Fijian phrasebook

Fijian (Na Vosa Vakaviti) is the main language of Fiji.

Pronunciation guide

Vowels

a as in father
e as in bait, but without the 'y' glide at the end
i as in beat, but without the 'y' glide at the end
o as in boat, but without the 'w' glide at the end
u as in boot, but without the 'w' glide at the end

Consonants

The consonants that are rather different from in English are:

b as 'mb' in member
d as 'nd' in Monday
q as 'ng' plus 'g' in finger
g as 'ng' in singer
c as 'th' in father

Phrase list

Basics

common signs

; TOILET : valelailai ; MEN : turaga ; WOMEN : marama ; FORBIDDEN : tabu

; Hello. : Ni Sa Bula (Nnee-Sah-Buhlah) ; Hello. (informal) : Bula. (Buhlah) literally means "life" ; How are you? : Formal: Sa Vaka eVei tiko? Informal (Sah Vaka eVeih?) ; Fine, thank you. : Bula Bula Vinaka Tiko, Vinaka (Buhlah Buhlah Vee-nah-kah teekoh) ; What is your name? : O Cei na yacamu? (Oh-they nah ya-tha muuh?) ; My name is ______ . : Na yacaqu ko ______ . (Na ya-tha-ngu koh _____ .) ; Nice to meet you. : La bula la ni bula. () ; Please. : Kerekere. (Kerreh-kerreh) ; Thank you. : Vinaka. (Vee-Nah-Kah) ; Thank you very much. : Vinaka vaka levu! (Vee-Nah-Kah Vahkah Le Vuuh) ; You're welcome. : Sa donu ; Yes. : Io . (Ee-yo) ; No. : Sega. (Sengah) ; Excuse me. (getting attention) : Kemuni. (Khe-muh-ni) ; Excuse me.: Tulou. (too-low) ; I'm sorry. : Vosoti au. (Vo-so-tee ow) ; Goodbye : ni sa Moce (Formal: Nnee Sah Mow They) , Moce (informal: Mow They) ; I can't speak Fijian [well]. : Au sega ni vosa vaka Viti []. (Ah uuh sen ngah nee vosah vaka Viti' [Formal]) ; Do you speak English? : E rawa beka mo vosa vakavalagi?Ko ni kila na vosa Vaka Valagi? (con knee keyla na vossa vakah Viti?) ; Is there someone here who speaks English? : E tiko beka eke edua, e rawa ni vosa vakavalagi? (Ee teako bekah ekeh eduah e rahwa knee vosah vakah Viti?) ; Help! : Kere veivuke! (keh-reh vehi vukhe!) ; Look out! : Raica! (Rai-tha!) ; Good morning. Formal : Ni Sa Yadra! (Nee Sa Yandra) ; Good evening. : Yakavi vinaka . () ; Good night. : Ni sa moce . (__) ; Good night (to sleep) : Moce . (mo-they) ; I don't know. : Au sega ni kila. (Aah Uuu Senga Nnee kee-lah) ; I don't understand : Au Sega ni taura rawa ; Where is the bathroom? : Ivei na valelailai? (Eeh Vhei nah vahle lahilahi?) ; No Worries : Sega na Lega ("Senga-na-lenga") ; How Much? : E Vica (Eeh-vee-tha?) Formal: E vica na kena i sau (Eeh Veetha nah kenah i sah uu?) ; See you again : Sota Tale (Soh-tah-tah-lay)

Numbers

;0: Saiva ;1: Dua ;2: Rua ;3: Tolu ;4: Va ;5: Lima ;6: Ono ;7: Vitu ;8: Walu ;9: Ciwa ;10: Tini ;11: Tini ka dua ;12: Tini ka rua ;13: Tini ka tolu ;14: Tini ka va ;15: Tini ka lima ;16: Tini ka ono ;17: Tini ka vitu ;18: Tini ka walu ;19: Tini ka ciwa ;20: Rua saga vulu ;21: Rua saga vulu ka dua ;30: Tolu saga vulu ;40: Va saga vulu ;50: Lima saga vulu ;60: Ono saga vulu ;70: Vitu saga vulu ;80: Walu saga vulu ;90: Ciwa saga vulu ;100: E dua na drau ;500: E lima na drau ;1000: Udolu / Dua na Udolu ;5000: Lima na Udolu ;1000000: milioni ; Haif : veimama

Time

; Now : sa ; After : muri ; Before : I liu ; Morning : mata'a ; Afternoon : ya'avi ; Night : bogi

Clock time :

;1 o'clock: dua na kaloko

;2 o'clock: rua na kaloko

;11 o'clock: Tini ka dua na kaloko

Duration

; Minute : miniti ; Hour : aua ; Day : siga ; Week : macawa ; Month : vula ; Year : yaba'i

Days :

;yesterday : nanoa ;Today : nikua ;Tomorrow : nimataka ;Moniti: (Monday) [Moh-nee-tee]

;Tusiti: (Tuesday) [Too-See-tee]

;Vukelulu: (Wednesday) [Vooh-keh-loo-loo]

;Lotulevu: (Thursday) [Lo- too-leh-voo]

;Vakaraubuka: (Friday) [Vaa-kaa-rah-who-boo-kah]

;Vakarauwai: (Saturday) [Va-kah-rah-who-waah-ee]

;Sigatabu: (Sunday) [Seenga-ta-boo]

Months

; January: Vakajanueri ; February: Vakafepereuri ; March: Vakamaji ; April: Vakaepereli ; May: Vakame ; June: Vakajune ; July: Vakajulai ; August: Vakaokosita ; September: Vakasepiteba ; October: Vakaokotova ; November: Vakanoveba ; December: Vakatiseba

Seasons

; Autumn : vulaimatumatua

Writing time and date

Colors

; White : vulavula ; Black : loaloa ; Gray : dravu ; Red : damudamu ; Blue : karakarawa ; Yellow : dromodromo ; Green : drokadroka ; Pink : senikavika ; Orange : seninawanawa ; Brown : kuvui ; Violet : lokaloka

Transportation

; Bus : basi ; Car : motoka ; Train : sitima ni vanua ; Airplane : waqavuka

Bus and train

; I will catch a bus : au na vodo basi

Directions

; Left : mawi ; Rigth : matau ; North : vualiku ; south : ceva

Taxi

Lodging

Money

; Money : ilavo ; I don't have any money : e sega na noqu ilavo ; How much does it cost? : E Vica na kena isau?

Eating

; I'd like a coffee, please : au kerea dua na mequ bilo kofi ; Breakfast : ikatalau ; Bread : madrai ; Chicken : toa ; Beef : bulumakau ; Butter : bata ; Cheese : jisi ; Milk : sucu

Food

Bars

; Two beers, please : rua na bia, kerekere

Travel

Places

; Fiji : Viti () ; Australia : Ositerelia () ; New Zealand : Niusiladi () ; Papua New Guinea : Papua Niu Kini () ; Sydney : Serene () ; Melbourne : Merevani () ; Brisbane : Perisipani () ; Perth : Pefa () ; Auckland : Okaladi () ; Adelaide : Adelaidi () ; Newcastle : Niukaseli () ; Canberra : Kanapera () ; Christchurch : Keresichechi () ; Wellington : Weligitoni () ; Port Moresby : Poti Moresipi (__)