Pacific / Language

Samoan language week - some basic phrases we can all use

12:42 pm on 3 June 2021

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This week, we celebrate the Samoan language, which is spoken by about half-a-million people worldwide. There are nearly 90,000 speakers in New Zealand, making it this country's third most prominent language. The theme this year is "Strengthen the posts of your house, for all to thrive". Max Towle gets a language lesson from RNZ Pacific reporter, Mariner Fagaiava-Muller. These are some of the phrases and words they go over:

  • Hello -- talofa lava
  • Goodbye -- tofa, or tofa soifua 
  • Please -- fa'amolemole
  • Thank you -- fa'afetai
  • How are you? -- o a mai oe?
  • Election -- palota
  • Flood/flooding -- lolo vai
  • Covid-19 -- Koviti