Nafe (Kwamera) Talking Dictionary

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This page has returned 86 entries

agero

angel

Speaker: Martial Wahe

ahavi

v. plant modifier word used with yam ("nuk")

Speaker: Martial Wahe

aiapun ro kiri

shine flying fox

Speaker: Martial wahe

aice

ice

Speaker: Martial wahe

aice

snow

Speaker: Martial wahe

akumani puka

feed pig

Speaker: Martial wahe

akunekune

v. poison (for example a fish)

Speaker: Martial Wahe

akutamirhi reya

catch the hen

Speaker: Martial wahe

akwaku

ceremony

Speaker: Martial Wahe

akwaku

n. a type of traditional exchange ceremony

Speaker: Martial Wahe

akwakwa

adj. thirsty

Speaker: Martial Wahe

akwararen

adj. slippery

Speaker: Martial Wahe

akwás

adj. old

Speaker: Martial Wahe

akwasari

v. construct a yam trellis

Speaker: Martial Wahe

akwata

v. look up! (imperative)

Speaker: Martial Wahe

akwata ro mata ro plen riji

look up and see a plan

(Bislama) tra look antap by you look wan plen.

Speaker: Martial Wahe

akwataro

phrase can you look up

(Bislama) look antap

Speaker: Martial Wahe

akwéis

adj. yellow

Speaker: Martial Wahe

akwsɨrup

to weave (a basket)

Speaker: Martial Wahe

amahán ~ amasan

adj. good, beautiful, useful

Speaker: Martial Wahe

amaɨ

chew

Speaker: Martial Wahe

amak makwata

sleep and look up

Speaker: Martial Wahe

amriamen

put in order

Speaker: Martial wahe

amrɨmera

blue

Speaker: Martial Wahe

angka

n anchor (of boat)

Speaker: Martial wahe

animi ro nui - animi nui

v drink water

(Bislama) tra drink wata

Speaker: Martial Wahe

aosi kuri

kill dog

Speaker: Martial wahe

aosi puka

kill pig

Speaker: Martial wahe

apa

alone

Speaker: Martial Wahe

apa-naputaian

don’t climb

Speaker: Martial wahe

apa-nasak ian

don’t cry

(Bislama) no cry

Speaker: Martial Wahe

apara naosian yaknawhi

enough hurt or killed children

Speaker: Martial Wahe

apeki

v. to clear away bush or brush, to scratch, claw, or carry away

Speaker: Martial Wahe

apenapena

anywhere

Speaker: Martial Wahe

apéraha

seawards

Speaker: Martial Wahe

aphi

v. to slap

Speaker: Martial Wahe

api

v. to stick with a knife or spear

Speaker: Martial Wahe

apɨrapɨra

v. to sprout or send up shoots

Speaker: Martial Wahe

apɨrhi

v. to clean brush, sweep or weed a garden, to clean for preparation, like kava

Speaker: Martial Wahe

Apri atan

n camp

Speaker: Martial Wahe

apusan

white

Speaker: Martial wahe

araii narek

cut my penis( circumsision)

Speaker: Martial wahe

araii narek

cut my penis( circumsision)

Speaker: Martial wahe

araii narek

cut my penis( circumsision)

Speaker: Martial wahe

araii narem

cut your penis

Speaker: Martial wahe

araii naren

cut his penis

Speaker: Martial wahe

araii niprai naii

v cut tree stump

(Bislama) katem stampa blo hood.

Speaker: Martial Wahe

araii nukuanek

v cut my hair

(Bislama) katem hair blo mi

Speaker: Martial Wahe

araii ringringi naii

v cut the hood branches

Speaker: Martial Wahe

araka

v. go away! (imeprative)

Speaker: Martial Wahe

araka pa ia-karaii suatouk

get out or keep away, I cut the road

(Bislama) kamaot mi katem road

Speaker: Martial Wahe

aramanuk

calendar

Speaker: Martial Wahe

arapina ia kwarua

v shut the door

(Bislama) sarem door

Speaker: Martial Wahe

arasi napouwei

scrape the coconut

(Bislama) sikrasem coconat

Speaker: Martial Wahe

arer

v. stand (imperative)

Speaker: Martial Wahe

areri

v. to braid rope or hair, or wrap with coconut leaves

Speaker: Martial Wahe

argahi

v. bite out or scrape with teeth

Speaker: Martial Wahe

arherhi

v. to strip off leaves, for example coconut leaves from a frond

Speaker: Martial Wahe

arihii ringringi nima

v tie a house post

(Bislama) taetem ol pos blo aos.

Example: see more on Youtube

Speaker: Martial Wahe

arpasouk pa savaki

v look down or shut our eyes we pray

Speaker: Martial Wahe

arpasuk

v. bend down (imperative)

Speaker: Martial Wahe

arukwinhum

v. to wear a penis wrapper

Speaker: Martial Wahe

aruwai nerei

peeled taro (skin out)

(Bislama) skinimtaro

Speaker: Martial Wahe

aruwai nuk

pilled yam (skin out)

Speaker: Martial wahe

Arwerang

v. open

(Bislama) openem

Speaker: Martial Wahe

arwi

v. to fight with

Speaker: Martial Wahe

Asasi

take out the skin of the something like hood stemp with a knife

Speaker: Martial Wahe

asori

adj. big, large

Speaker: Martial Wahe

aspeni

v eat two things, like meat and taro together rather than only meat

Speaker: Martial Wahe

asua ia trak

v push something, like a car or tree

(Bislama) pusum trak

Speaker: Martial Wahe

asúm

v. to garden

Speaker: Martial Wahe

atan

adv., adj. wild, in the bush

Speaker: Martial Wahe

ataring

you listen

Speaker: Martial Wahe

atia ~ atiai

v. 1. to grate tubers, 2. treat with traditional medicine by spitting grated or masticated ingredients on the patient’s head

Speaker: Martial Wahe

atiamtɨr

v. to make twine, by twirling between the fingers

Speaker: Martial Wahe

atirap

v. look down! (imperative)

Speaker: Martial Wahe

atɨg(i)

v 1. spill (as liquid); 2. capsize, overturn, dump out; 3. fall, drop

Speaker: Wahe Martial

averi

v. to peel skin or husk

Speaker: Martial Wahe

avi

boat

Speaker: Martial Wahe

awaii ro yiao

can you squeeze me or massage me

(Bislama) tra skwisim mi.

Speaker: Martial Wahe

awan meiwaiyio

v. intransitive walk downhill

Speaker: Martial Wahe

awehe

v. come here! (imperative)

Speaker: Martial Wahe

awehi

v. take! or hold! (imperative)

Speaker: Martial Wahe

awsaskringi naii

v cut fire wood in pieces

(Bislama) spletem fire hood.

Speaker: Martial Wahe

awsaskringi napuaii

splet dry coconut intwo pieces

Speaker: Martial wahe

awsi

v. to kill

Speaker: Martial Wahe

There are currently 3233 entries, 3212 audio files, and 1236 images.

All content copyright © Nafe (Kwamera) community. (2015)
Nafe (Kwamera) Talking Dictionary produced by Martial Wahe, K. David Harrison, and Jeremy Fahringer (2015-2020).
Botanical consultants: Michael J. Balick, Gregory M. Plunkett, Laurence Ramon, Tom A. Ranker, Sean Thackurdeen, and Calvin Heiman. Field data transcribed by Isabella Mandis.
Nafe language contributors include Martial Wahe, Jean Pascal Wahe, Chief Johnson Noar, Emmanuel Maasi, Marie Emmanuel Maasi and others as credited within the dictionary entries. Based in part on materials from Lindstrom, Lamont (1986) Kwamera Dictionary. Pacific Linguistics. Series C, No. 95. Canberra: Australian National University.
The Nafe-English Talking Dictionary was made possible by award no. 1555675 from National Science Foundation for “Collaborative Research: Plant, Fungal and Linguistic Diversity of Tafea Province, Vanuatu.” This support is gratefully acknowledged.
Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.
All rights reserved. Do not distribute or reproduce without permission.
how to cite: K. David Harrison and Martial Wahe. 2015-2020. Nafe (Kwamera) Talking Dictionary. Swarthmore College. http://www.talkingdictionary.org/kwamera

Interface and database design under the direction of Jeremy Fahringer and Swarthmore College ITS.

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