔmpútà/ | kompyuuta /komˈpjuːta/ |
| Tea | ti /ti/ | ti /ti/ | — | ti /ti/ | ti /ti/ | tea /ti/ | tii /tiː/ |
| Coffee | kofi /kofi/ | kofi /kofi/ | — | kopi /kopi/ | kɔfi /ˈkɔfi/ | coffee /kɔfi/ | kaafi /kaːfi/ |
| Sugar | suga /suɡa/ | suga /suɡa/ | — | suga /suɡa/ | shuga /ˈʃuɡa/ | — | shuga /ʃuɡa/ |
| Orange | orenj /orendʒ/ | orens /orens/ | — | muli /muli/ | oranj /ɔˈrandʒ/ | orenj /ɔˈrɛndʒ/ | arinj /ˈarɪndʒ/ |
| Ninety-nine | naenti naen /naenti naen/ | naenti-naen /naenti naen/ | nainti nain /nainti nain/ | nainpela ten nain /nainpela ten nain/ | naynti-nayn /nainti nain/ | ninty-nine /nainti nain/ | nainti-nain /nainti nain/ |
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