Pasefika Hawaiʻian and Polynesian Dictionary


Hawaiʻian to English Dictionary



English Hawaiʻian Sāmoan Tongan Tahitian Māori Scientific
Respect Mahalo Faʻaaloalo Fakaʻapaʻapa Faʻatura Kauanuanu
Thank you Mahalo Faʻafetai Mālō
Thank you very much Mahalo nui loa Faʻafetai tele lava Mālō ‘aupito
Dolphinfish Mahimahi Masimasi Mahimahi Mahimahi Coryphaena hippurus
Moon Māhina Māsina Māhina ʻĀvaʻe Māhina
Banana Maiʻa Faʻi Siaine Maiʻa Maika Musa
Maile Maile Alyxia stellata
Maile Maile Alyxia oliviformis
Eye Maka Mata Foʻi Mata Mata Karu
Oceanside Makai Gātai
Pleiades (Messier 45) Makaliʻi Liʻi Star Cluster
Wind Makani Matagi Matangi Mataʻi Hau
Hurricane (Cyclone) Makani pāhili Afā Afā
Cyclone (Hurricane) Makani pāhili Afā Afā
March Malaki Mati Maʻasi Mati Maehe
South East Malani Saute i Sasaʻe Tonga Hahake Maraʻamu Pitonga SE 135°
Foreigner Malihini Tagata Fāimai Muli Rātere Pākehā
Shelter Malu Malu Malu Maru Maru
Shark Manō Malie ʻAnga Maʻo Mangō
Scalloped Hammerhead Manō kihikihi Mataʻitaliga Sphyrna lewini
Blacktip Reef Shark Manō pāʻele Malie Alamata Carcharhinus melanopterus
Compass 315° NW Manu Hoʻolua Mātū i Sisifo Tokelau Hihifo Pāfāʻite Manu Whakararo NW 315°
Compass 225° SW Manu Kona Saute i Sisifo Tokelau Hihifo Urupā Manu Whakarunga SW 225°
Compass 045° NE Manu Koʻolau Mātū i Sasaʻe Tokelau Hahake Haʻapiti Manu Tokerau NE 45°
Compass 135° SE Manu Malanai Saute i Sasaʻe Tonga Hahake Maraʻamu Manu Marangai SE 135°
Understand Maopopo Malamalama Mahino Pāpū Orotau
Inland Mauka Gāʻuta
Mountain Mauna Mauga Moʻuga Mouʻa Maunga
Food Meaʻai Meaʻai Meʻakai
May Mei Me Me Mei
Song Mele Pese Hiva Pehe Maire
Plumeria Melia Pua Kalosipani Tīpanīe Plumeria
Papaya Mīkana Esi Lesi ʻĪʻitā Papaia Carica papaya
Chicken Moa Moa Moa Moa Heihei Gallus gallus
Ocean Moana Moana Moana Moana Moana
Sleep Moe Moe Mohe Taʻoto Moe
King Mōʻī Tupu Tuʻi Ariʻi Kīngi
Island Moku Motu Motu Motu Motu


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