Samoan phrasebook
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 edit
Vowels edit
- 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 edit
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 edit
Phrase list edit
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 edit
- 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 edit
Numbers edit
- 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 edit
Clock time edit
Duration edit
Days edit
- Sunday
- Aso Sa
- Monday
- Aso Gafua
- Tuesday
- Aso Lua
- Wednesday
- Aso Lulu
- Thursday
- Aso Tofi
- Friday
- Aso Faraile
- Saturday
- Aso To'ana'i
Months edit
- 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 edit
Colors edit
- 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 edit
- Stop here please
- Taofi i, fa'amolemole.