Painim

Painim is a verb in Tok Pisin, the widely spoken creole language of Papua New Guinea. It means to find, locate, or search for something, and it can also cover discovering information or a solution. Painim is a core, everyday verb used across a range of contexts, from casual conversation to written text.

In grammar, painim is transitive and takes a direct object representing what is being sought. The action is typically clarified by surrounding words that indicate the object, place, person, or information involved. Like many Tok Pisin verbs, tense is expressed through context and time expressions rather than through inflection on the verb itself. The form painim is built with the -im suffix, a common Tok Pisin device for turning a base into a transitive verb, and the root here is conceptually linked to finding.

Regional variation exists in pronunciation and spelling, but painim is widely understood throughout Tok Pisin-speaking communities in Papua New Guinea and in the diaspora. The word appears in a variety of constructions, including phrases that express locating a place, identifying a person, or securing information, reflecting the language’s practical approach to everyday action.

Painim illustrates how Tok Pisin uses relatively simple verb-building patterns to cover everyday actions related to discovery and search, contributing to its role as a flexible medium for communication in diverse social settings. See also Tok Pisin; Papua New Guinea.