Greetings and politeness in Pitjantjatjara
Hello, please, thank you, sorry: the eleven openers everything else builds on. Play the ten Pitjantjatjara words against the clock, with a note on how locals really use each one after every answer. All ten are written out below.
All 11 Pitjantjatjara phrases in this lesson
- PalyaPAL-ya
- Hello
- Good morninggood MOR-ning
- Good morning
- Good eveninggood EEV-ning
- Good evening
- Palya, ngulaPAL-ya, NGU-la
- Goodbye
- Ngulani nyawaNGOO-la-nee NYA-wa
- See you
- WanyuWAN-yu
- Please
- Thank youthank yoo
- Thank you
- Uwa, palyaU-wa, PAL-ya
- You're welcome
- NgaltutjaraNGAL-tu-cha-ra
- Sorry
- Excuse meek-SKYOOZ mee
- Excuse me
- Nice to meet younais tu MEET yoo
- Nice to meet you
The word you will hear most. Palya means good, fine or okay, and it serves as hello, thanks, agreement and goodbye depending on the moment.
Pitjantjatjara has no set greeting tied to the time of day. People say palya, or simply good morning in English.
As with the morning, palya covers it, or English.
Literally "good, later". Leaving is low-key and unhurried.
Literally see me later, a conversational farewell.
Wanyu softens a request, closer to "just" or "go on" than to a formal please. It usually comes first: wanyu nyinama, please sit down.
Many speakers say it in English. Palya, good, said as you accept something, carries the same warmth.
Literally "yes, good". There is no fixed reply to thanks; an easy agreement is enough.
Literally "poor thing", the way to show sorrow or sympathy.
Said in English. There is no set phrase, and it is polite not to interrupt.
Said in English. Meeting people properly means learning how they are related to others.