Samoan phrasebook

language of the Samoan Islands

Samoan (gagana Sāmoa) is a Polynesian language mainly spoken in Samoa and American Samoa. Samoan is a Polynesian language, and has many cognates with other Polynesian languages such as Māori, Tongan, and Hawaiian

Pronunciation guide

Vowels

A
ah
E
eh
I
aye
O
oh
U
oo


All vowels are pronounced individually. Thus "ai" is not pronounced "eye" but "ah-aye". The use of the apostrophe in spelling of words, e.g. in Samoa's second island of Savai'i, emphasises this point.

Consonants

14 consonant sounds written with a phonetic alphabet.

Note in particular that "g" is pronounced "ng" as in Singapore or ping-pong (not like in finger). Thus the capital of American Samoa, Pago Pago, is pronounced "Pahngo Pahngo."

Common diphthongs

Phrase list

Some phrases in this phrasebook still need to be translated. If you know anything about this language, you can help by plunging forward and translating a phrase.


Basics

Hello.
Talofa. ("Greetings" is a closer translation.)
Hello. (Informal)
Malo.
How are you?
'O a mai oe?
Fine, thank you.
Manuia, fa'afetai.
What is your name?
(Formal:) O ai lou suafa? (Informal:) O ai lou igoa?
My name is ______ .
O lo'u igoa o ______ .
Nice to meet you.
. ( )
Please.
Fa'amolemole. ( )
Thank you.
Fa'afetai. ( )
You're welcome.
Fa'afetai fo'i.
Yes.
Ioe
No.
Leai.
Excuse me. (getting attention)
Fa'amolemole.
Excuse me. (begging pardon)
Tulou.
I'm sorry.
.
Goodbye
Tofa soifua.
Goodbye (informal)
Fa.
See you later
Toe feloa'i. ( )
I can't speak Samoan [well].
[ ]. ( [ ])
Do you speak English?
 ? ( ?)
Is there someone here who speaks English?
 ? ( ?)
Help!
Fesoasoani ! ( !)
Look out!
 ! ( !)
Good morning.
Manuia le aso. ( )
Good evening.
Manuia le afiafi. ( )
Good night.
Manuia le po. ( )
Good night (to sleep)
. ( )
I don't understand.
Ou te le malamalama.
Where is the toilet?
 ?

Problems

Numbers

1
tasi
2
lua
3
tolu
4
fa
5
lima
6
ono
7
fitu
8
valu
9
iva
10
sefulu
11
sefulu-tasi
12
sefulu-lua
13
sefulu-tolu
14
sefulu-fa
15
sefulu-lima
16
sefulu-ono
17
sefulu-fitu
18
sefulu-valu
19
sefulu-iva
20
lua-sefulu
21
lua-sefulu-tasi
22
lua-sefulu-lua
23
lua-sefulu-tolu, (etc.)
30
tolu-sefulu
40
fa-sefulu
50
lima-sefulu, (etc.)
100
selau, tasi-selau
200
lua-selau
300
tolu-selau, (etc.)
1000
afe, tasi-afe
2000
lua-afe
2300
lua-afe-tolu-selau
2310
lua-afe-tolu-selau-sefulu
2315
lua-afe-tolu-selau-sefulu-lima
million
miliona, tasi-miliona.

Time

Clock time

Duration

Days

Sunday
Aso Sa
Monday
Aso Gafua
Tuesday
Aso Lua
Wednesday
Aso Lulu
Thursday
Aso Tofi
Friday
Aso Faraile
Saturday
Aso To'ana'i

Months

January
Ianuari
February
Fepuari
March
Mati
April
Aperila
May
Me
June
Iuni
July
Iulai
August
Auguso
September
Setema
October
Oketopa
November
Novema
December
Tesema

Writing time and date

Colors

color
lanu
black
uliuli
blue
lanumoana
brown
enaena
green
lanumeamata
orange
lanumoli
pink
piniki
purple
viole, mumu pa'auli
red
mumu, lanu ula
white
pa'epa'e, sina
yellow
samasama

Transportation

Stop here please
Taofi i, fa'amolemole.

Bus and train

Directions

Taxi

Lodging

Money

Eating

Bars

Shopping

Driving

Authority

Learning more

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