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.
- No ken tok baksait long narapela manmeri.
- tok bilong ol tumbuna traditional advice
- Yumi mas harim tok bilong ol tumbuna.
We should follow traditional advice.
- Yumi mas harim tok bilong ol tumbuna.
- 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.
- Ol lapun meri i tok hait long puripuri.
- 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 dai nau, yumi ken 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.
- Mipela bung na bikman i givim tok i go pas.
- tok piksa parable, speak in parables
- Baibel i pulap long ol tok piksa.
There are many parables in the Bible.
- Baibel i pulap long ol tok piksa.
- 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.
- Mama salim tok save i kam long mi long radio.
- tok win empty talk, rumour
- Em tok win tasol, mi no marit yet.
It’s just a rumour, I am not married.
- Em tok win tasol, mi no marit yet.
- 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.
- No ken tok bilas long mi.
- 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.
- Ol lapun tok bokis na ol yangpela i no harim.
- 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.
- No ken tok giaman long mi.
- tok isi (talk easy) speak softly, to whisper
- Tok isi, nogut bebi bai kirap.
Speak softly or you might wake the baby.
- Tok isi, nogut bebi bai kirap.
- tok isi isi speak slowly
- Sapos yu tok isi isi, mi inap harim Tok Pisin.
If you speak slowly, I can understand Tok Pisin.
- Sapos yu tok isi isi, mi inap harim 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.
- Spakman i tok kranki.
- tok kros (talk cross) harsh words, scold, abuse
- Polisman i tok kros long ol raskol.
The policeman scolded the criminals.
- Polisman i tok kros long ol raskol.
- 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.
- No ken bilip long em, em i tok nating tasol.
- 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.
- Ol raskol i tok nogut long ol yet.
- tok pilai (talk play) to joke, banter
- Mi tok pilai long em.
I joked with him/her.
- Mi tok pilai long em.
- 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.
- Mi tok tru antap, mi no stil.
- No ken tok olsem.
Don’t say that.
See also: Languages in Papua New Guinea