Samoan phrasebook

Samoan (gagana Sāmoa) is a Polynesian language mainly spoken in Samoa and American Samoa.

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.

Bus and train

Directions

Taxi

Lodging

Money

Eating

Bars

Shopping

Driving

Authority

Learning more