tok

1. a message, an account, a word, a speech

• tok baksait gossip
  • No ken tok baksait long narapela manmeri.
    Do not gossip about other people.
• tok bilong ol tumbuna traditional advice
  • Yumi mas harim tok bilong ol tumbuna.
    We should follow traditional advice.
• tok gris 1. flattery; 2. seduction
  • tok gris tasol just flattery
  • No ken tok gris long ol yangpela meri.
    Don’t try to seduce the young girls.
• tok hait a secret
  • Ol lapun meri i tok hait long puripuri.
    The old women are secretive about their witchcraft.
• tok i dai no more to be said, the matter is settled
  • Tok i dai nau, yumi ken go.
    The matter has been settled and we are free to go.
• tok i go pas an introduction, a foreword
  • Mipela bung na bikman i givim tok i go pas.
    We were holding a meeting and the chief made some introductory comments.
• tok piksa parable, speak in parables
  • Baibel i pulap long ol tok piksa.
    There are many parables in the Bible.
• tok save 1. message; 2. notice, announcement
  • Mama salim tok save i kam long mi long radio.
    Mother sent me a message by radio.
  • Putim tok save i go long notis bod.
    Put up a notice on the notice board.
• tok win empty talk, rumour
  • Em tok win tasol, mi no marit yet.
    It’s just a rumour, I am not married.
• Salim tok i go long ples.
  Send a message home.

2. to tell, to say, to speak

• tok bihain long (talk behind (prep)) to criticize (someone)
• tok bilas mock, ridicule, tease, boast
  • No ken tok bilas long mi.
    Do not ridicule me.
• tok bokis to speak in metaphors
  • Ol lapun tok bokis na ol yangpela i no harim.
    The old men were speaking in metaphors and the young people did not understand what they were saying.
• tok giaman 1. lie; 2. joke
  • No ken tok giaman long mi.
    Don’t tell me lies.
  • Tok giaman tasol.
    It’s only a joke.
• tok isi (talk easy) speak softly, to whisper
  • Tok isi, nogut bebi bai kirap.
    Speak softly or you might wake the baby.
• tok isi isi speak slowly
  • Sapos yu tok isi isi, mi inap harim Tok Pisin.
    If you speak slowly, I can understand Tok Pisin.
• tok kranki (talk cranky) to talk foolishly, speak incorrectly, foolish talk
  • Spakman i tok kranki.
    The drunkard talks foolishly.
  • Taim sampela waitman i laik Tok Pisin, ol i tok kranki.
    When some white people try to speak Tok Pisin, they speak incorrectly.
  • Mi les long harim tok kranki bilong ol yangpela.
    I am tired of listen to the foolish talk of young people.
• tok kros (talk cross) harsh words, scold, abuse
  • Polisman i tok kros long ol raskol.
    The policeman scolded the criminals.
• tok nating 1. empty talk, to say something you do not mean; 2. to speak without thinking
  • No ken bilip long em, em i tok nating tasol.
    Do not believe him, he does not mean what he says.
  • Tingting pastaim, maski tok nating.
    Think first, do not speak without thinking.
• tok nogut / tok nogutim (talk no good (him)) abuse, insult (also toknogutim)
  • Ol raskol i tok nogut long ol yet.
    The criminals swear at each other.
• tok pilai (talk play) to joke, banter
  • Mi tok pilai long em.
    I joked with him/her.
• tok ples (talk place) to speak in a native language
• tok stori to tell stories, to chat for a long time
• tok strong (talk strong) to talk loudly
• tok tru antap the absolute truth, to take an oath
  • Mi tok tru antap, mi no stil.
    Swear to God, I did not steal.
• No ken tok olsem.
  Don’t say that.

See also: Languages in Papua New Guinea