Pasefika Sāmoan and Polynesian Dictionary


Sāmoan to English Dictionary



English Sāmoan Hawaiʻian Tongan Tahitian Māori Scientific
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
Dog Maile ʻĪlio Kulī ʻŪrī Kurī Canis familiaris
Understand Malamalama Maopopo Mahino Pāpū Orotau
Shark Malie Manō ʻAnga Maʻo Mangō
Blacktip Reef Shark Malie Alamata Manō pāʻele Carcharhinus melanopterus
Strength Malosi Ikaika Mālohi Itoito Rīrā
Shelter Malu Malu Malu Maru Maru
Happy Manuia Hauʻoli Fiefia ʻOaʻoa Harikoa
Glochidion ramiflorum Maota Glochidion ramiflorum
Dysoxylum samoense Maota (maota mamala) Dysoxylum samoense
Psychotria insularum Masame Psychotria insularum
Salt Māsima Paʻakai Māsima Miti Popaʻā Tote NaCl or Sodium Chloride
Dolphinfish Masimasi Mahimahi Mahimahi Mahimahi Coryphaena hippurus
Moon Māsina Māhina Māhina ʻĀvaʻe Māhina
Eye Mata Maka Foʻi Mata Mata Karu
Wind Matagi Makani Matangi Mataʻi Hau
Person with title Matai
Scalloped Hammerhead Mataʻitaliga Manō kihikihi Sphyrna lewini
Mars Matamemea Hōkūʻula Maunu ʻura Matawhero
March Mati Malaki Maʻasi Mati Maehe
Wild fig Mati Ficus tinctoria
North Mātū ʻĀkau Tokelau Toʻerau Tuaraki N 0°
Compass 0° N Mātū ʻĀkau Tokelau Toʻerau Tuaraki N 0°
Compass 045° NE Mātū i Sasaʻe Manu Koʻolau Tokelau Hahake Haʻapiti Manu Tokerau NE 45°
North East Mātū i Sasaʻe Koʻolau Tokelau Hahake Haʻapiti NE 45°
North West Mātū i Sisifo Hoʻolua Tokelau Hihifo Pāfāʻite Marangai mā uru NW 315°
Compass 315° NW Mātū i Sisifo Manu Hoʻolua Tokelau Hihifo Pāfāʻite Manu Whakararo NW 315°
Compass 337.5° NNW Mātū Mātū i Sisifo Nā Leo Hoʻolua Tokelau Tokelauhihifo Mohio Ngā Reo Whakararo NNW 337.5°
Compass 022.5° NNE Mātū Mātū i Sisifo Nā Leo Koʻolau Tokelau TokelauHahake Pāhaʻapiti Ngā Reo Tokerau NNE 22.5°
Mountain Mauga Mauna Moʻuga Mouʻa Maunga
Volcano Mauga mū Lua pele Moʻunga afi
Taro plantation Maʻumaga Loʻi Ngoue Paʻi Taro Māra
May Me Mei Me Mei
Pacific rosewood Milo Thespesia populnea
Chicken Moa Moa Moa Moa Heihei Gallus gallus
Ocean Moana Moana Moana Moana Moana
Sleep Moe Moe Mohe Taʻoto Moe
Lemon grass Moegalo Cymbopogon citratus
Orange Moliʻaina Citrus sinensis
Perfume tree Mosoʻoi Cananga odorata
Island Motu Moku Motu Motu Motu

English to Polynesian Dictionary



Hawaiʻian 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