a (Tok Pisin)

to show surpise, or ask ‘isn’t that so?’

  • A, lapun, yu stap a?
    Ah, old man, good day!
  • Bihain mi bungim yu long taun a?
    I’ll meet you in town later huh?
  • Tru, a?
    True? Really?
  • Na bihain bai yu go bek long haus a?
    And you ‘ll be going back home later will you?
  • Yu bai kam long Trinde, a?
    You’ll come on Wednesday, eh?
  • Yu harim tok na yu kam a?
    You heard what was said and came, did you?
  • Yu ting yu wan, a?
    You think you’re special, or what?

abrus, abrusim

1. to the side, away from

  • Em i sanap abrus long ol.
    He stands to the side.
  • Em tokim ol, tasol tok i go abrus.
    He told them but they missed the point (the talk went to the side).

2. to miss

  • Mi sut long pisin tasol mi abrus.
    I shot at the bird but I missed.
  • Spia i abrus long mi.
    The arrow missed me.
  • Mi makim em, tasol abrus.
    I aimed at him, but I missed.
  • Katres i abrus long manki.
    The bullet missed the boy.

2. to avoid, evade, dodge, to keep away from

  • Yumi mas abrusim sik.
    We must avoid getting sick.
  • Yu abrusim mi, o?
    Are you trying to avoid me?
    Mi abrusim spia bilong ol.
    I dodged all their arrows.
  • abrusim dispela trabol avoiding this trouble
  • Mi no gat rot bilong abrusim dispela wari.
    I have no way of avoiding this worry.

3. to pass, to go past, overtake

  • Mi abrusim em long rot.
    I passed him on the road.
  • abrusim ka overtake a car
  • Yumi abrusim dispela wara pinis.
    We’ve already passed that creek.
  • Kar i laik abrusim bas, tasol dravia i no lukluk gut.
    The car wanted to overtake the bus, but the driver wasn’t looking properly.
  • Maski rot i klia , tasol ol i no ken abrusim narapela ka.
    They should not overtake another car even if the road is clear.

4. abrus long apart from

abus

1. meat, protein (see also: Meat Consumption in Papua New Guinea)

  • Kakaruk na pik, em ol gutpela abus long kaikai.
    Chicken and pig are good meat to eat.

2. animal

  • I gat planti kain kain abus long bikbus.
    There are many kinds of animals in the deep jungle.

3. easy mark

  • Ol i abus bilong mipela.
    They were an easy mark for us.

4. (hunting) game

  • Em i go painim abus long bus.
    He went to hunt game in the forest.

5. Something that is experienced often and is much liked, that one ‘has for breakfast’

  • Singsing em i abus bilong mi.
    Dancing is my delight, it’s my thing.

6. (warfare, fighting) former cannibal victims (this cannot be said of enemies where cannibalism was not prevalent)

  • ol hap lain – abus bilong mipela!
    The other tribe, we could raid and eat them whenever we felt like it!

7. game, garnish, side-dish, anything used to add to or supplement the main dish (Generally this is some kind of meat or game but may be greens or anything else)

abusim

1. to mix (also miksim)

  • Abusim rais wantaim tinpis.
    Mix rice with tinned fish.

2. (food preparation) to garnish, to add meat or fish to a meal

  • Mobeta yumi abusim long pis.
    It would be better to add fish.
  • Abusim saksak long pik.
    Garnish sago with pork.
  • abusim saksak long pis to garnish sago with fish
  • abusim taro long kokonas to cook taro in coconut milk

adresim

to address a letter or parcel

  • Em i adresim pas bilong pren bilong em.
    He addressed his friend’s letter.
  • Adresim skin pas.
    Address your envelope.
  • O sori, mi no adresim skin pas yet.
    Oh dear, I haven’t addressed the envelope yet.
  • Yumitupela i mas adresim skin pas bilong en o nogat?
    Should you and I address the envelope for her or not?