Culture & Etiquette

1. Halo, yu oraet?

   ha-lo yu o-raet

   Hello, are you okay?

   Usage

   The most common greeting and check-in phrase in Vanuatu

   Grammar Note

   oraet is a key Bislama word derived from English "all right"

2. Tangkiu tumas

   Tang-kiu tu-mas

   Thank you very much

   Usage

   Expressing strong gratitude, understood throughout Vanuatu

   Grammar Note

   tumas derives from English "too much" and means "very much"

3. Kastom i impoten long Vanuatu

   kas-tom i im-po-ten long va-nu-a-tu

   Tradition/custom is important in Vanuatu

   Usage

   Expressing the importance of Vanuatu traditional culture

   Grammar Note

   i is the third-person singular verb marker equivalent to "is"

4. Yu kam long wanem kantri?

   yu kam long wa-nem kan-tri

   Which country are you from?

   Usage

   Asking about someone's country of origin

   Grammar Note

   wanem is derived from English "what name" and means "which / what"

5. Wan smol tok

   wan smol tok

   A little talk / Let's chat

   Usage

   An informal way to start a conversation

   Grammar Note

   smol is derived from English "small" and acts as adjective or adverb

6. Yu save tok Bislama?

   yu sa-ve tok bis-la-ma

   Can you speak Bislama?

   Usage

   Asking if someone can speak Bislama

   Grammar Note

   save is a modal verb meaning "can / know how to" from Portuguese saber

7. Nambawan!

   nam-ba-wan

   Number one! The best!

   Usage

   An exclamation of high praise for something excellent

   Grammar Note

   nambawan comes from English "number one" and expresses top quality

8. Fasin blong Vanuatu

   fa-sin blong va-nu-a-tu

   The way / custom of Vanuatu

   Usage

   Referring to Vanuatu's cultural customs and way of life

   Grammar Note

   blong derives from "belonging to" and marks possession or relation

9. Mi laekem Vanuatu tumas

   mi lae-kem va-nu-a-tu tu-mas

   I like Vanuatu very much

   Usage

   Expressing fondness for Vanuatu

   Grammar Note

   laekem combines English "like" + -em (object suffix)

10. Wan gavman, wan pipol

    wan gav-man wan pi-pol

    One government, one people (Vanuatu slogan)

    Usage

    Expressing the spirit of national unity in Vanuatu

    Grammar Note

    wan comes from English "one" and also functions as an indefinite article

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