Pasefika Hawaiʻian and Polynesian Dictionary


Hawaiʻian to English Dictionary



English Hawaiʻian Sāmoan Tongan Tahitian Māori Scientific
Red Ginger (Ornamental) ‘Awapuhi ‘ula‘ula Teuila Alpinia purpurata
Sirius Aʻā Telegese Star System
Rock Crab ʻAʻama Amaʻama Grapsus
Yes ʻAe ʻioe
Yellowfin Tuna ʻAhi Asiasi Takuo ʻAʻahi Thunnus albacares
Land ʻĀina Fanua Fonua Fenua Whenua
Compass 292.5° WNW ʻĀina Hoʻolua Sisifo Mātū i Sisifo Hihifo Tokelauhihifo Pāparu Kāinga Whakararo WNW 292.5°
Compass 247.5° WSW ʻĀina Kona Sisifo Saute i Sisifo Hihifo Tongahihifo Uru Kāinga Whakarunga WSW 247.5°
Compass 067.5° ENE ʻĀina Koʻolau Sasaʻe Mātū i Sasaʻe Hahake Tokelauhahake Kāinga Tokerau ENE 67.5°
Compass 112.5° ESE ʻĀina Malanai Sasaʻe Saute i Sasaʻe Hahake Tongahake Pāmaoaʻe Kāinga Marangai ESE 112.5°
Intelligent Akamai Poto
Smart Akamai Poto
Starboard ʻĀkau Taumatau Toʻo Mataʻu ʻAtau Katau
Compass 0° N ʻĀkau Mātū Tokelau Toʻerau Tuaraki N 0°
Right (direction) ʻĀkau Taumatau Toʻo Mataʻu ʻAtau Katau
North ʻĀkau Mātū Tokelau Toʻerau Tuaraki N 0°
Coral ʻĀkoʻakoʻa ʻAmu Katoa Toʻa Kāoa Anthozoa
Skipjack Tuna Aku Katsuwonus pelamis
High Chief Aliʻi Aliʻi Eiki Ariʻi Ariki
Chief Aliʻi Aliʻi Eiki Ariʻi Ariki
Front Alo Luma Muʻa Mua Mua
Hibiscus (Red) Aloalo ʻAute Sāmoa Kaute ʻAute Ponga Hibiscus rosa-sinensis
Love Aloha Alofa ʻOfa Aroha Aroha
Outrigger Ama Ama
Cloud Ao Ao Ao Ata Ao
Giant Taro ʻApe ʻApe Alocasia macrorrhizos
Giant Taro ʻApe Ta‘amū Alocasia macrorrhizos
April ʻApelila Apelila ʻEpeleli Eperera Āperira
August ʻAukake Aukuso ʻAokosi Atete Akuhata
Kava ʻAwa ʻAva Kava ʻAva Kava Piper methysticum
Wild ginger ʻAwapuhi ʻAvapui Zingiber zerumbet
Shampoo Ginger ʻAwapuhi Kuahiwi Zingiber zerumbet
Valley Awawa Vanu Teleʻa Faʻa Awaawa


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