Basic words:
Introducing yourself
| O ai lou igoa? | » | What is your name? |
Asking about family
| O ai le igoa o lou tamā? | » | What is your father's name? |
| O lona igoa o Sitivi | » | His name is Steve. |
| E to'a fia le tou aiga | » | How many people are in your family? |
| E to'afa matou | » | There are four of us. |
| O soifua mai pea ou matua? | » | Are your parents alive? |
| E toafia ou uso? | » | How many same-gendered-siblings do you have? |
| E toafia ou tuagane? | » | How many brothers do you have (asking a girl) |
| ou tuafafine? | » | How many sisters do you have (asking a boy) |
| E fai sou aiga? | » | Do you have a partner? (lit. Have you made a family?) |
| Ua e faaipoipo? | » | Are you married? |
| E iai sau fanau? | » | Do you have any children? |
Family vocabulary
Parents:
Depending on your gender, you would use different words to speak about siblings:
For example:
| E to'atolu a'u uso | » | I have three brothers (if a boy says it) |
| E to'atolu a'u uso | » | I have three sisters (if a girl says it) |
The word for a person's children are also different depending on which parent you are speaking about:
Asking about village
| O fea le nu'u e te sau ai? |
| Ou te sau mai (igoa o le nu'u) |
| O ai le igoa o le nu'u lea? |
| E toatele ni tagata e nonofo ile nuu lea? |
Village
Names of buildings (igoa o fale):
| falesa | » | church | | fale talimalo | » | hotel |
| faleo'o | » | small house out the front | | faleoloa | » | shop |
| faleapa | » | house with a tin roof | | fale meli | » | post office |
| fale-palagi | » | western-style house | | fale-puipui | » | jail |
Asking about buildings:
| O le a le fale le la? | » | What is that building? |
| O le falesa | » | It's a church. |
Asking about matai:
| O le a le igoa matai o le tou aiga? | » | What is the matai name in your family? |
| O ai le matai? | » | Who is the matai? |
| O se tulafale poo se ali'i? | » | Is he an orator or a chief? |
Preparing for a fono:
| Aumai launiu e fili ai pou o le fale | » | Bring coconut-leaves for the poles of the building. |
| Aua le pisa olo'o fai le fono a matai | » | Be quiet, the matai meeting is on. |
Sport
Some sports include:
General phrases for many different sports:
| Ua pa le polo | » | The ball is flat |
| E mana'omia le pamu o le polo | » | The ball needs to be pumped-up (lit. needs the pump) |
| Fa'amama le malae | » | tidy up the field (eg. after a game) |
| Ua uma le tatou ta'aloga, ua ta le sa. Tatou o i le fale e tapena le faiga lotu | » | Out game is finished, the bell has rung for the sā1. Let's go home and prepare for prayer. |
Volleyball
| Ua outi | » | It's out |
| Fafo le polo | » | The ball is out |
| Leai oloo i totonu | » | It's not in |
| Ua fia ai o le ta'aloga? | » | What is the score of the game? |
| O le a le score? | » | What is the score? |
| Pamu le polo | » | Bump or pass the ball |
| Po le polo | » | Punch or set the ball |
| Tu'i le polo | » | Spike the ball. |
| Ua malo le isi au | » | The other team has won |
| Ua malo le au o Ioane | » | Ioane's team has won |
| Ua neti le polo | » | The ball has hit the net |
| E maualuga/maualalo tele le neti | » | The net is too high / too low |
Rugby
| Rugby | » | Lakapi |
| Sikalamu | » | scrum |
| Ua maua e le au lea le polo | » | That team has got the ball |
| Pu'e! Pu'e le fitu | » | Get number seven! |
| Tatao i lalo le polo | » | Put down the ball |
| Kiki le sala | » | Kick the penalty |
| Pasi le polo | » | Pass the ball |
| Sikoa i lalo le polo | » | Score a try |
| Faiaoga | » | coach |
| Laufali | » | referee |
Plantation
| O le fai fa'ato'aga | » | farmer |
| Fa'ato'aga | » | plantation |
| Ma'umaga | » | taro or ta'amu plantation |
Plants grown in the village:
| fa'i | » | banana | | esi | » | paw paw / papaya |
| ta'amu | » | large root vegetable | | koko | » | cocoa |
| ufi | » | yam | | popo | » | mature coconut |
| niu | » | young coconut |
The word lau2 means 'leaf'. Usually people talk about which type of leaf:
| launiu | » | coconut leaf | | laufa'i | » | banana leaf |
← Phrases Index
