Pasefika Hawaiʻian and Polynesian Dictionary


Hawaiʻian to English Dictionary



English Hawaiʻian Sāmoan Tongan Tahitian Māori Scientific
Taro petiole, (individual) stalk
Dance Haʻa Siva Faiva ʻOri Hari
Manta Ray Hāhālua Fai Malie Manta Birostris
Compass 348.75° NbW Haka Hoʻolua Haka Whakararo NbW 348.75°
Compass 011.25° NbE Haka Koʻolau Haka Whakararo Haka Tokerau NbE 11.25°
Compass 168.75° SbE Haka Malanai ʻApatoʻa Haka Marangai SbE 168.75°
Screwpine Hala Fasa Fa Fara Rauhara Pandanus tectorius
Screwpine Hala Fala Fa Fara Rauhara Pandanus tectorius
House Hale Fale Fale Fare Whare
Sāmoa Hāmoa Sāmoa Haʻamoa Hāmoa Hāmoa
Work Hana Galue(ga) Ngāue ʻOhipa Hanga
Bay Hana Faga Kōmaki ʻŌʻoʻa Whanga
Birth Hānau Fānau Fanauʻi Fānau Whānau Parturition
European person Haole Papālagi Papālagi Popaʻā Pākehā
Tree Fern Hāpuʻu ʻOliʻolī Ponga
Hibiscus (Beach) Hau Fau Fau Pūrau Hibiscus tiliaceus
Happy Hauʻoli Manuia Fiefia ʻOaʻoa Harikoa
Octopus Heʻe Feʻe Feke Feʻe Wheke Octopus Cyanea
Port (side) Hema Tauagavale Hema ʻAui Mauī
Left (Direction) Hema Tauagavale Hema ʻAui Mauī
Compass 180° S Hema Saute Tonga Toʻa Tonga S 180°
South Hema Toga Tonga Toʻa Tonga S 180°
East Hikina Sasaʻe Hahake Maoaʻe Marangai E 90°
Compass 090° E Hikina Sasaʻe Hahake Maoaʻe Marangai E 90°
Return, come back Hoʻi Foʻi Foki Hoʻi Hoki
Star Hōkū Fetū Fetuʻu Fetiʻa Whetū
Polaris Hōkūpaʻa Star
Mars Hōkūʻula Matamemea Maunu ʻura Matawhero
Earth (world) Honua Lalolagi Kelekele Repo Ao
Listen Hoʻolohe, Hoʻolono Faʻalogo Fakafanongo Faʻaroʻo Whakarongo
North West Hoʻolua Mātū i Sisifo Tokelau Hihifo Pāfāʻite Marangai mā uru NW 315°
Abolish Hoʻopau Faʻaʻuma Fakaʻauha Faʻaʻore Whakakāhore
Taro cutting/top used for planting Huli Tiapula Colocasia esculenta
Turn Huli Fuli
Rectangular triggerfish Humuhumunukunukuāpuaʻa Sumu aloalo Rhinecanthus rectangulus
Reef triggerfish Humuhumunukunukuāpuaʻa Sumu aloalo Rhinecanthus rectangulus
Wedge-tail Triggerfish Humuhumunukunukuāpuaʻa Sumu aloalo Rhinecanthus rectangulus


English to Polynesian Dictionary



Sāmoan to English Dictionary



Tongan to English Dictionary



Tahitian to English Dictionary



Māori to English Dictionary



Welcome to the Pasefika Polynesian Dictionary. This dictionary is meant to be a comparative dictionary to quickly view similarities, differences and cognate relationships between words across Polynesian languages. The dictionary includes a format that will display english to polynesian translation into words from Sāmoan, Hawaiʻian, Tongan, Māori, and Tahitian languages.

Most knowledge in Polynesia was communicated and passed on through language, legends, and songs.

The Sāmoan alphabet constists of these letters

Sāmoan written Alphabet: A E F G I L M N O P S T U V (K H R are additonal)

Vowels in Sāmoan language

  • A (ʻA A ʻĀ Ā) - pronounced (ˈä) AAh, like "AAh"
  • E (ʻE E ʻĒ Ē) - pronounced (ˈe) Eh, like net
  • I (ʻI I ʻĪ Ī) - pronounced (ē) EE, like see
  • O (ʻO O ʻŌ Ō) - pronounced (ō) oh, like "Oh"
  • U (ʻU U ʻŪ Ū) - pronounced (u̇(ə)) oo, like oops
  • A glottal stop and/or macron indicate short, normal, long sound and/or a brief pause in the sound of each vowel).

A glottal stop and/or macron indicate short, normal, long sound and/or a brief pause in the sound of each vowel).

Consonants in Sāmoan language
F G L M N P S T V

Comparison of consonant letters of Sāmoan language to languages of other Polynesian cultures

  • Sāmoa s or f = Aotearoa (Māori) h = Hawaiʻi h = Marquesas h = Tahiti h = Tonga h
  • Sāmoa g = Aotearoa (Māori) ng = Hawaiʻi n = Marquesas k = Tahiti = Tonga g
  • Sāmoa l = Aotearoa (Māori) r = Hawaiʻi l = Marquesas = Tahiti r = Tonga l
  • Sāmoa t = Aotearoa (Māori) t = Hawaiʻi k = Marquesas = Tahiti t = Tonga t
  • Sāmoa v = Aotearoa (Māori) w = Hawaiʻi w = Marquesas v = Tahiti v = Tonga v
  • Sāmoa f = Aotearoa (Māori) wh = Hawaiʻi h = Marquesas f or h = Tahiti h or f = Tonga f

The letter K in Sāmoan language

K
The letter K is a consonant than notes the use of the "K" style of Samoan language and/or used for words introduced with translation from other languages.

Additional Consonants in Sāmoan language

H R
Additional consonants (introduced with translation)

Some English letters informally are translated to Sāmoan Language with the use of additional consonants and rarely with vowels.

  • English b = Sāmoan p
  • English c = Sāmoan t/k or s
  • English d = Sāmoan t/k or s
  • English d = Sāmoan t/k
  • English g = Sāmoan t/k or s
  • English j = Sāmoan s or i

In studies of linguistics, Sāmoan language has been catagoriezed within the Austronesian family of languages.

Linguistic classification

  • Austronesian
  • Malayo-Polynesian
  • Oceanic
  • Central Pacific
  • Polynesian
  • Samoic
  • Sāmoan