Pasefika Hawaiʻian and Polynesian Dictionary


Hawaiʻian to English Dictionary



English Hawaiʻian Sāmoan Tongan Tahitian Māori Scientific
Sun Laʻā
Compass 281.25° WbN Lā Hoʻolua Rā Whakararo WbN 281.25°
Compass 258.75° WbS Lā Kona Rā Whakarunga WbS 258.75°
Compass 076.75° EbN Lā Koʻolau Rā Tokerau EbN 76.75°
Compass 101.25° EbS Lā Malanai Rā Marangai EbS 101.25°
Plant Lāʻau Lāʻau
Tree Lāʻau Lāʻau
Down Lalo Lalo Hifo Raro Raro
Leeward Lalo Atea
Sky Lani Lagi Langi Raʻi Rangi
Sunday Lapule Aso Sa Sāpate Tapati Rātapu
Screwpine Lau Hala Lau Fala Pandanus tectorius
Musk (Maile scented) Fern Lauaʻe Lau magamaga Laufale Metuapuaʻa Microsorum/Phymatosorus grossus or scolopendria
Take, give Lawe ʻAve ʻAve Rave Tango
Bring Lawe mai ʻAumai ʻOmai Āfaʻi Mau
Service, to serve Lawelawe Tautua
Soil Lepo ʻEleʻele Hakau Aʻau Kere
Earth (soil) Lepo ʻEleʻele Hakau Aʻau Kere
Arm Lima Lima Nima Rima Ringa
Horse Lio Solofanua Hoosi Puaʻahorofenua Hōiho Equus ferus caballus
Taro plantation Loʻi Maʻumaga Ngoue Paʻi Taro Māra
Taro Leaf Lū‘au Lu‘au
Volcano Lua pele Mauga mū Moʻunga afi
Up Luna Luga ʻOlunga Niʻa Runga


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