Pasefika Māori and Polynesian Dictionary


Māori to English Dictionary



English Māori Sāmoan Hawaiʻian Tongan Tahitian Scientific
Blacktip Reef Shark Malie Alamata Manō pāʻele Carcharhinus melanopterus
Bluespotted stingray Fai Tala Neotrygon kuhlii
Burrowing Sea Urchin Tuitui Echinometra Mathaei
Coconut Crab Ūū Uʻa vāhi Birgus Latro
Dolphinfish Masimasi Mahimahi Mahimahi Mahimahi Coryphaena hippurus
Fluted Giant Clam Faisua ʻOlepe Tridacna Squamosa
Person with title Matai
Inland Gāʻuta Mauka
Leeward Atea Lalo
Manta Ray Fai Malie Hāhālua Manta Birostris
North East Mātū i Sasaʻe Koʻolau Tokelau Hahake Haʻapiti NE 45°
Oceanside Gātai Makai
Outrigger Ama Ama
Palolo Worm Palolo Palola viridis
Pattern ʻĒlei
Rock Crab Amaʻama ʻAʻama Grapsus
Scalloped Hammerhead Mataʻitaliga Manō kihikihi Sphyrna lewini
Skipjack Tuna Aku Katsuwonus pelamis
Wahoo Paāla Ono Valu Louniu Pāere Acanthocybium solandari
Wedge-tail Triggerfish Sumu aloalo Humuhumunukunukuāpuaʻa Rhinecanthus rectangulus
Whitebanded Triggerfish Sumu uoʻuo Rhinecanthus aculeatus
Windward Lua Koʻolau
Yellowfin Tuna Asiasi ʻAhi Takuo ʻAʻahi Thunnus albacares
Great Morinda Nonu Noni Nonu Nono Morinda Citrifolia
Musk (Maile scented) Fern Lau magamaga Lauaʻe Laufale Metuapuaʻa Microsorum/Phymatosorus grossus or scolopendria
Candlenut Lama Kukui Tuitui Tiʻaʻiri Aleurites moluccana
Hibiscus (Beach) Fau Hau Fau Pūrau Hibiscus tiliaceus
Plumeria Pua Melia Kalosipani Tīpanīe Plumeria
Coconut Plant Sprout Oʻo Cocos nucifera
Centipede Atualoa Kanapī Scolopendra subspinipes
Aloe vera Aloe Aloe vera
Digging Stick ʻOso ʻŌʻō
Planting Stick ʻioe Pau
Hawaiʻi ʻōʻō ʻŌʻō Moho nobilis
Volcano Mauga mū Lua pele Moʻunga afi
Portuguese man o' war Vaʻa tau Physalia physalis
Rectangular triggerfish Sumu aloalo Humuhumunukunukuāpuaʻa Rhinecanthus rectangulus
Reef triggerfish Sumu aloalo Humuhumunukunukuāpuaʻa Rhinecanthus rectangulus
Plant Lāʻau Lāʻau
Tree Lāʻau Lāʻau
Tooth Nifo Niho
Finished ʻUma Pau
Done ʻUma Pau
Yes ʻioe ʻAe
Human Tagata Kanaka Tangata
Person Tagata Kanaka Tangata
Inhabitant Tagata Kanaka Tangata
Yam Ufi Uhi Dioscorea
Intelligent Poto Akamai
Smart Poto Akamai
Thank you Faʻafetai Mahalo
Thank you very much Faʻafetai tele lava Mahalo nui loa
Rorippa - longrunner Aʻatasi Rorippa sarmentosa
Premna serratifolia Aloalo Premna serratifolia
Glory bower Aloalo tai Clerodendrum inerme, Volkameria inermis
Pacific Mussaenda or Pacific flag-tree Aloalo vao Mussaenda raiateensis
Banyan or small-leaved fig ʻAoa Ficus obliqua
Small-leaved fig or Banyan ʻAoa Ficus obliqua
Cashew tree ʻApu initia Anacardium occidentale
Beach sunflower Ateate Wollastonia biflora
Diospyros samoensis Auʻauli Diospyros samoensis
Macropiper puberlum or Piper puberulum ʻAvaʻava aitu Macropiper puberlum or Piper puberulum
Piper puberulum or Macropiper puberlum ʻAvaʻava aitu Piper puberulum or Macropiper puberlum
Derris or New Guinea Creeper ʻAva niukini Derris malaccensis
New Guinea Creeper or Derris ʻAva niukini Derris malaccensis
Wild ginger ʻAva pui vao Zingiber zerumbet
Alexandrian laurel Fetau Kamani Calophyllum inophyllum
Rukam Filimoto Flacourtia rukam
Soap bush Fisoa Colubrina asiatica
Guest tree Fuʻafuʻa Kleinhovia hospita
Epipremnum pinnatum Fue lau fao Epipremnum pinnatum
Piper graeffei Fue manogi Piper graeffei
Beach morning glory Fue moa Ipomoea pes-caprae
Mile-a-minute vine Fue saina Mikania micrantha
Wax flower Fue sele la Hoya australis
Beach pea Fue sina Vigna marina
Fish poison tree Futu Barringtonia asiatica
Coral tree Gatae Erythrina variegata
Tahitian chestnut Ifi Inocarpus fagifer
Candelabra bush Lāʻau failafa Senna alata
Leather fern Lau gasese Davallia solida
Chaff-flower Lau tamatama Achyranthes aspera
Lanceleaf Tongue Fern Lau tasi Pyrossia lanceolata
Sea mango Leva Cerbera manghas
Canarium vitiense Maʻali Canarium vitiense
Tarenna sambucina Maʻanunu Tarenna sambucina
Angular winter cherry Magalo (vi vao) Physalis angulata
Lesser Trema Māgele Trema cannabina
Mango Mago Mangifera indica
Dysoxylum samoense Maota (maota mamala) Dysoxylum samoense
Glochidion ramiflorum Maota Glochidion ramiflorum
Psychotria insularum Masame Psychotria insularum
Wild fig Mati Ficus tinctoria
Pacific rosewood Milo Thespesia populnea
Lemon grass Moegalo Cymbopogon citratus
Orange Moliʻaina Citrus sinensis
Perfume tree Mosoʻoi Cananga odorata
Simpleleaf chastetree Namulega Vitex trifolia
Malay apple Nonu fiʻafiʻa ʻŌhiʻa ʻai Syzygium malaccensis
Indian mulberry Nonu vao Noni Nonu Nono Morinda citriflolia
Bishop wood ʻOʻa Bischofia javanica
Bamboo ʻOfe Sāmoa ʻOhe Schizostachyum glaucifolium
Chili pepper Polo feʻu Capsicum annuum
Tabasco Chili pepper Polo feʻu Capsicum annuum
Tahitian gardenia Pua Sāmoa Gardenia taitensis
Syzygium corynocarpum Seasea Syzygium corynocarpum
Centotheca lappacea Sefa Centotheca lappacea
Bitter yam Soi Dioscorea bulbifera
Polyscias Tagitagi Polyscias
Limeberry Talafalu Micromelum minutum
Tropical almond Talie Terminalia catappa
Beach heliotrope Tausuni Tornefortia argentea
Ironwood Toa Casuarina equisetifolia
Asiatic pennywort Togo Centella asiatica
Alphitonia zizyphoides Toi Alphitonia zizyphoides
Beach cabbage Toʻi toʻi Scaevola taccada
Euodia hortensis Usi Euodia hortensis
T-grass Vao lima Paspalum conjugatum
Otaheite apple Spondias dulcis
Turmeric Ago (Lega) ʻOlena Curcuma longa
Wild ginger ʻAvapui ʻAwapuhi Zingiber zerumbet
Ginger Fiu Zingiber officinale
Citron Tipolo Citrus medica
Sugar cane Tolo Saccharum officinarum
Pepper elder Vao Vai Peperomia pellucida
Garden Spurge Vao āpulupulu Chamaesyce hirta, Euphorbia hirta
Wild capegooseberry Vī vao Physalis angulata
Mountain Apple Nonu fiʻafiʻa ʻŌhiʻa ʻai Syzygium malaccensis
ʻŌhiʻa Lehua ʻŌhiʻa Lehua Metrosideros polymorpha
Sweet Potato ʻUmala ʻUala Ipomoea batatas
Red Ginger (Ornamental) Teuila ‘Awapuhi ‘ula‘ula Alpinia purpurata
Shampoo Ginger ʻAwapuhi Kuahiwi Zingiber zerumbet
Screwpine Lau Fala Lau Hala Pandanus tectorius
Bottle Gourd Ipu Lagenaria siceraria
Cup Ipu
Maile Maile Alyxia stellata
Maile Maile Alyxia oliviformis
Giant Taro ʻApe ʻApe Alocasia macrorrhizos
Giant Taro Ta‘amū ʻApe Alocasia macrorrhizos
Basket Ato ʻEke
Service, to serve Tautua Lawelawe
Culture Agānu‘u Nā ʻike a me nā hana
Custom/s (cultural) Agānu‘u Nā ʻike a me nā hana
Sāmoan culture Agānu‘u Sāmoa
Great frigatebird Atafa Fregata minor
Lesser frigatebird Atafa Fregata ariel
Brown noddy Gogo Anous stolidus
Taro cutting/top used for planting Tiapula Huli Colocasia esculenta
Turn Fuli Huli
Pull Futi Huki
Taro petiole, (individual) stalk
Taro bud, young shoot from corm Lauvai ʻOhā
Taro bud, young shoot from corm Soesoe ʻOhā
Taro Leaf Lu‘au Lū‘au
Orion's Belt Amoga Asterism
Saturn Fetū tea Planet
Sirius Telegese Aʻā Star System
Venus Tapuitea Planet
Pleiades (Messier 45) Liʻi Makaliʻi Star Cluster
Jupiter Tupualengase Planet
Polaris Hōkūpaʻa Star
Ursa Major (Great Bear) Anava Constellation
Meteoroid (Shooting Star) Fetū Afi Meteoroid
Responsibility Tiute tau‘ave Kuleana

English to Polynesian Dictionary



Sāmoan to English Dictionary



Hawaiʻian to English Dictionary



Tongan to English Dictionary



Tahitian 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