The Adjective Suffix '-pela'

01

The Adjectives That Carry It

bik, nu, yang, ol and long appear only in their suffixed form. Treat the ending as part of the word: bikpela is simply how you say "big".

• Mi gat bikpela famili.

  I have a big family.

• Mi go long bikpela stua.

  I'm going to the big shop.

• Em bikpela nois tru.

  That's a really big noise.

• Yumi baim nupela buk.

  We bought a new book.

• Mi laikim nupela klos.

  I like new clothes.

• Papa bilong em yangpela man.

  His father is a young man.

02

The Suffix Stays in Every Position

These adjectives keep -pela wherever they stand - in front of a noun, as above, and equally as the whole predicate with no noun following.

• Dispela buk em i olpela.

  This book is old.

• Mama bilong yumi em yangpela yet.

  Our mother is still young.

• Em i bikpela tumas long hia.

  It is far too big for here.

03

The Adjectives Without It

Every longer adjective, and a number of short ones, have a single form and no suffixed variant.

• planti - many, much
• liklik - small, little
• sik - sick
• kol - cold
• hat - hot
• orait - fine, all right
• amamas - happy

• Mi no sik.

  I'm not sick.

• Ples i kol.

  The place is cold.

• Ples i no hat.

  The place isn't hot.

• Meri ya save ronim liklik kar stret.

  That woman drives a small car.

• Mi no save dring planti bia tumas.

  I don't usually drink too much beer.

liklik kar and planti bia stand directly in front of their noun, the same position bikpela occupies, and take no ending. The suffix belongs to the word, not to the slot.

04

Adjectives with Two Shapes

gut, nais and strong have both forms in ordinary use, and both are correct.

• Gutpela tingting.

  Good idea.

• Yu gutpela malolo.

  You rest well.

• Naispela piksa i hangamap long wol.

  A nice picture hangs on the wall.

• Dispela bebi i gat naispela nus.

  This baby has a nice nose.

• Kala bilong ol i naispela.

  Their colour is nice.

The bare form of the same adjective is just as ordinary.

• Em i no luk gut.

  It doesn't look good.

• Liklik dok bilong meri ya em nais stret.

  That woman's little dog is really nice.

05

The Numbers Take It Too

The low numbers carry the same ending when they count a noun.

• Mi gat wanpela maus na tupela ia.

  I have one mouth and two ears.

• Ol tripela pikinini bilong mi, olgeta wankain krismas.

  My three children are all the same age.

• Taim em i fiftinpela minit i lusim pinis eleven klok.

  It's fifteen minutes past eleven.

06

Learning Them

Learn each adjective in the shape you meet it, the way you would learn a noun's gender in French. The set that carries the suffix is small and among the most frequent vocabulary in the language.