Fijian words and meals

Practise your fijian around meal time with your Fijian mates or family.

This is a discussion between mum and daughter.

Daughter: Mum I'm hungry.

Mum: What so you want eat my girl?

Gone yalewa: Na au sa via kana?

Na: Cava iko via kania noqu lewa?

Daughter: Can you make me a sandwich please?

Mum: Okay it won't be long.

Gone yalewa: Iko rawa ni cakava dua na kequ sandwich, kerekere?

Na: Io na sega ni dede?

Some words to learn

Via is want

Kana is eat

Kania is to eat

Dede is ain't time or a while

Sega is no

Kerekere is please in this context

Cakava is make in this context

Iko is you

Rawa is can

Kequ is possessive for food - means my food

Obviously sandwich has no Fijian word translation and its common in the Fijian language to use the English word oh there is no Fijian translation eg cheese, pie, ice cream etc.

Fijian greetings

Hello, my name is Tomasi.

Bula, na yacaqu o Tomasi.

How are you?

Ni bulabula vinaka?

Yes, thank you.

Io, vinaka.

Meaning of Fijian Words used

Yacaqu is name

Bulabula is well or healthy.

Vinaka is good in the context of its first use in the question, and means thank you in it's second use.

To ask 'what's your name?'

O cei na yacamuni?

If you have any questions comment below or on our Facebook page.

Days of the week in Fijian Lesson 2

We have now learned the days of the week. We can now use some sentences with these Fijian words we've learned.

Question: What day is the rugby?

Answer: it's on Saturday

Taro: Siga cava na rakavi?

ISau : Na siga vakarauwai.

Siga is day.

What is cava.

Question: What day is tomorrow?

Answer: it's Wednesday.

Taro: Na siga cava ni mataka?

Isau: Na siga vukelulu.

Tomorrow is mataka.

Fijian words for relationships

Below are some common Fijian words for various relationships in a family (vuvale). Note that in the Fijian language when referring to a possession of an item to you ends in 'qu' and referring to possession by a third person ends in 'na'. These are abbreviations of the words with the possessive adjectives 'noqu' (mine) and nona (his or hers). These possessive adjectives will expand the use of these words for various relationships.

Study the following words and then we'll look at the possessive suffixes at the end.

Family                     Vuvale
Mother                    Tina
Father                     Tama
Uncle                      Momo
Aunt                        Nei
Grandfather             Tukai
Grandmother           Bubu
Sister                      Ganena or ganequ
Brother                   Tacina or taciqu
Cousin                    Tavale    

So if you want to say 'my mother' in Fijian you say 'tinaqu' but if referring to someone else's mother then you say 'tinana'.

Exercise: Try these and comment below or on our Facebook page..

My father
My grandfather
His grandfather
My cousin
Her cousin

However some of the words above are exceptions like
My aunt is just simply 'noqu nei'
My uncle is simply 'noqu momo'

Learn pronunciation with Fijian Songs.

A fun way to learn Fijian is through songs. This is a an excellent way to learn pronunciation of Fijian Words. Choose songs that you like and listen along while you follow the lyrics text.

The famous song 'Isa Lei' is an example and we have the lyrics and the song here as an example. Click play and scroll down to the lyrics. Enjoy.

For more songs visit  FijianLyrics.com.

Isa Isa vulagi lasa dina
Nomu lako au na rarawa kina
Cava beka ko a mai cakava,
Nomu lako au na sega ni lasa.

Chorus:

Isa Lei, na noqu rarawa,
Ni ko sana vodo e na mataka
Bau nanuma, na nodatou lasa,
Mai Toberua nanuma tiko ga.

(Chorus)

Domoni dina na nomu yanuyanu,
Kena kau wale na salusalu,
Mocelolo, bua, na kukuwalu,
Lagakali, baba na rosi damu

Chorus

Fijian words around the kitchen

These are some Fijian words used commonly in the kitchen. Comment with some that you know not on the list

Cook                Vakasaqa

Pot                    Kuro

Knife                 Isele

Spoon               Sepuni

Stove                Sitovu

Hot                   Katakata 

Table                Teveli

Bake                 Vavia

Oil                    Waiwai

Salt                   Masima

Sugar                Suka

Heat (v)            Vakatakata

Frying pan         itavuteke

Fijian Words for Days of the week

The Fijian words for days of the week are listed against the English ones

Monday                    Moniti

Tuesday                   Tusiti

Wednesday              Vukelulu

Thursday                  Lotulevu 

Friday                      Vakaraubuka

Saturday                  Vakarauwai

Sunday                    Siga tabu 

Learn Fijian Language Film Week

The Inaugural Fijian Language Week 2013 has begun and there are Fijian Language films that will be featured. Below is the screening venues of the movies in Wellington. 

Date & Time	Film	Description	Venue	Charge
Monday 7thOctober: 7.30pm	“LAKOVI” (2010) Language: 100% Fijian	A story about the coming together of two Fijian families and the changing attitudes & lifestyles associated with city living.	Wesley Church New Hall 75 Taranaki St Wellington	FREE
Wednesday 9th October: 7.00pm	“STRUGGLING FOR A BETTER LIVING: Squatters in Fiji” (2007) Languages: English, Fijian & Hindi with subtitles	A thought-provoking film about Fiji’s growing squatter population, who live in over 182 informal or “squatter” settlements	New Zealand Film Archive 84 Taranaki Street, Wellington Ph: 384 7647	$6
FIJI DAYDouble Feature Thursday 10THOctober: 6.00pm	Movie 1: “IN THE NAME OF GROWTH” (2001) Languages: English & Fijian with subtitles Movie 2: “TWO MEN OF FIJI” (1959) Rated G (General) Languages: as above	1) Nominated for an international award, set in the old capital of Levuka on the island of Ovalau.  It tells a moving story of the lives Fijian women cannery workers, and highlights the human costs of economic development. 2) A film about two young men who move from Lau to Suva.  Issues of representation, colonialism and portrayals of culture all bubble under the surface in this story.	Icon Room, Te Papa Museum of NZ Ph: 381 7000	Adults $15 Children FREE
Saturday 12thOctober: 7.00pm	“COMPASSIONATE EXILE” (1998) Languages: English & Fijian with subtitles “A moving, poignant tribute to an important but largely forgotten part of Pacific History.”  - Dr Teresia Teaiwa, Victoria University of Wellington	A rare and moving film that revisitsthe life of those exiled on the island of Makogai, in Fiji – the only island leprosarium which existed in the South Pacific. Through the stories of four former patients, archival imagery and period letters, these "voices" remember the lives of those afflicted and cast off from their societies around the Pacific. Their story is a heroic tale of strength and survival.	New Zealand Film Archive 84 Taranaki Street, Wellington Ph: 384 7647	$6