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Lesson 1 of 10
Greetings and politeness in Tongan
Hello, please, thank you, sorry: the eleven openers everything else builds on. Play the ten Tongan words against the clock, with a note on how locals really use each one after every answer. All ten are written out below.
All 11 Tongan phrases in this lesson
- 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
The ordinary greeting with this morning added.
The ordinary greeting with this evening added. The shorter hello also works at any hour.
The respectful farewell to someone leaving. When you are leaving, Nofo ā (NOH-fo aa) is the everyday form.
The casual see you later.
A short reply to thanks.
Said when passing in front of someone or interrupting.