So you arrive in Papua New Guinea or you meet someone from there somewhere and want to greet them in Tok Pisin. Here are some greetings that you can use. I’ve broken it down so you know what you’re saying.
Halo (Pronounced: Ha-low) = Means “Hello.” This is usually followed by “Yu orait ah?” meaning “How are you?”
Yu = You,
Orait = Alright,
Ah = huh? (Implies a question).
Informally, you can also shorten it in saying “Orait ah?”
The response is; “Mi orait” = I am alright.
Mi = Me,
Orait = Alright.
The respondent can also add “…na yu?” (…and you?) or “…mi orait, na yu orait?” (I’m good, and how are you?) at the end of his reply.
Person 1: Halo, yu orait ah? (Hello, how are you?)
Person 2: Mi orait, na yu? (I’m good, and yourself?)
Person 1: Mi orait. (I’m ok.)
Times of the day
In Tok Pisin, time after the sun set until it rises again is night. Greetings in those time would be gut/gud nait (good night). You can also start greeting in the morning starting from 3am.
Moning (Morning) – around 4am to 11:30am
Greeting is: Moning/ Moning tru. Means “Morning”/ “(Very) good morning.”
Moning = Morning
Tru = True (In this sense it means “very” to emphasise the morning greeting.)
Avinun/ apinun (Afternoon) – 12pm – 6pm
Greeting is: Avinun/ Avinun tru. Means “Afternoon”/ “(Very) good afternoon.”
* Similar structure as the morning greeting.
Nait (Night) – 6pm – 3am
Greeting is: Gut/Gud nait. Means “Good night.”
You can also say Gud nait tru (Very good night).
Gut (rhymes with boot)/ Gud = Good
Nait = Night.
So, a regular greeting would go like this;
Person 1: Avinun tru, yu orait ah? (Good afternoon, how are you?)
Person 2: Avinun, mi orait, na yu? (Afternoon, I’m alright and how are you?)
Person 1: Mi orait. (I’m ok.)
Halo (Pronounced: Ha-low) = Means “Hello.” This is usually followed by “Yu orait ah?” meaning “How are you?”
Yu = You,
Orait = Alright,
Ah = huh? (Implies a question).
Informally, you can also shorten it in saying “Orait ah?”
The response is; “Mi orait” = I am alright.
Mi = Me,
Orait = Alright.
The respondent can also add “…na yu?” (…and you?) or “…mi orait, na yu orait?” (I’m good, and how are you?) at the end of his reply.
Person 1: Halo, yu orait ah? (Hello, how are you?)
Person 2: Mi orait, na yu? (I’m good, and yourself?)
Person 1: Mi orait. (I’m ok.)
Times of the day
In Tok Pisin, time after the sun set until it rises again is night. Greetings in those time would be gut/gud nait (good night). You can also start greeting in the morning starting from 3am.
Moning (Morning) – around 4am to 11:30am
Greeting is: Moning/ Moning tru. Means “Morning”/ “(Very) good morning.”
Moning = Morning
Tru = True (In this sense it means “very” to emphasise the morning greeting.)
Avinun/ apinun (Afternoon) – 12pm – 6pm
Greeting is: Avinun/ Avinun tru. Means “Afternoon”/ “(Very) good afternoon.”
* Similar structure as the morning greeting.
Nait (Night) – 6pm – 3am
Greeting is: Gut/Gud nait. Means “Good night.”
You can also say Gud nait tru (Very good night).
Gut (rhymes with boot)/ Gud = Good
Nait = Night.
So, a regular greeting would go like this;
Person 1: Avinun tru, yu orait ah? (Good afternoon, how are you?)
Person 2: Avinun, mi orait, na yu? (Afternoon, I’m alright and how are you?)
Person 1: Mi orait. (I’m ok.)