Learn Tongan ten words at a time
Lea faka-Tonga
Ten short games: the 102 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.
Greetings and politeness
Hello, please, thank you, sorry: the eleven openers everything else builds on.
- Mālō e leleiMAA-loh eh leh-LAY
- Hello
- Mālō e lelei he pongipongi niMAA-loh eh leh-LAY heh pong-ee-PONG-ee nee
- Good morning
- Mālō e lelei he efiafi niMAA-loh eh leh-LAY heh eh-fee-AH-fee nee
- Good evening
- Fakaʻau āfa-ka-AU aa
- Goodbye
- Toki sioTOH-kee SEE-oh
- See you
- Kātakikaa-TAH-kee
- Please
- MālōMAA-loh
- Thank you
- Mālō pēMAA-loh peh
- You're welcome
- Fakamolemolefa-ka-moh-leh-MOH-leh
- Sorry
- Tuloutoo-LOH
- Excuse me
- Fiefia ke feʻiloaki mo koefee-eh-FEE-ah keh feh-ee-loh-AH-kee moh KOH-eh
- Nice to meet you
Order anything by pointing
I would like, this one, how much, the bill: survive any counter or menu.
- ʻOku ou loto ke maʻu...OH-koo oh LOH-toh keh mah-OO
- I would like...
- Ko ʻenikoh EH-nee
- This one
- ʻOku fiha?OH-koo FEE-ha
- How much is it?
- Ko e tohi totongi, kātakikoh eh TOH-hee toh-TONG-ee kaa-TAH-kee
- The bill, please
- ʻAki e kaatiAH-kee eh KAA-tee
- By card
- ʻAki e paʻangaAH-kee eh pa-AH-nga
- In cash
- Vaivai
- Water
- KofiKOH-fee
- Coffee
- Tītee
- Tea
- PiaPEE-ah
- Beer
- Taʻe...ta-EH
- Without...
Yes, no and the essentials
The small words that carry half of every conversation, and the ones that rescue it.
- ʻIoEE-oh
- Yes
- ʻIkaiee-KAI
- No
- Sai pēsai peh
- Okay
- ʻOku ʻikai mahino kiate auOH-koo ee-KAI ma-HEE-noh kee-AH-teh oh
- I don't understand
- ʻOku ke lea faka-Pilitānia?OH-koo keh LEH-ah fa-ka-pee-lee-TAA-nee-ah
- Do you speak English?
- Kātaki ʻo toe lea ʻaki iakaa-TAH-kee oh toh-eh LEH-ah AH-kee ee-ah
- Can you repeat that?
- Lea māmālie, kātakiLEH-ah maa-maa-LEE-eh kaa-TAH-kee
- Slowly, please
- Ko e hā ʻeni?koh eh haa EH-nee
- What is this?
- ʻOku ou fiemaʻu...OH-koo oh fee-eh-mah-OO
- I need...
- Te ke lava ʻo tokoni mai?teh keh LAH-va oh toh-KOH-nee mai
- Can you help me?
Counting to ten
One to ten, for prices, platforms, rooms and how many beers.
- TahaTAH-ha
- One
- UaOO-ah
- Two
- ToluTOH-loo
- Three
- Fāfaa
- Four
- NimaNEE-ma
- Five
- OnoOH-noh
- Six
- FituFEE-too
- Seven
- ValuVAH-loo
- Eight
- HivaHEE-va
- Nine
- Hongofuluhong-oh-FOO-loo
- Ten
Shops and hotels
Open, closed, a bag, the wifi password: the checkout and the front desk.
- ʻOku ʻi ai haʻo...?OH-koo ee ai ha-OH
- Do you have...?
- Ko fē ʻa e...?koh feh ah eh
- Where is...?
- ʻOku avaOH-koo AH-va
- Open
- ʻOku tāpuniOH-koo taa-POO-nee
- Closed
- Fiemaʻu ha tangai?fee-eh-mah-OO ha tang-AI
- A bag?
- Fuʻu totongi mamafafoo toh-TONG-ee ma-MAH-fa
- Too expensive
- Kuo ʻosi puka hoku lokikoo-oh OH-see POO-ka HOH-koo LOH-kee
- I have a reservation
- ʻOku kau ʻa e kai pongipongi?OH-koo kau ah eh kai pong-ee-PONG-ee
- Is breakfast included?
- Ko e hā e lea fakapulipuli ʻo e Wi-Fi?koh eh haa eh LEH-ah fa-ka-poo-lee-POO-lee oh eh WAI-fai
- What's the wifi password?
- ʻE lava ke u...?eh LAH-va keh oo
- Can I...?
Cafe and restaurant
A table, the menu, what you cannot eat, and a compliment to the kitchen.
- Ha tēpile ki ha toko uaha TEH-pee-leh kee ha TOH-koh OO-ah
- A table for two
- Ko e menu, kātakikoh eh MEN-oo kaa-TAH-kee
- The menu, please
- Ko e hā hoʻo fokotuʻu?koh eh haa hoh-OH foh-koh-too-OO
- What do you recommend?
- ʻOku ʻikai ke u kai...OH-koo ee-KAI keh oo kai
- I don't eat...
- ʻOku ou ʻalesiki ki...OH-koo oh ah-leh-SEE-kee kee
- I'm allergic to...
- Kakanoʻi manuka-ka-NOH-ee MAH-noo
- Meat
- MoaMOH-ah
- Chicken
- IkaEE-ka
- Fish
- ʻOku ifoOH-koo EE-foh
- It's delicious
- Mou moʻui leleimoh moh-OO-ee leh-LAY
- Cheers
Meeting people
How are you, what is your name, where are you from, I like it: the first five minutes.
- Fēfē hake?FEH-feh HAH-keh
- How are you?
- Sai pē, mālōsai peh MAA-loh
- I'm fine, thanks
- Fēfē koe?FEH-feh KOH-eh
- And you?
- Ko hai ho hingoa?koh hai hoh hing-OH-ah
- What's your name?
- Ko hoku hingoa ko...koh HOH-koo hing-OH-ah koh
- My name is...
- Ko ho haʻu mei fē?koh hoh hah-OO may feh
- Where are you from?
- ʻOku ou haʻu mei...OH-koo oh hah-OO may
- I'm from...
- ʻOku ou saiʻia aiOH-koo oh sai-EE-ah ai
- I like it
- ʻOku fakaʻofoʻofaOH-koo fa-ka-OH-foh-OH-fa
- It's beautiful
- Talitali leleita-lee-TAH-lee leh-LAY
- Welcome
Getting around
Left, right, the station, one ticket, where is the toilet.
- Ko fē e falemālōlō?koh feh eh fa-leh-maa-LOH-loh
- Where is the toilet?
- Te u ʻalu fēfē ki...?teh oo AH-loo FEH-feh kee
- How do I get to...?
- Ki hemakee HEH-ma
- To the left
- Ki mataʻukee ma-TAH-oo
- To the right
- ʻAlu hangatonuAH-loo ha-nga-TOH-noo
- Straight ahead
- HeniHEH-nee
- Here
- Tauʻanga lēluetau-AH-nga LEH-loo-eh
- Train station
- PasiPAH-see
- Bus
- Malaʻe vakapunama-la-EH va-ka-POO-na
- Airport
- Ha tikite ʻe taha, kātakiha tee-KEE-teh eh TAH-ha kaa-TAH-kee
- One ticket, please
Time and days
Now, later, tomorrow, what time it opens and one moment please.
- ʻI he taimi niee heh TAI-mee nee
- Now
- ʻAmuiah-MOO-ee
- Later
- ʻAho niAH-hoh nee
- Today
- ʻApongipongiah-pong-ee-PONG-ee
- Tomorrow
- Poʻuli nipoh-OO-lee nee
- Tonight
- ʻĀfē?AA-feh
- When?
- ʻOku ava ʻi he taimi fē?OH-koo AH-va ee heh TAI-mee feh
- What time does it open?
- Tali siʻi, kātakiTAH-lee see-ee kaa-TAH-kee
- One moment, please
- Minitimee-NEE-tee
- Minutes
- HouaHOH-ah
- Hours
Help and emergencies
The words you hope to never need.
- Tokoni mai!toh-KOH-nee mai
- Help!
- Ui ha toketāoo-ee ha toh-keh-TAA
- Call a doctor
- Polisipoh-LEE-see
- Police
- Fale talavaiFAH-leh ta-la-VAI
- Pharmacy
- Falemahakifa-leh-ma-HAH-kee
- Hospital
- ʻOku ou hēOH-koo oh heh
- I'm lost
- ʻOku ʻikai ke u ongoʻi leleiOH-koo ee-KAI keh oo ong-OH-ee leh-LAY
- I don't feel well
- Naʻe kaihaʻasinah-EH kai-ha-AH-see
- It was stolen
- Ko ha meʻa fakatuʻupakēkoh ha MEH-ah fa-ka-too-pa-KEH
- It's an emergency
- Tuku auTOO-koo oh
- Leave me alone
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