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 | Vī | 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 | Kō | 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 | Fā | Hā | ||||
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