Let's focus on some highlights of the language.. What I wrote below are just my conclusions from the
Peace Corps Handbookand I cannot guarantee they are all correct. I will always compare to Tongan. Tongan words and expressions used for comparison will be marked with a T. while TM will stand for Tense Marker. Note that
g is pronounced like the Tongan ng and like the English
sing.
Pronouns
It seems that the pronouns are:
'ou, a'u (emph.) = I
'e, 'oe (emph.) = thou
na, ia (emph.) = he/she
tā, tā'ua (emph.) = we (dual, incl.)
mā, mā'ua (emph.) = we (dual, excl.)
tātou = we (pl. incl.)
mātou = we (pl. excl.)
lua, oulua (emph.) = you (dual)
tou, outou (emph.) = you (pl.)
lā, lā'ua (emph.) = they (dual)
lātou = they (pl.)
Tense markers (TM)
Some tense markers seem to follow the pronoun, unlike in Tongan.
a. Present tense
The tense marker is
te when there's a pronoun and
e when the subject is not a pronoun:
'Ou te alu i Apia = I go to Apia
E alu Sefo i Apia = goes Sefo to Apia
It seems that subjects aren't preceded by an article (like Tongan
'a).
Another present tense marker is
'ua which seems to be used as a perfect tense marker as well:
'Ua 'e fa'aipoipo? = you married?
'Ou te fia moe = ua 'ou fia moe = I want to sleep
b. Past tense
The tense marker is
na. It seems to come before the pronoun:
na tautala le faiā'ogo = TM speak the teacher / the teacher spoke
na 'e sau = TM you come / you came
Another tense marker is
sa. It precedes the pronoun as well:
Sa tautala Sione = Sione spoke
Sa 'ou tautala = I spoke
Sa and 'ou are together pronounced
sa'u
c. Future tense
The future tense marker is
'ā. It seems that it's used alone in questions but in affirmative it's preceded by 'o + pronoun:
'o le 'ā tautala Sione = Sione will speak
'ā 'ē tautala? = TM you talk? / will you talk?
To be
The equivalent of Tongan
ko is
'o in Samoan:
'O le peni ia = it's a pen (Tongan
ko ha peni ia)
'O le ā ia? = What is this? (Tongan
ko e hā ia?)
or
'O ā ia? (Tongan
ko (e) hā ia?)
'O se peni ia? = Is this a pen? (Tongan
ko ha peni ia?)
Articles
Obviously
le is the equivalent of Tongan
e and
se the equivalent of the Tongan
ha. The plural of se seems to be
ni:
'O ni peni ia? = Are these pens?
Other demonstratives:
'O se peni lea? = Is this a pen?
'O se peni lenā? = Is that a pen?
'O se peni lale? = Is that (far) a pen?
'O ni peni ia? = Are these pens?
'O ni peni nā? = Are those pens?
'O ni peni lā? = Are those (far) pens?
'E te fiafia? = You TM happy?
Ioe, 'ou te fiafia = Yes, I TM happy
Lēai, 'ou te lē fiafia = No, I TM not happy
Sa 'e alu i Apia? = Did you go to Apia?
'E te le'i alu i Apia? = Didn't you go to Apia?
Ioe, sa 'ou alu i Apia = Yes, I went to Apia
Leai, 'ou te le'i alu i Apia = No, I didn't go to Apia
Sa 'e fiafia i ai? = Did you like it?
Ioe, sa 'ou fiafia i ai = Yes I liked it
'E te le'i fiafia i ai? = Didn't you like it?
Ioe, 'ou te le'i fiafia i ai = No I didn't like it
ioe = yes (T.
'io)
lēai = no (T.
'ikai[/b])
'aiseā = why
fa'afetai = thanks
manuia = fine (T.
monū'ia)
mai = from (T.
mei)
i = in, to (T.
ki, 'i)
alu = go (T. (
'alu). Plural form is o (Tongan
ō)
'o ā mai 'oe? = what from you? (how are you doing?) (T.
ko hā mei koe?)
feoloolo lava = just fine
'ae ā 'oe? = what about you?
mālosi fa'afetai = fine thanks
matai = chief, noble
lelei = good
lava = very, many, much
lelei lava = very good
fiafia = happy, rejoice (T.
fiefia)
'āiga = family (T.
kāinga)
ai = who (T.
hai)
pau lava = just because
tagata = man (T.
tangata)
la'u = my (a-class)
lo'u = my (o-class)
lau = your (a-class, similar to T. 'e-class)
lou = your (o-class, similar to T. 'o-class)
galuega = work, job (T.
ngāue)
igoa = name (T.
hingoa)
sau = come (sg.) (T.
ha'u)
o mai = come (pl.) (T.
ō mai)
fea = where (usually preceded by o) (T.
fē)
fia = how many (T.
fiha)
lē = not (immediately before the verb)
mālō le soifua = hello
mālō le fo'i soifua = hello (answer)
'ai = eat (pl. 'a'ai) (T.
kai)
anapō = last night (T.
anepō)
ma = and, with (T.
mo)
'o ā au mea sa fai? = is what your thing TM do? / What did you do? (T.
Ko hā ho'o me'a na'e fai)
sa 'ou faitautusi = TM I read / I read
fai = do
fa'anoanoa = sad
'o le ā le mea lea? = TM the what the thing this? / what is this? (T. ko e hā e me'a ia?)
e fia? = how much?
fa'amolemole = please (T.
fakamolemole)
fia = want (auxiliary) (T.
fie)
mana'o = want (T.
fiema'u)
moe = sleep (T.
mohe)
malie lou loto = excuse me please
'o le ā le fa'asāmoa 'o le ... = TM the what the samoan way TM the..? / what's the Samoan expression for..?
toe = again
mālamalama = understand
tautala = speak
E iai...? = is there...?
lā e i... = is in the...
'o fea le peni? = TM where the pen? / Where is the pen?
'o le peni lā e i totonu o le fale = the pen is in the house
totonu = inside
fafo = outside
luga = on
lalo = under
tafatafa = beside
'o ai lā e i fale? = TM who is in the house?
aua = don't
faiā'oga = teacher
aso = day (T.
'aho)
manuia le aso = nice the day / have a nice day
fa'atau = shop (verb)
'ia = OK, fine, well, so, then
mai = to me, to us (T.
mai)
atu = to you (T.
atu)
ai = to it, in it etc. (T.
ai)
tamā = father
tinā = mother
uso = sibling
anafea = when (referring to the past) (T.
'anefē)
se = a, an (T.
ha) (often combined with possessives giving several indefinite possessives)
tele = very (postpos.)
fa'afetai le.. = thanks for..
fiafia i = to like
'ino'ino = to hate
suamalie = sweet
fōma'i = doctor
fōma'inifo = dentist
taeao = tomorrow
masalo = probably (T.
mahalo)
aoauli = afternoon
pō = night (T.
pō)