Tok Pisin/Class 1 adjectives

Tok Pisin > Tok Pisin Adjectives > Tok Pisin Class 1 Adjectives

Definition edit

Tok Pisin Class 1 adjectives have the suffix -pela in attributive position, and also when they follow the copula.

List of very useful Class 1 adjectives edit

yangpela - young
nupela - new
olpela - old

bikpela - big
draipela - huge
hatpela - hard
strongpela - strong

longpela - long
sotpela - short
raunpela - round

retpela - red
blakpela - black
blupela - blue
braunpela - brown
grinpela - green
waitpela, wetpela - white

gutpela - good
naispela - nice, beautiful
switpela - sweet

dispela, despela, tispela - this, that
sampela - some
narapela - another, other
arapela - other
diskain, tiskain - this kind of

Reference edit

  • Wurm, S.A. et Mühläusler (eds) (1985). Handbook of Tok Pisin (New Guinea Pidgin). Canberra : Australian National University. ISBN 0858833212.

Exemples of use found on the Internet edit

  • Orait papa bilong kanu i larim wanpela yangpela man i was i stap long kanu. > There the father of the canoe left a young boy to watch over it. (Sepik Stories)
  • Yumi mas lainim ol pikinini bilong yumi... long stretpela pasin taim ol i yangpela yet.> We have to teach our kids... about good habits while they are still young. (CBS Press)
  • Kantri ibin bungim bikpela heve longpela taim tumas na mi hop olsem dispela eleksin bai bringim ol gutpela lida. > The country have been facing some big problems for far too long a time, and I hope that this election will bring good leaders. (asiapacific)
  • ...dispela wei bilong developmen i gutpela. > ...this form of development is good. (Time to talk, ABC)