Samoan phrasebook
From Halal Explorer
Samoan (gagana Sāmoa) is a Polynesian language mainly spoken in Samoa and American Samoa.
Contents
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 name of language [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.