The Tongan course
Learn Tongan ten words at a time
Lea faka-Tonga
Ten games of ten words: the hundred most useful Tongan words and expressions you could live on for years, from greetings and ordering food to numbers, small talk and getting around. Play a lesson in the box beside its words, and the next one starts itself.
Tongan challenge
Do you know the essentials? 25 quick questions from across the course. Score high and you are ready for the trip.
Tongan · Lesson 1 of 10
Greetings and politeness
Hello, thanks, please: the ten openers everything else builds on.
- Malo e leleiMA-lo e le-LAY
- Hello
- MaloMA-lo
- Hi
- Malo e efiafiMA-lo e e-fee-A-fee
- Good morning
- Ke mo'ui leleike mo-OO-ee le-LAY
- Good night
- Malo aupitoMA-lo au-PEE-to
- Thank you very much
- MaloMA-lo
- Thanks
- Sai peSYE pe
- You're welcome
- Katakika-TA-ki
- Please
- Kataki angéka-TA-ki AN-ge
- Excuse me
- Nofo aNO-fo A
- Goodbye
Tongan · Lesson 2 of 10
Order anything by pointing
One beer please, one of these please, the bill: survive any menu.
- Ko e inu pa'anga taha, katakiko e EE-noo PAH-ah-nga TA-ha ka-TA-ki
- One beer, please
- Ko e mea ni taha, katakiko e ME-a nee TA-ha ka-TA-ki
- One of these, please
- Ko e kopi taha, katakiko e KO-pee TA-ha ka-TA-ki
- One coffee, please
- Ko e mea ni 'e ua, katakiko e ME-a nee E oo-A ka-TA-ki
- Two, please
- Ko e mea ni taha lahi, katakiko e ME-a nee TA-ha LA-hee ka-TA-ki
- One more, please
- Ko e ha'a 'oe?ko e HA-a O-e
- How much is it?
- Ko e totongi, katakiko e to-TONG-ee ka-TA-ki
- The bill, please
- E lolou a e...?e LO-loo ah e
- May I...?
- Cheers!CHEERZ
- Cheers!
- Bless youbless YOO
- Bless you
Tongan · Lesson 3 of 10
Yes, no and the essentials
The tiny words that carry half of every conversation.
- Ioee-O
- Yes
- Ikaiee-KAI
- No
- Okayoh-KAY
- Okay
- Io, sai peee-O, SYE pe
- Sure, no problem
- Oku ikai au 'e mahaloO-ku ee-KAI au E ma-HA-lo
- I don't know
- Oku ikai au mahinoO-ku ee-KAI au ma-HEE-no
- I don't understand
- 'Oku e lea fakatonga a 'oe?O-ku e LEH-a fa-ka-TONG-a a O-e
- Do you speak English?
- Siʻisee-EE
- A little
- Sai lavaSYE LA-va
- Of course
- Oku sai 'aupito 'a e mea katoaO-ku SYE au-PEE-to A e ME-a ka-TO-a
- Everything is fine
Tongan · Lesson 4 of 10
Numbers and money
Counting, prices, paying by card or cash.
- TahaTA-ha
- One
- Uaoo-A
- Two
- Toluto-LU
- Three
- Fafa
- Four
- Hongofuluhong-o-FU-lu
- Ten
- Nimangofulunee-man-go-FU-lu
- Fifty
- Honoaho-NO-a
- One hundred
- Paʻangapa-AH-nga
- Paʻanga
- Ko e koti 'apiko e KO-tee AH-pee
- By card
- Ko e pa'angako e pa-AH-nga
- In cash
Tongan · Lesson 5 of 10
At the supermarket
Bread, milk, a bag, nothing else thanks: the checkout routine.
- Ko e falaʻiko e fa-la-EE
- Bread
- Ko e susuko e SU-su
- Milk
- Ko e 'isiko e 'EE-see
- Cheese
- Ko e vaiko e VAI
- Water
- Ko e pusi?ko e PU-see
- A bag?
- 'Oku nau 'i ai a e...?O-ku nau EE ai a e
- Do you have...?
- Ko fea e...?ko FEH-a e
- Where is...?
- Ko e mea niko e ME-a nee
- This one
- Ikai 'i ha'u 'e mea 'e tahaee-KAI EE hah-OO E ME-a E TA-ha
- Nothing else
- Malolo aupitoma-LO-lo au-PEE-to
- Have a nice day
Tongan · Lesson 6 of 10
Cafe and restaurant
A table, the menu, a compliment to the kitchen.
- Ko e tepu mo'ui 'e uako e TE-pu mo-OO-ee E oo-A
- A table for two
- Ko e paipaʻi, katakiko e PAI-pai-EE ka-TA-ki
- The menu, please
- Ko e kopi lelei taha, katakiko e KO-pee le-LAY TA-ha ka-TA-ki
- One espresso
- Ko e ipu vaine tahako e EE-pu vah-EE-ne TA-ha
- A glass of wine
- Ko e inu pa'anga faka-motuko e EE-nu pa-AH-nga fa-ka-MO-tu
- Draft beer
- Ko e pa'i 'i he kopoko e PAH-ee EE he KO-po
- Smørrebrød
- Oku mamahi'i'iO-ku ma-ma-HEE-EE
- It's delicious
- Ikai mo e 'aiee-KAI mo e AH-ee
- Without ice
- Kataki kaveongaka-TA-ki ka-ve-ONG-a
- To take away
- Fakamalo'ifa-ka-ma-LO-ee
- Keep the change
Tongan · Lesson 7 of 10
Small talk and neighbors
How are you, nice day, see you soon: superficial and proud of it.
- 'Oku e sai fefe?O-ku e SYE FEH-fe
- How are you? (polite)
- 'Oku e sai?O-ku e SYE
- How are you? (casual)
- 'Oku au saiO-ku au SYE
- I'm fine
- 'Oku e sai 'a 'oe?O-ku e SYE A O-e
- And you?
- Ko ha me'a'ofa?ko ha ME-a O-fa
- What's new?
- 'Oku lelei e talanoa?O-ku le-LAY e ta-la-NO-a
- Nice weather, huh?
- Kei maloloKAY ma-LO-lo
- See you soon
- Kei malolo 'i he potu poKAY ma-LO-lo EE he PO-tu po
- Have a nice evening
- Fakamalo'i ki he fangutufa-ka-ma-LO-ee kee he fan-GU-tu
- Say hi to the family
- 'Oku lelei lava 'a e mea katoaO-ku le-LAY LA-va A e ME-a ka-TO-a
- All the best
Tongan · Lesson 8 of 10
Getting around
Left, right, the station, one ticket, where is the toilet.
- Ko fea e fale mimi?ko FEH-a e FA-le MI-mi
- Where is the toilet?
- Ko e hemako e HEH-ma
- Left
- Ko e mata'uko e ma-ta-OO
- Right
- Ko e tuʻiko e tu-EE
- Straight ahead
- Ko niko nee
- Here
- Ko iako ee-A
- There
- Ko e vasko e vas
- Bus
- Ko e nofoʻa vasko e NO-fo-a vas
- Train station
- Ko e tiket taha, katakiko e TI-ket TA-ha ka-TA-ki
- One ticket, please
- Tatau iaki, katakita-TAU ee-A-kee ka-TA-ki
- Stop here, please
Tongan · Lesson 9 of 10
Time and days
Today, tomorrow, later, the weekend.
- ʻI he pongipongi neiEE he pong-i-PONG-i NAY
- Today
- ʻI he pongipongi mai hopoEE he pong-i-PONG-i MAI HO-po
- Tomorrow
- 'I he pongipongi kuoʻaEE he pong-i-PONG-i KU-o-A
- Yesterday
- ʻI he taimi neiEE he TAI-mee NAY
- Now
- ʻI he taimi maʻaEE he TAI-mee MAH-a
- Later
- 'Oku ha e taimi?O-ku ha e TAI-mee
- What time is it?
- Monitemo-NEE-te
- Monday
- Tokonakito-ko-NA-kee
- Saturday
- Sineposee-NEH-po
- Sunday
- Ko e pongipongi 'o Tokonaki mo Sinepoko e pong-i-PONG-i O to-ko-NA-kee mo see-NEH-po
- The weekend
Tongan · Lesson 10 of 10
Help and emergencies
The words you hope to never need.
- Toki'i!to-KEE-EE
- Help!
- Ui'i he kalavakau-EE-ee he ka-LA-va-ka
- Call a doctor
- Ko e pulisiko e pu-LEE-see
- Police
- Ko e falema'iko e fa-le-MAH-ee
- Pharmacy
- Ko e faleʻotu'uko e fa-le-O-tu-oo
- Hospital
- 'Oku au valevaleO-ku au va-le-VA-le
- I'm lost
- 'Oku au 'i ai 'e mateO-ku au EE ai E ma-te
- I don't feel well
- Ko e siʻi pulu fakavaveʻi 'oeko e see-EE PU-lu fa-ka-va-VEH ee O-e
- My phone
- ʻOku nau ʻave iaO-ku nau AH-ve ee-A
- It was stolen
- 'Oku vave'aO-ku va-VEH-a
- It's urgent
More languages from Oceania