Weather & Climate

1. I hot tumas tede!

   I hot tu-mas te-de!

   It's really hot today!

   Usage

   Weather conversation in Vanuatu

   Grammar Note

   "Tumas" comes from "too much" and means "very"; it follows the adjective (hot tumas = very hot). "Tede" means "today"

2. I laek blong ren

   It looks like it will rain

   Usage

   When rain seems likely

   Grammar Note

   "Laek blong" + verb expresses "be about to / be inclined to". Here "i laek blong ren" means "it looks like rain"

3. Wan bigfala saeklon i kamklosap

   Wan big-fa-la saek-lon i kam-klo-sap

   A big cyclone is approaching

   Usage

   Warning about an approaching cyclone

   Grammar Note

   Vanuatu is in the cyclone belt — devastated by Cyclone Pam in 2015

4. Weta i kol gud tede

   We-ta i kol gud te-de

   The weather is nicely cool today

   Usage

   Comment on cool weather

   Grammar Note

   "Weta" from English "weather". "Gud" from "good". Most Bislama vocabulary is English-derived

5. Plis talem mi long fokast blong weta

   Plis ta-lem mi long fo-kast blong we-ta

   Please tell me the weather forecast

   Usage

   Politely asking for the weather forecast

   Grammar Note

   "Plis" from "please". "Talem" from "tell him" = to tell

6. Mi nidim krim blong blokem san?

   Mi ni-dim krim blong blo-kem san?

   Do I need sunscreen?

   Usage

   Ask on sunny days

   Grammar Note

   "Krim blong blokem san" literally means "cream for blocking the sun," or sunscreen

7. Mi mas tekem wan umbrela?

   Mi mas te-kem wan um-bre-la?

   Should I bring an umbrella?

   Usage

   Before going out in uncertain weather

   Grammar Note

   "Tekem" from "take him" = to take. A typical example of creole word formation

8. Drae season i stat long wanem taem?

   Drae sea-son i stat long wa-nem taem?

   When does the dry season start?

   Usage

   Travel planning question

   Grammar Note

   Vanuatu's dry season: May–October. "Stat" from "start". English structure mostly retained

9. Ren season i stat long wanem taem?

   Ren sea-son i stat long wa-nem taem?

   When does the rainy season start?

   Usage

   Ask about the rainy season

   Grammar Note

   Vanuatu's rainy season: November–April. Also cyclone season

10. San i strongfala tumas

    San i strong-fa-la tu-mas

    The sun is really strong

    Usage

    Exclamation about intense sunshine

    Grammar Note

    "Strongfala" from "strong fellow". "-Fala" is an adjectival suffix in Bislama

11. Ren

    Rain

    Usage

    Ask or talk about the weather

12. Win

    Wind

    Usage

    Ask or talk about the weather

13. Klaod

    Cloudy

    Usage

    Ask or talk about the weather

14. San i saen

    Sunny

    Usage

    Ask or talk about the weather

15. Saeklon

    Cyclone

    Usage

    Check whether a cyclone warning is in force

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