This week marks New Zealand Samoan Language Week and New Zealanders are being encouraged to learn a little of the pacific island’s language this week.
Le Gagana Samoa is the third most widely spoken language in New Zealand, behind English and Māori.
In the latest census, 77,000 people said they spoke Samoan.
A resource kit is being sent out to schools around the country and there will be debates, lectures and community events in the coming week.
Below are some basic Samoan phrases you could use at home or around school.
Greetings
Saying “hello” is as simple as mālō in an informal setting. The more formal ways to say this are:
Talofa lava » Hello (polite).
Mālō le soifua » Hello.
And to say goodbye, you can say:
Tōfā soifua » Goodbye
Toe feiloa’i » See you later.
Feiloa’i taeao » See you tomorrow.
The word manuia is used to wish somebody well with anything at all, and can be used to say goodbye as well:
Manuia le taeao » Have a good morning
Manuia le aso » Have a good day
Manuia le afiafi » Have a good evening
Manuia le pō » Have a good night
Manners
Fa’amolemole » Please
Fa’afetai » Thank you
Fa’afetai tele lava » Thank you very much
Tulou lava » Excuse me (used when passing infront of somebody)
Polite conversation
‘O ā mai ‘oe? » How are you?
Manuia fa’afetai » Fine thank you (most common response)
Manuia fo’i fa’afetai » Fine also thank you
Feoloolo » Not so good
15 Responses
please
I think it is a really good idea to have Samoan and Maori weeks because it gives other multi cultural people to learn new languages.
I think it’s cool that we have Samoa week.In New Zealand because there are not much Samoans in New Zealand.
kia ora
WOW cool samoan language week is here. COOL WOW HAPPY FUN.
cool! 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 my friend georose is Samoan!
That’s good because then people can learn about Samoa ??
I am very PROUD to be a Samoan and I love being a samoan because everyone is so lovely and amazing “Tofa Soifua Samoa”
Alofa Mai ia
Seepa Grace Ili
who ever is Samoan should know this song ‘le Aute’ and samons are so nice and caring of each other even though i have never been there.
lame o
hi im Samoa i’ll whant to leran about samoa words
Yay! XD XD XD
Cool! 😀 :D!! I’m Samoan B)!
that is so cool
for other cultures to learn samoan languge it hard at first but then it gets fun
that is so cool
for other cultures to learn samoan language
it hard at first but then it gets fun