Rotuman	English
Noa'ia	hello; greetings; thank you
Noa'ia 'e mạuri	greetings (lit. 'thank you for being alive')
Noa'ia gagaj 'atakoa	greetings, everyone
Noa'ia 'e mạuri gagaj 'atakoa	greetings to you all
Ka 'äe tapen?	how are you? (to one person)
Ka 'ạuạr tapen?	how are you? (to two people)
Ka 'ạus tapen?	how are you? (to three or more)
Gou lelei fạiåkse'ea	I am fine, thank you
Fạiåkse'ea	thank you
Fạiåksia	thank you (alternative spelling)
Figalelei	please
Turo'	excuse me (passing in front of someone)
Hanis ma röt'åk	sorry (lit. 'please be forgiving')
Hanis ma se fek	sorry (lit. 'please do not be angry')
Se fek	I'm sorry (lit. 'don't be angry')
Se fua	bless you (said to someone who sneezes)
Hanisiof	love (sign-off at the end of a letter)
Noa'ia ma surum	please come in
Fạiåkse'ea 'e rē tēla'ā	thank you for the food (for preparing it)
Fạiåkse'ea 'e ös tēla'ā	thank you for the food (for serving it)
Noa'ia 'e hanisi	thank you for your kindness
Hö' ma ạlalum	goodbye (said to those who are leaving)
La' ma ạlalum	goodbye (said to those who are leaving)
Fu' ma ạlalum	goodbye (said to those who are staying)
Fu' 'ạmus ma ạlalum	goodbye, all of you who are staying
Gagaja noa'ia	thank God
'Äe täla la'-au?	goodbye (said only to the one leaving)
'Äe täla fu'u-ou	goodbye (said only to the one staying)
Noa'ia ma 'itar ôr se'	it has been good to talk with you
'Itar la ôr hoi'åk	let's chat again
La' ma ne'ne' 'äe	go and be well
Mạrie'!	bravo! (shout of approval at a dance)
Hanuj!	'Story!' - the storyteller's opening call
Mā!	'Yes!' - the audience's reply to Hanuj!
lalum 'äe 'e terån te'is	may you be blessed this day (to one person)
lalum 'ạuạr 'e gasav te'is	may you two be blessed this week
lalum 'ạus 'e gasav pumuạ te'is	may you all be blessed this special week
Ka sei ta 'ou asa?	what is your name?
'Otou asa le ___	my name is ___
Ka 'äe fạu his?	how old are you?
Gou fạu ___	I am ___ years old
Ka 'äe noh 'e tei?	where do you live?
Gou noh 'e ___	I live in ___
Ka 'äe le' ne tei?	where are you from?
Gou le' ne ___	I am a person from ___
Ka 'äe fā ne tei?	where are you from? (asked of a man)
Ka 'äe hån ne tei?	where are you from? (asked of a woman)
Ka 'äe la' se tei?	where are you going?
Gou la' se ___	I am going to ___
Ka 'äe leum 'e tei?	where did you come from?
Gou leum 'e ___	I came from ___
Ka 'äe rak 'e tei?	where do you go to school?
Gou rak 'e ___	I go to school at ___
Ka 'äe garue 'e tei?	where do you work?
Gou garue 'e ___	I work at ___
Ka sei ta 'ou ö'rua?	who are your parents?
Ka sei ta 'ou ö'fā ta?	who is your father?
Ka sei ta 'ou ö'hön ta?	who is your mother?
Gou pā ___	I want to ___
'Iom	drink! (imperative)
'tē	eat! (imperative)
Mös	sleep! (imperative)
gou	I, me
'äe	you (one person)
ia	he, she
'itar	we two
'ạuạr	you two
'ạus	you (three or more)
iris	they, them
'ạmis	us, we (exclusive), as in the Lord's Prayer
'oto	my (Vamarasi spelling)
'otou	my
'ou	your (of one person)
'on	his, her, its
'otomis	our
'os	our (inclusive), as in 'os fäega 'our language'
ta	the (article, at the end of the noun phrase)
het	a, an (indefinite article)
-t	a, an (indefinite article suffixed to the noun phrase)
se	to, towards (preposition)
'e	at, in, from (preposition)
ne	of (preposition)
ka	and; but; (also a question marker)
ma	and
mane	and (variant)
la	will (future particle)
täla	will (future particle)
kat ... ra	not (the two-part negative)
kal ... ra	will not (future negative)
sei?	who?
tei?	where?
his?	how many?
'i	here; yes
kikia	there
tē	thing, things
'atakoa	all, everyone
tape'ma	also, too
hoi'åk	again
hoi'ạki	additional, again
ko	because
mumua	before, in front
muri	behind
rere	above, the space above
jio	the bottom; the pointed end of a coconut
fakapau	absolutely
'itake	about, concerning
nōnō ma	after a while
'igkå'	no
'i, 'ī	yes
ō	zero
tā	one
rua / ruạ	two (long form / short form)
folu / fol	three (long / short)
häke / häk	four (long / short)
lima / liạm	five (long / short)
ono / on	six (long / short)
hifu / hif	seven (long / short)
vạlu / vạl	eight (long / short)
siva / siạv	nine (long / short)
saghulu / saghul	ten (long / short)
saghul ma tā	eleven
saghul ma ruạ	twelve
saghul ma fol	thirteen
saghul ma häk	fourteen
saghul ma liạm	fifteen
saghul ma on	sixteen
saghul ma hif	seventeen
saghul ma vạl	eighteen
saghul ma siạv	nineteen
ruạghulu / ruạghul	twenty
folaghul	thirty
häkaghul	forty
limaghul	fifty
onaghul	sixty
hifaghul	seventy
vạlạghul	eighty
sivaghul	ninety
folaghul ma häk	thirty-four
onaghul ma on	sixty-six
'On tā	first
'On rua	second
'On folu	third
'On häke	fourth
'On lima	fifth
'On saghulu	tenth
fika / fiak	figure, numeral (long / short)
rē fika / rē fiạk	mathematics
hata	to count, to reckon
fiak tauna'i	addition, an addition sum
'eka	acre
fā	male; man; husband
hạni / hån	female; woman; wife
hạntei	dear (affectionate address to a woman)
o'i / ö'	parent
o'o'i / ö'ö'	parents
ö'rua	one's two parents
le'e / le'	child
lele'a	children
räi'	children (Vamarasi spelling)
ö'fā	father
o'honi / ö'hön	mother; mother's sister
sigoa	namesake
le' fā	son
le' hạni / le' hån	daughter
le' susu / le' sus	baby
le' mea'me'a	small child
ma'piga / ma'piạg	grandparent
ma'kiga / ma'kiạg	grandchild
ma'piạg fā	grandfather
ma'piạg hạni	grandmother
ma'kiạg fā	grandson
ma'kiạg hạni	granddaughter
sạsiga / sạsiạg	sibling; cousin
sạsiạg hạni	sister
sạsiạg fā	brother
såghạni / såghån	mother's sister
såghạina	mother's sisters (plural)
sagaväne / sagavän	father's brother
tinirạu / tinrạu	prince
sina / siạn	princess
kạinaga	clan, kin group
kạunohoga	family, household
haharạgi	adolescent, young person
mafua	adult age; a ceremonial spokesman, elder orator
'inos	married
famör / fāmori	people, the people
rako / rak	education; to study, to learn
rī rako / rī rak	school
kilasa / kilas	class
fạu	year
rumu / rum	room
le' rē rako	teacher
fā rē rako	teacher (male)
hån rē rako	teacher (female)
le' rē rak puer	school principal
hat tē	reading
fạ'i / fȧ'	to write
få' tē	writing (as a school subject)
a'ne'ne' foro	physical education
mane'a / manea'	sport, game; to play
suạ maka / suạ mak	singing
jạu tē	playing a musical instrument
pån tē	art, painting
kạurakoga / kạurakoag	schoolmates
kạumane'aga / kạumane'ag	friends
fạiva / fạiạv	talent, skill
'inea	knowledge; to know, to come to oneself
poto / pot	wisdom; clever, a clever plan
garue	work; to work
ut garueag ta	the workplace
tāku / tāk	doctor (Vamarasi spelling tãku / tãk)
kilaka	accountant
'ofes	office
'af	bag
hạihanisiga / hạihanisiạg	mutual compassion
hugag'esea	unity
hạigarueaga / hạigarueag	co-operation
hạifaktē'ạkiga	mutual respect
hạiåf'ạkiga	mutual care
huạg mäeav hanisi	kind, compassionate
huạg fe'eni	industrious, hard-working
huạg atmại	wise
huạg röt'åk tē	long-suffering, patient
huag to'a	courageous
huag ne'ne'i	courageous, strong-hearted
huag totoka	calm
huag mafua	adult-minded, mature
huag se mäeav	brave
mäeva	courage
moumou	courageous
ag raksa'a	bad character
oaf'ofa / oaf'oaf	happiness, joy
hanisi / hanis	love; to love
'ofa / 'oaf	love
fea	fear
feke / fek	anger
fek'ạki	to be angry because of
kokono / kokon	worry, sadness
hanono / hanon	downcast
fürmaria / fürmariạ	peace, contentment
segu	afraid to come near
masrag'ạki	to be ashamed about
sosa'a	to feel abhorrence
ava / av	time
av roa	a long time
terån	day
terạnit	the day, this day
gasava / gasav	week
mạnrē	Monday
rån rua	Tuesday
rån folu / rån fol	Wednesday
rån häke / rån häk	Thursday
rån lima / rån liạm	Friday
terån a'ita / terån a'iạt	Saturday (Methodist usage)
rån ono / rån on	Saturday (Roman Catholic usage)
terån sapatō	Sunday (Methodist usage)
terån ha'a	Sunday (Roman Catholic usage)
sapatō	the Sabbath
huạl ne fạu ta	the months of the year
Janueri	January
Fepueri	February
Maja / Maji	March
'Epereli	April
Mē	May
Julai	July
'Okosita	August
Sepitempa	September
'Okotopa	October
Novempa	November
Tisempa	December
asoa	afternoon
utasa	the earlier part of the afternoon
usu	to come early in the morning
roa	to continue for a long time
hanua / hanue	land, home island; abroad
'otou hanue ta	my home
rī	house, building
rī rot ta	the church (the building)
rotu / rot	church; prayer; Christian worship
marä' ta	the park
marä' mane'ag ta	the playground
hune'ele / hune'el ta	beach, the beach
rī funuạg faraoa ta	the bakery
koroa ta	the shop
rī hahalag pensin ta	the petrol station
rī 'tēag ta	the restaurant
rī keleag mạl ta	the cinema
tạn kakauạg ta	the swimming pool
taon ta	the town
hạspet ta	the hospital
tạk ta	the doctor
tạk ne 'al ta	the dentist
taono	city
itu'u	district (Rotuma has seven)
ho'aga	a sub-grouping of households
fuạg ri	the house foundation attached to a chiefly title
marä'e	courtyard, village green
ufaga	coast
'ana	cave
tamura	cemetery
solo / sol	mountain, hill
Rotuma	Rotuma
Fiti / Fit	Fiji
Niu Sirạgi	New Zealand (Vamarasi spelling Niu Sirãgi)
Setnē	Sydney (Vamarasi spelling Setnê)
'Otako	Otago
Lepanoni	Lebanon
Noa'tạu	Noa'tạu, the senior district of Rotuma
Oinafa	Oinafa district (site of the main wharf)
Itu'ti'u	Itu'ti'u district (the government station)
Malha'a	Malha'a district (the airport and high school)
Juju	Juju district
Pep'jei	Pep'jei district
Itu'muta	Itu'muta district
ạfạfu / ạfạf	mist
esu / es	pawpaw, papaya
äfe / äf	thousand; liver
ȧr'ạki / ȧr'ȧk	to guess
fạ'purou	hat
hefu / hef	star, stars
isu / is	nose
juli / jül	a kind of bird
kalofi / kalöf	eggs
lāhapa / lāhap	leg
magkō	mangoes
niu	coconut; copra
ponapa / ponap	pineapple
tạnu / tạn	water
usa / uạs	rain
ül'ạki / ül'ȧk	to steer
vao	net
'uhi / 'üh	yam
Uli / Ül	to steer
'Uli / 'Ül	wheel; tyre; skin
Ofi / Öf	to finish
'öf	to chase; to cut, to snip
koko	mischievous, bad
kōkō	thorny, prickly
toto	blood; lineage
tōtō	to speak, to utter
hosa / hoas	flower
pija / piaj	rat
mori / mör	orange (the fruit)
tole / töl	to carry on the shoulder
kuji / küj	(Churchward headword; short form küj)
kofi / köf	coffee
lole / löl	candy, sweets
pepa / peap	paper
suka / suak	sugar
mose / mös	to sleep
futi / füt	to pull
fara / far	to ask for, to seek
sope / söp	strand of hair
'epa / 'eap	mat
ho'a / hoa'	to take
la'o / la'	to go
vãhi / våh	to finish (Vamarasi spelling)
mea'me'a / mea'mea'	small, young
mamasa / mamas	the mamasa or 'drying' welcome ceremony
hãsu / hãs	gall bladder (Vamarasi spelling)
maho / mah	to become cold
fo'a / foa'	to land, to step on
rãhi / råh	fire (Vamarasi spelling)
fere / fer	to fly
para / par	to decay
hola / hoal	spread out; spreading
füri / für	zigzag (of a mat pattern)
a'su / ạs	steam
a'ti / ȧt	to gather shellfish
'uhapa	arm
'efe	belly, abdomen
sui	bone
susu	breast
fatfata	chest
kumkumu	chin; beard
'eju	the back of the head
tauagmafa	the back of the head
fupuga	the crown of the head
foro	body
'uli	skin; bark; crust
maf pogi	blind
maf pula	able to see
'ạlaloga	adenoids
ne'ne'	well, in good health; strong
mạuri	life, living, wellbeing
ala	to cease functioning, to die
'atua	a corpse; the spirit of a dead person
'oroi ta	the abode of the spirits of the dead
okrao	to ache continuously but not severely
hununuka	to breathe with difficulty
kohmū	to cough something up
hegu	to blow the nose
puga	an abscess
mạtiti	cold, to be cold
tēla'ā	food
'i'ini	animal food: meat, fish or eggs
faraoa	bread
faraoa utu	a piece of bread
faraoa hapa	a slice of bread
keke	cake
pạri	banana
par 'ạit	a bunch of bananas
säe	a banana whose bunches grow upright
'ulu	breadfruit
tapiko	cassava
lolo	coconut cream
niusi	a bunch of coconuts
fekei	pudding of grated taro or cassava starch, coconut cream, sugar
mara ma 'a'ana	taro pudding
fakakại	banana pudding
kava	kava, the ceremonial drink
ti pạri	banana tea
'aklulu	a bud
hoas 'aklulu	a flower bud
maja	a branch
rā	a branch; a coconut frond
hā	a bundle of leaves
leap hā	the bundle of leaves used to cover a koua
'ại fakrava	a cross (crossed pieces of wood)
pua	frangipani
ragakạri	ginger
tiere	gardenia
mạiro	a kind of shrub
laje	coral
fū	a coral reef
mạnmạnu	an animal of the land or air
pusi	cat
kou	bull, cattle
hufhufu	bat
gogo	a kind of seabird
kukū	a dove
kaläe	a kind of bird
tuitui	a kind of ant
ro'ata	a kind of stinging ant
fikou	hermit crab
kamkama	rock crab
'utete	sand crab
sa'ar'ara	centipede
sokra'a	sailfish
peau	wave
lạgi	sky; air
aoga	cloud
rạhu	ashes
mahala	charcoal, coal
'umea	clay
vaka / vak	canoe
katea	the hull of a canoe, as opposed to the outrigger
'afo	basket
tauga	a kind of basket
'ajarava	a basket made of green coconut leaf
mosega	bed; a chiefly title
takaga	bed; couch
nofo'a	chair
pesini	bowl, basin
'umefe	an individual eating platform
puku / puk	book
puk het	a book
Puk Ha'a	the Holy Bible in Rotuman
pepa het	a sheet of paper
kianre	candle
sikarete	cigarette
koti	coat
fạli	belt; clothes
hạ'fạli	sarong, wrap-around
mon uam	a woman's top worn with the hạ'fạli
'oro	a sash tied at the waist for ceremonies
hạ'u	clothes
mä'lea	working clothes
uka	a thick fishing line
unu	sennit cord
käve	the cord used to tie on a load
kasa	arrow
fana	bow
'ia	axe (originally a stone axe)
agsara	adze
kalapa	club
seru	comb; to comb
pakete	bucket
kese	case, box; coffin
kākō	cargo
uha	bark cloth (no longer made)
lahlaha	black
kele	black
jarava	blue
rạhrạhu	brown
mia' rahrahu	brown or dull red
totlaha	black and blue, bruised
huạl kele	a coil of the darker pandanus strips
huạl fisi	a coil of the lighter pandanus strips
ti'u	big
titi'u	big (plural)
hiti'u	comparatively big
ma'oi	big in quantity, plentiful
hepa	broad, wide
riri'i	small (as in joan riri'i, gooseflesh)
lelei	good; all right
raksa'a	bad; in bad condition
tē raksa'a	a bad thing
keleag lelei	beautiful
helava	beautiful
aire	correct, actual
nojo / nonojo	correct, straight
fei	crooked
ma'ma'a	clean, pure
tafa	clear; a clear space
mam'asa	cruel
pumuạ	precious, treasured
räe	to see
ho'i	to return, to come back
leum	to come (towards the speaker)
ås	to visit
noho / noh	to live, to stay, to remain
kuku	to cook
fao	to cook the night before
a'mamosa	to cook until done
susunu	to burn
jala	to burn off grass
fufu	to burn lime
fạmu	to bury
hili	to choose
he'o	to call
he'ạki	to call out
vata	to crawl
hura	to break up (of a meeting)
fạki	to break off
fua	to break open
kao	to chop a coconut or nut in two
fại	to chop down
'apo	to carry on the back
rạ'u	to carry in the arms
kạ'u	to carry under the arm
tạri	to accept
sapo	to accept
mā	to accept someone's advice or decision
a'soko	to accept, to accomplish, to carry out
sai'o	to ask about, to enquire
rē	to do, to make, to act towards
pō	to be able to do; to get, to arrive at
mou	to adhere, to hold fast
piri	to cling to (as wet clothes to the body)
osi	to adorn; a change of clothes at a mamasa
voi'ạki	to admire
'ạliga	to acknowledge
aier'ạki	to believe
mamnaki	to be accustomed to
faksoge	to abstain from food, to fast
taunạ'i	to add together, to come together
su'i	to add water to
fakputu	to accumulate
puke	for a feeling to come strongly over one
toka	to come to an end
soko	to come about, to come to pass
hoa'	to take, to carry off
pure	to rule, to have authority over
pure'aga	kingdom, rule, dominion
naam	to give
fạu'ạkia	to forgive
sara	sin, transgression
sại'ạkia	to deliver, to set free
ȧf'ȧk	to hallow, to make honoured
ma'ma'	holy
he'ama	I wish, if only
'apei	the fine white pandanus mat, the most sacred Rotuman object
is käkä'e	'the tip of her fingers' - a woman's own 'apei
agrua	a very large pandanus mat
sa'aga	the shiny part of the pandanus leaf used for 'apei
'ar'ara	the black part removed from a pandanus leaf
rag sa'aga	the process of stripping the pandanus leaf
hula	a large coil of prepared pandanus strips
tefui	the Rotuman ceremonial garland
fui	a single unit of the tefui garland
koua	the earth oven, and the food cooked in it
kato'aga	a traditional ceremony or celebration
päega	the pile of mats an honoured guest sits on
sū	a wedding
terån a'sū	a birthday
'oj'ạki	the ritual for a first-born child
hen rạu'ifi	a ritual apology
aragvaka	a funeral
takại ta	the return of a widowed spouse to the parental home
kakạu sạsi	the fifth-day observance after a burial
he' 'atua	the call made at a funeral
'afa	a basket of koua food presented to dignitaries
tạutoga / tạutoag	the principal Rotuman ceremonial dance
tạutoag hafa	the communal tạutoga danced by men and women
tạutoag fā	the men's tạutoga
sua	the first section of the tạutoga
tiạp hī	the melodic chant section of the tạutoga
tiạp forạu	the section of the tạutoga adapted from foreign music
maka / mak	dance; to dance
nạu tē	the anointing of dancers with scented oil
hanuju / hanuj	a tale or story, especially a fictitious one
rogo	a report; news of a witnessed event
rogrog ne āv tā	history (lit. 'the report of the time')
gagaja / gagaj	chief; lord
gagaj 'es itu'u	a district chief
gagaj 'es ho'aga	the sub-chief of a household group
fa 'es itu'u	chief of a district
sạu	the traditional paramount ritual office of Rotuma
mua	the chief ranking next to the sạu in former times
huliạg ne 'umefe	'turning over the eating platform' - a chief's naming rite
forạu	a returnee, one coming home from abroad
la'o	a visiting party bringing mats and gifts
'Ạitu / 'Ạit	God
'Ạit Mana	the Almighty, the All-Powerful
Tagroa	the supreme deity of the pre-Christian Rotuman pantheon
mana	supernatural power
Hanuạ Fạvi	'the land that hangs from the sky', the home of Tagroa
ha'a	holy, sacred
fekạu	a minister of religion
'ekaresaia	a church member
rī rotu	church building
Fäeag Rotuạm	the Rotuman language
fäega	language, speech; a case, a matter
ag fak hanua	the culture and custom of the land
ag fak Rotuma	Rotuman custom
vetạkia	to sustain, to keep going
fäeag 'es 'ao	useful words
'atumotu	island group, archipelago
hạ'fạli ta	the sarong
vasvas	the hibiscus-stem bark used as the tefui cord
kạuat ta	the hibiscus stem
lum ta	the seaweed used in a tefui
paufu	the male pandanus flower used for tefui stars
'apea	a root crop whose leaf wraps the tefui