Vaiaso o le Gagana Samoa/Samoan Language Week

Did you know that Samoan is the third most spoken language in New Zealand? I hear it around me all the time - mostly at the supermarket when the mums are telling their kids "Soia!" or "Aua!" (don't/stop it!). In all seriousness I live in a suburb with a large PI presence. I take Samoan language classes every Wednesday night just for fun really and because it is quite a beautiful language (and a beautiful country). 

Today's also the 50th anniversary of Samoa's independence from New Zealand. Not many Kiwis know that they did actually have to fight for this independence. In the 1920s a group of peaceful demonstrators were actually shot and killed by the New Zealand Police over there. 

So happy Independence day, Samoa and manuia le vaiaso o le gagana Samoa. 

I know a fair bit of vocabulary now but am only just starting to learn how to put this together into sentences with the correct structure. That's next week's class. Here I'll share some of the basics that you'd use/hear if you went on holiday over there.

Malo/talofa.

Hi/hello.

O ai lou igoa? O lo'u igoa o Jessie.

What's your name? My name is Jessie.

O fea ete sau ai? Ou te sau mai Wellington.

Where do you come from? I come from Wellington.

A i alu i fea? Ou te alu i.....Apia/le fale Sa/le maketi/fale kalapu

Where are you going? I'm going to Apia/the church/the market/the club.

Fia ai?

You hungry?

I oe/Leai.

Yes/no. 

Ete fia inu i le vai malulu? 

Do you want a cold drink? 

Tu'u se vailima i totonu o le pusa aisa fa'amolemole. 

Put some beer in the fridge please.

Kuka mai sau fuamoa.

Cook me some eggs.