Art & Museums

1. Mi save tekem foto long ples ia?

   Mi sa-ve te-kem fo-to long ples i-a?

   Is photography allowed here?

   Usage

   Used to ask whether photography is permitted in a museum or gallery

   Grammar Note

   Ability and permission are expressed with "save" (from "savvy").

2. Huia nao ia atis?

   Hu-i-a nao i-a a-tis?

   Who is the artist?

   Usage

   Used to ask about the creator of an artwork

   Grammar Note

   Bislama derives much of its vocabulary from English; "atis" comes from "artist"

3. Wanem nem blong wok ia?

   Wa-nem nem blong wok i-a?

   What is this work called?

   Usage

   Used to ask for the title of an artwork

   Grammar Note

   "Blong" is the possessive preposition in Bislama, derived from English "belong"

4. Wanem taem oli bildim miusiam ia?

   Wa-nem taem o-li bil-dim miu-si-am i-a?

   When was this museum built?

   Usage

   Used to ask about the construction date of a museum

   Grammar Note

   "Wanem taem" asks "when". "Oli" is the third-person plural subject pronoun

5. Yu gat wan odio gaed?

   Yu gat wan o-di-o gaed?

   Do you have an audio guide?

   Usage

   Used to ask about audio guide availability

   Grammar Note

   "Gat" derives from "got" and means "have" or "there is"

6. Stoa blong gif i stap wea?

   Sto-a blong gif i stap we-a?

   Where is the gift shop?

   Usage

   Used to locate the gift shop

   Grammar Note

   "I stap wea?" asks "where is it?"; "i stap" indicates existence or location. The interrogative "where" is clause-final "wea"; "we" is the relative-clause marker and is never interrogative.

7. Mi wantem pem wan print blong wok atis ia.

   Mi wan-tem pem wan print blong wok a-tis i-a.

   I'd like to buy a print of this artwork.

   Usage

   Used when wanting to purchase a print of an artwork

   Grammar Note

   "Wantem" derives from "want them". In Bislama, verbs follow each other without infinitive markers

8. I gat wan guided tua?

   I gat wan guided tu-a?

   Is there a guided tour?

   Usage

   Used to ask if a guided tour is available

   Grammar Note

   Bislama often borrows English words directly, making it accessible to English speakers

9. Wanem taem miusiam i open?

   Wa-nem taem miu-si-am i o-pen?

   What are the museum's opening hours?

   Usage

   Used to ask about the museum's operating hours

   Grammar Note

   "I" before the verb is the third-person singular subject marker in Bislama

10. Peintins ia i naes tumas.

    Pein-tins i-a i naes tu-mas.

    This painting is beautiful.

    Usage

    Used to express admiration for a painting or artwork

    Grammar Note

    "Tumas" means "very much" and intensifies adjectives; derived from "too much"

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