Pijin
English-based creole (Melanesian Pijin)
Pijin is the English-based Melanesian Pijin of the Solomon Islands, sister to Tok Pisin (Papua New Guinea) and Bislama (Vanuatu). The three together form the Melanesian Pijin continuum, sharing a core lexicon and substrate-influenced grammar from the labour-trade era of the 19th century, when Melanesians were recruited to Queensland sugar plantations and brought back a shared pidgin. Pijin is the de facto national language of the Solomon Islands and the lingua franca across its 80+ vernaculars.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Pijin
Sources
- SIL Solomon Islands — Pijin Wordlist
- Ethnologue 27: Pijin
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: English-based creole (Melanesian Pijin)
| Meaning | Pijin | Bislama | Torres Strait Creole | Tok Pisin | Nigerian Pidgin | Krio | Jamaican Patois |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | wata /wata/ | wota /wota/ | woda /woda/ | wara /waɾa/ | wọtá /wɔta/ | wata /ˈwata/ | waata /waːta/ |
| Fire | faea /faja/ | faea /faea/ | paya /paja/ | paia /paja/ | faya /faja/ | faya /ˈfaja/ | faiya /faja/ |
| Sun | san /san/ | san /san/ | san /san/ | san /san/ | sọn /sɔn/ | san /san/ | 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/ | star /staː/ | sta /sta/ | staar /staː/ |
| Night | naet /naet/ | naet /naet/ | nait /nait/ | nait /nait/ | nait /nait/ | nɛt /nɛt/ | nait /nait/ |
| Rain | ren /ren/ | ren /rɛn/ | ren /ren/ | ren /ren/ | rain /reːn/ | ren /rɛn/ | rien /rien/ |
| Snow | snou /snou/ | sno /sno/ | — | ais /ais/ | snow /sno/ | sno /sno/ | sunuo /sunuo/ |
| Wind | win /win/ | win /win/ | win /win/ | win /win/ | win /win/ | briz /briz/ | briiz /briːz/ |
| Earth | graon /ɡraon/ | graon /ɡraon/ | graun /ɡraun/ | graun /ɡraun/ | graun /ɡraʊn/ | gron /ɡrɔn/ | grung /ɡrʌŋ/ |
| Stone | ston /ston/ | ston /ston/ | ston /ston/ | ston /ston/ | ston /ston/ | ston /stɔn/ | stuon /stuon/ |
| Mountain | maonden /maonden/ | maunten /maunten/ | maunten /maunten/ | maunten /maunten/ | mountin /maʊntin/ | mawnten /ˈmawnten/ | mountn /mountn/ |
| Sea | solwata /solwata/ | solwora /solwora/ | solwata /solwata/ | solwara /solwaɾa/ | sea /si/ | si /si/ | sii /siː/ |
| Mother | mami /mami/ | mama /mama/ | ama /ama/ | mama /mama/ | mama /mama/ | mama /ˈmama/ | mada /mɑdə/ |
| Father | dadi /dadi/ | papa /papa/ | papa /papa/ | papa /papa/ | papa /papa/ | papa /ˈpapa/ | faada /faːda/ |
| Daughter | dota /dota/ | gel /ɡel/ | gel /ɡel/ | pikinini meri /pikinini meri/ | girl pikin /ɡɛl pikin/ | gyal pikin /ɡjal pikin/ | daata /dɑːtə/ |
| I | mi /mi/ | mi /mi/ | ai /ai/ | mi /mi/ | A /a/ | mi /mi/ | mi /mi/ |
| You | iu /iu/ | yu /ju/ | yu /ju/ | yu /ju/ | you /ju/ | yu /ju/ | yu /ju/ |
| We | iumi / mifala /jumi / mifala/ | yumi / 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/ | pesin /pɛsin/ | pɔsin /pɔsin/ | sumadi /sumadi/ |
| Head | hed /hed/ | hed /hed/ | ed /ed/ | het /het/ | head /hɛd/ | ed /ed/ | ed /ɛd/ |
| Eye | ae /ae/ | ae /ae/ | ai /aj/ | ai /aj/ | ai /aɪ/ | ay /aj/ | yai /jaɪ/ |
| Ear | ia /ia/ | ia /ia/ | talinga /taliŋa/ | yau /jau/ | ear /ia/ | yes /jes/ | iez /iez/ |
| Nose | nos /nos/ | nus /nus/ | nus /nus/ | nus /nus/ | nose /noːs/ | nos /nɔs/ | nuoz /nuoz/ |
| Mouth | maot /maot/ | maot /maot/ | maut /maut/ | maus /maus/ | mout /maʊt/ | mɔt /mɔt/ | mout /mout/ |
| Tooth | titi /titi/ | tut /tut/ | tit /tit/ | tit /tit/ | tit /tit/ | tit /tit/ | tiit /tiːt/ |
| Tongue | tang /taŋ/ | tang /taŋ/ | tang /taŋ/ | tang /taŋ/ | tong /tɔŋ/ | tɔŋ /tɔŋ/ | tong /tɔŋ/ |
| Hand | han /han/ | han /han/ | an /an/ | han /han/ | hand /hand/ | an /an/ | an /an/ |
| Foot | leg /leɡ/ | leg /leɡ/ | put /put/ | lek /lek/ | leg /lɛɡ/ | fut /fut/ | fut /fʊt/ |
| Heart | hat /hat/ | bel /bel/ | at /at/ | bel /bel/ | hat /hat/ | at /at/ | aat /aːt/ |
| Bone | bon /bon/ | bun /bun/ | bon /bon/ | bun /bun/ | bón /bɔn/ | bon /bɔn/ | buon /bʊɔn/ |
| Blood | blad /blad/ | blad /blad/ | blad /blad/ | blut /blut/ | blod /blɔd/ | blɔd /blɔd/ | blod /blʌd/ |
| Poop | kaka /kaka/ | kaka /kaka/ | kaka /kaka/ | pekpek /pɛkpɛk/ | shit /ʃit/ | kaka /kaˈka/ | kaka /kaka/ |
| Love | lavem /lavem/ | laekem /laekem/ | lavem /lavem/ | laikim /lajkim/ | lọv /lɔv/ | lɛk /lɛk/ | lov /lɔv/ |
| Tree | tri /tri/ | tri /tri/ | tri /tri/ | diwai /diwaj/ | tri /tɾi/ | tik /tik/ | chrii /tʃɹiː/ |
| Dog | dogi /doɡi/ | dog /doɡ/ | dog /doɡ/ | dok /dok/ | dọg /dɔɡ/ | dɔg /dɔɡ/ | daag /daːɡ/ |
| Cat | puskat /puskat/ | pusi /pusi/ | pusiket /pusiket/ | pusi /pusi/ | pus /pus/ | pus /pus/ | puss /pʊs/ |
| Fish | fis /fis/ | fis /fis/ | pis /pis/ | pis /pis/ | fish /fiʃ/ | fis /fis/ | fish /fɪʃ/ |
| Bird | bed /bed/ | pijin /pidʒin/ | pizin /pizin/ | pisin /ˈpisin/ | bird /bɛd/ | bɔd /bɔd/ | bod /bɔd/ |
| Butterfly | bataflae /bataflae/ | bataflae /bataflae/ | bataplai /bataplai/ | bataplai /bataplaj/ | — | bɔtaflay /bɔtaflaj/ | botaflai /bɔtaflai/ |
| Egg | eg /eɡ/ | eg /ɛɡ/ | eg /eɡ/ | kiau /kiau/ | egg /ɛɡ/ | eg /ɛɡ/ | eg /ɛɡ/ |
| Bear | bea /bea/ | bea /bea/ | bea /bea/ | bea /bea/ | bear /bɛ/ | bia /ˈbia/ | bier /biɛr/ |
| Horse | hos /hos/ | hos /hos/ | os /os/ | hos /hos/ | horse /hɔs/ | ɔs /ɔs/ | aas /aːs/ |
| House | haos /haos/ | haos /haos/ | haus /haus/ | haus /haus/ | haus /haʊs/ | os /os/ | ous /ɔus/ |
| Milk | susu /susu/ | melek /melek/ | susu /susu/ | susu /susu/ | milk /milk/ | milk /milk/ | milk /mɪlk/ |
| Honey | hani /hani/ | hani /hani/ | ani /ani/ | hani /hani/ | honey /hɔni/ | ɔni /ˈɔni/ | oni /ɔni/ |
| Salt | sol /sol/ | sol /sol/ | solt /solt/ | sol /sol/ | salt /sɔlt/ | sɔl /sɔl/ | saalt /saːlt/ |
| Wine | waen /waen/ | waen /waen/ | wain /wain/ | wain /wain/ | wine /waɪn/ | wayn /wain/ | wain /wain/ |
| Rice | raes /raes/ | raes /raes/ | rais /rais/ | rais /rais/ | rais /rais/ | rɛs /rɛs/ | rais /rais/ |
| Iron | aean /aean/ | aean /aean/ | aian /aian/ | ain /ain/ | iron /aiɔn/ | ayɛn /ˈajɛn/ | aiyan /aijan/ |
| Wheel | wil /wil/ | wil /wil/ | wil /wil/ | wil /wil/ | wil /wil/ | wil /wil/ | wiil /wiːl/ |
| Silk | silk /silk/ | silik /silik/ | 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 | kaikai /kajkaj/ | kakae /kakae/ | kaikai /kajkaj/ | kaikai /kajkaj/ | chọp /tʃɔp/ | it /it/ | nyam /ɲam/ |
| Drink | drinkim /driŋkim/ | dring /driŋ/ | dringk /driŋk/ | dring /dɾiŋ/ | drink /dɾiŋk/ | drink /driŋk/ | jringk /dʒrɪŋk/ |
| Sleep | slip /slip/ | slip /slip/ | slip /slip/ | slip /slip/ | slip /slip/ | slip /slip/ | sliip /sliːp/ |
| One | wanfala /wanfala/ | wan /wan/ | wan /wan/ | wanpela /wanpɛla/ | wan /wan/ | wan /wan/ | wan /wan/ |
| Two | tufala /tufala/ | tu /tu/ | tu /tu/ | tu /tu/ | tu /tu/ | tu /tu/ | tuu /tuː/ |
| Three | trifala /trifala/ | tri /tri/ | tri /tri/ | tripela /tripɛla/ | tri /tri/ | tri /tri/ | chrii /tʃɹiː/ |
| Four | fofala /fofala/ | fo /fo/ | fo /fo/ | fopela /fopɛla/ | fo /fɔ/ | fo /fo/ | fuo /fuo/ |
| Five | faefala /faefala/ | faev /faev/ | faiv /faiv/ | faiv /faiv/ | faiv /faiv/ | fayv /faiv/ | faiv /faiv/ |
| Hundred | handred /handred/ | handred /handred/ | andred /andred/ | handet /handet/ | hundred /hɔndrɛd/ | ɔndrɛd /ˈɔndrɛd/ | onjrid /ɔndʒrɪd/ |
| Hello | halo /halo/ | halo /halo/ | wis wei /wis wej/ | halo /halo/ | how far /haʊ faː/ | kushɛ /kuˈʃɛ/ | wah gwaan /wɑ ɡwɑːn/ |
| Thank you | tagio /taɡio/ | tangkyu /taŋkju/ | eso /eso/ | tenkyu /tɛŋkju/ | tenki /tɛnki/ | tɛnki /ˈtɛŋki/ | tanks /taŋks/ |
| Good | gud /ɡud/ | gud /ɡud/ | gud /ɡud/ | gutpela /ɡutpɛla/ | fain /faɪn/ | gud /ɡud/ | gud /ɡʊd/ |
| New | niu /niu/ | niufala /niufala/ | niu /niu/ | nupela /nupɛla/ | new /nju/ | nyu /nju/ | nyuu /ɲuː/ |
| Red | red /red/ | red /red/ | red /red/ | retpela /retpela/ | red /rɛd/ | rɛd /rɛd/ | red /ɹɛd/ |
| White | waet /waet/ | waet /waet/ | wait /wait/ | waitpela /waitpela/ | white /waɪt/ | wayt /wajt/ | wait /wait/ |
| Black | blak /blak/ | blak /blak/ | blak /blak/ | blakpela /blakpela/ | black /blak/ | blak /blak/ | blak /blak/ |
| Green | grin /ɡrin/ | grin /ɡrin/ | grin /ɡrin/ | grinpela /ɡrinpela/ | green /ɡrin/ | grin /ɡrin/ | griin /ɡɹiːn/ |
| Blue | blu /blu/ | blu /blu/ | blu /blu/ | blupela /blupela/ | blue /blu/ | blu /blu/ | blu /blu/ |
| Computer | kompiuta /kompiuta/ | kompiuta /kompiuta/ | — | komputa /komˈputa/ | kọmputa /kɔmpútà/ | kɔmpyuta /kɔmpjuta/ | kompyuuta /komˈpjuːta/ |
| Tea | ti /ti/ | ti /ti/ | — | ti /ti/ | tea /ti/ | ti /ti/ | tii /tiː/ |
| Coffee | kofi /kofi/ | kofi /kofi/ | — | kopi /kopi/ | coffee /kɔfi/ | kɔfi /ˈkɔfi/ | kaafi /kaːfi/ |
| Sugar | suga /suɡa/ | suga /suɡa/ | — | suga /suɡa/ | — | shuga /ˈʃuɡa/ | shuga /ʃuɡa/ |
| Orange | orens /orens/ | orenj /orendʒ/ | — | muli /muli/ | orenj /ɔˈrɛndʒ/ | oranj /ɔˈrandʒ/ | arinj /ˈarɪndʒ/ |
| Ninety-nine | naenti-naen /naenti naen/ | naenti naen /naenti naen/ | nainti nain /nainti nain/ | nainpela ten nain /nainpela ten nain/ | ninty-nine /nainti nain/ | naynti-nayn /nainti nain/ | nainti-nain /nainti nain/ |
Page 1/10
Open the interactive map: Word Map · HanMap · Name Map · Word Order · Tree
Part of LangMap — a linguistic visualization project. This is a static, crawlable summary; the interactive maps offer pronunciation audio, filters, and a globe view.
Made by Heuron Inc. · GitHub · cho@heuron.com · LangMap home