Introduction to the Samoan Language

We’re giving you everything you ever wanted to know about the Samoan language! Let’s start with an introduction.

About Gagana Samoa

The Samoan language – which we refer to as gagana Samoa – is spoken, of course, by the people of Samoa, a group of islands in the southern hemisphere of the Pacific ocean. While 260,000 or so Samoans still live in our islands, another 600,000 of us are abroad, especially in neighbouring countries of New Zealand and Australia and also spread out across the United States of America.

With around 800,000 Samoans worldwide, we’re not a huge population, but according to recent polls, around half of us are fluent Samoan speakers. That’s not too bad considering how many other Oceanic languages are endangered or extinct.

Still, given our relatively small population and how many of us live outside of our culture, our language could still become vulnerable… so if you’re here to learn gagana Samoa, thank you.

Here are a few more facts about our language that can help you get started.

What Languages are Similar to Samoan?

Linguistically, gagana Samoa is classified as a Polynesian language, which is a subfamily of the Austronesian language family. That means Samoan has a lot in common with other Polynesian languages, like ‘ōlelo Hawai’i (Hawaiian), lea fakatonga (Tongan) and te reo Māori (from indigenous Aotearoa).

Anyway, as part of the Austronesian language family, gagana Samoa is also (but more distantly) related to Melanesian and Micronesian languages and even some Southeast Asian languages, including those from the Philippines and (indigenous) Taiwan.

That makes sense because DNA evidence suggests that the first people to populate the Pacific islands migrated here via Southeast Asia.

Unique Features of the Samoan Language

If you’re an English speaker, Samoan will not be the most difficult language for you to learn, but it does have some unique features that can be tricky to master. Here are three of them:

Samoa’s Common and Ceremonial Languages

The Samoan language has a common, ‘everyday’ vernacular, spoken by most Samoans most of the time, and then we have a ‘higher’ language where common words are replaced by respectful terms and concepts are expressed in metaphors and proverbs. This higher language is used mostly in oratorical speeches and ceremonial exchanges amongst matai (chiefs, cultural leaders), and also to show respect to our elders and hospitality to our guests. Learn more about Samoa’s common and ceremonial languages here. 

Two Pronunciation Styles: T versus K

In the early 1800s, European missionaries documented the Samoan language for the first time but also introduced new letters (sounds) most likely by mistaking Samoan pronunciation for what they had already learned about the Hawaiian and other Pacific island languages.

It’s a long story that you can read more about here, but the result is that the Samoan language is now pronounced two ways – either the ‘proper’ T way or the more casual, much more common K way. Learn all about the two Samoan pronunciation styles here.

Our Inclusive or Exclusive Pronouns

This is actually a feature of several Pacific island languages.

We’ll talk more about this in our section about pronouns, but basically, when we refer to a group of three or more of us, our pronoun for ‘we/us’ can either include the listener or not:

we/us (excluding the listener) = matou

we/us (including the listener) = tatou

For example, if I to my mother, ‘We want to eat’ but I don’t mean to include my mother in that ‘we’, I would say, “Ua matou fia’a’ai.” To include my mother as part of our group who is hungry, I’d just change the matou to tatou.

Learn more about our inclusive and exclusive pronouns here.

The Samoan Alphabet and Pronunciation

The Samoan word for alphabet is pi, and then we add a modifier. Le Pi Samoa is the Samoan Alphabet. Le Pi Faitau is our Reading Alphabet (same alphabet, just clarifying its purpose).

But our most commonly used name for the Samoan alphabet is Le Pi Tautau, named for the banner-shaped Samoan alphabet chart that vertically hangs (tautau) in just about every primary school classroom in Samoa.

Samoa’s alphabet began with 14 native letters – 15 if we count the glottal stop (which we did, once) – and then borrowed the H K and R from English. So:

A E I O U F G L M N P S T V ‘ H K R

With some variation, our vowels are pronounced like Spanish language vowels and our consonants are similar to English consonants except for our G, which sounds like the ng in the middle of singer, and our P which is a little closer to the English B sound.

Check out our full guide to the Samoan Alphabet and how we pronounce our letters here. 

Essential Vocabulary: Your First 1000 Samoan Words and Phrases

This wouldn’t be a proper introduction to the Samoan language if we didn’t give you some words to play with!

The first words you need to learn in a new language really depends on your purpose for learning that language – e.g. Are you planning a trip to Samoa? Trying to communicate with Samoan speaking family members? Want to impress the in-laws?

But I’m gathering words and phrases for scenarios I think most people will encounter at some point in their Samoan speaking journey, especially if Samoan is a heritage language for you. These scenarios include:

• Getting Ready in the Morning
• Family Gatherings
• Food and Meal Times
• Grocery Shopping
• Finding Your Way in a New Town

…and so forth. To get your language learning started, check out your first 1000 Samoan words and phrases here.

(But if you’re visiting while this site is under reconstruction, keep checking back as we work on filling that that list.)

You Ready to Roll?

And that was your introduction to the Samoan language. When you’re ready to get to the real learning, meet me in the classroom for a chat about Samoan Grammar.

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