Order of words
- In Tongan you put an adjective after, not before a noun, i.e. big house becomes literally house big in Tongan:
fale lahi
big house
house big [literally]
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- fale = house
- lahi = big
- In Tongan first you put a verb, then a subject, then an object. This might be confusing for speakers of English since in English usually you put a subject, then a verb, then an object:
Ko e fale lahi eni
This is a big house.
this house big is [literally]
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- ko e = this
- eni = is
- fale = house
- lahi = big
Wrong: *Ko e lahi fale eni
Tongan alphabet (Koe 'A Faka-Tonga)
- A E F H I K L M N NG O P S T U V '
Normal Vowels (Vauele)
- a e i o u
Long Vowels (Vauele Loloa)
- ā ē ī ō ū
Thus each long vowel can has a macron, bar above it (faka'ilonga toloi).
The effect of having a bar on top makes each sound as if it is doubled. E.g. mama means chew whereas māma with a long vowel (ā) means light. Obviously the effect of having either a normal vowel or long vowel definitely affects the meaning.
Note
The following characters are not in the Tongan alphabet:
- b c d g j q r w x y z
Also ng are counted as one, they must always go together. The n can be by itself but g can't.
This explains why the name Tonga is spelled as such. You can't have Toga (illegal syntax - can't have g by itself). However, you can have Tona - meaning "wart" , well different meanings, aren't they?
Numbers: Decimal System
| Digits
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Numerical Names
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| 0
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Noa
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| 1
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Taha
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| 2
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Ua
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| 3
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Tolu
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| 4
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Fa
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| 5
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Nima
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| 6
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Ono
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| 7
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Fitu
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| 8
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Valu
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| 9
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Hiva
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"Weights" or Place Values
| Tongan
|
English
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Examples
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| Matelau
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Units
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e.g. taha, ua, tolu, ....
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| Ngofulu
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Tens
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e.g. taha ua, ua nima, tolu ono, ....
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| Ngeau
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Hundreds
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e.g. teau, teau ma ua, teau ma tolu, ....
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| Afe
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Thousands
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e.g. tahāfe, tahāfe ma ua, tahāfe ma tolu, ....
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| Mano
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Tens of Thousands
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e.g. taha mano, tahamono uāfe, tahamano toluafe, ....
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| Kilu
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Hundreds of thousands
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e.g. tahakilu, tahakilu uamano, tahakilu uamano toluafe, ....
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| Miliona
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Millions
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e.g. tahamiliona, tahamiliona uakilu, tolumiliona, ....
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| Sample numbers
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Expressions
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| 10
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hongofulu, you may also say taha noa as in "one zero"
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| 11
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hongofulu ma taha or simply taha taha (one one)
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| 20
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oofulu or simply ua noa,the rest follows a similar pattern
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| 28
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ua valu
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| 100
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teau or taha noa noa
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| 500
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nima ngeau
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| 1,000
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taha afe
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| 6,000
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ono afe
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| 30,000
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tolu mano
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| 90,000
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hiva mano
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| 400,0000
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fa kilu
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| 800,0000
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valu kilu
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| 7,000,000
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fitu miliona
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Frequently used words and phrases
| Tongan
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English
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| Malo e lelei
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Hello
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| Fefe hake
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How are you?
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| Sai pe
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Fine, Alright,well
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| Malo
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Thank you
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| Malo 'aupito
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Thank you very much
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| 'Ikai
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No
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| 'Io
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Yes
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| 'Api
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Home
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| Feitu'u
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Place
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| 'Omai
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Get, bring
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| 'Ave, 'oatu, foaki
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Give
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| 'Oku ou;au
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Am
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| Taimi
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Time
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| Kai
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Eat
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| Inu
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Drink
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| 'Alu
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Go
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| Ha'u
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Come
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| Ako
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Study, learn
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| 'Uhinga
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Because
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| Sio
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Watch, look
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| Va'inga
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Play
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| 'O e
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Of
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| Ngāhi
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Plural word(s) to go with any noun
e.g house = fale <> houses, cars etc = ngāhi fale, ngāhi ka
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| Ko hai ho hingoa ?
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Who are you? What is your name?
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Questions (Fehu'i)
| Tongan
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English
|
| Koe ha ?
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What ?
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| Fakaku ?
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When ?
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| I fe ? Ko fe ?
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Where ?
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| 'Uhinga ?
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Why ?
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Tongan Currency (Tongan Pa'anga (TOP))
| Tongan
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English
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| Seniti
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Cents
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| Seniti e nima noa
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Fifty cents
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| Pa'anga
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Dollars
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| Pa'anga e taha nima
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Fifteen dollars
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Putting together what you have learnt so far
| Tongan
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English
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| Kataki ha'u o' kai
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Please come and eat
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| Malo 'oku ikai keu fiekaia
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Thank you, I am not hungry
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| Ko fe pangike ?
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Where is the bank ?
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| Koe ha e taimi ?
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What is the time ?
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| 'Alu 'o sio Televisone
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Go and watch Television
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| Ha'u 'o Va'inga
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Come and Play
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| 'Omai e pa'anga 'e tolu nima
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Bring thirty five dollars
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| Ko e ha e totongi 'o e sitapa? (ngāhi sitapa?)
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What is the cost of one stamp? (stamps ?)
Can also specify the number of stamps
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Links