Tuvaluan

Introduction

Tuvaluan is a language of Tuvalu. It is spoken in Tuvalu, 7 of the 9 inhabited islands. Also in Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, New Zealand.

Dialects

North Tuvaluan (Nanumanga, Nanumea, Niutao), South Tuvaluan (Funafuti, Nukufetau, Nukulaelae, Vaitupu). Not intelligible with Samoan (See: Samoan). Formerly used as mission language. Intelligible of Tokelau (See: Tokelauan). Southern dialect is official.

The Tuvaluan Verb

Verblist

• kakau
• nnofo
• nofo
• sili
• tuku

• agi, puhi -- to blow
• alati -- to scratch
• anu, puaki, puhi -- to spit
• apa, pei, tupe -- to throw
• eva, kopa, lele -- to fly
• fa/fau, lii, lii/lii, noa, noanoa -- to tie up, fasten
• fai, faipati, taku -- to say
• fakalilo, fuu, mmuni, mumuni -- to hide
• fakapale, moe ki lalo -- to lie down
• fakatau mai, tata -- to buy
• fana -- to shoot
• fe/fete/, fefete, fu/fula, fufula -- to swell
• fili -- to choose
• gaegae, maanava, mapu -- to breathe
• gau, gugu, lamu, mama -- to chew
• haele, saale -- to walk
• haga -- to work
• hapole, hee, mataku -- to fear
• hau, mai -- to come
• he/hele/, ihi, kati, motu, talai -- to cut, hack
• higa, too -- to fall
• ho/hoka/, huki, tui, velo -- to stab, pierce
• hogi, hohoŋi, mahogi -- to sniff, smell
• homo, tupu -- to grow
• hua, lofia, tafe -- to flow
• hue, mafela, ta/tala, tatala -- to open, uncover
• ihi, ma/faa -- to split
• iloa, kkafi, matau -- to know, be knowledgeable
• inu -- to drink
• k/kamo/, kaiaa -- to steal
• kai -- to eat
• kakau -- to swim
• kake -- to climb
• kata -- to laugh
• keli, kenu, koli -- to dig
• kilo, lavea, pula -- to see
• kukumi, lomi, tau -- to squeeze
• lagona, logo -- to hear
• lagona, maafaufau, manatu -- to think
• lau, tau -- to count
• lua -- to vomit
• maavaava, maavava -- to yawn
• mate -- to die, be dead
• mimiti -- to suck
• miti, moemiti -- to dream
• moe -- to sleep
• nofo, noho -- to sit
• ola -- to live, be alive
• paa, patu, taa, tuki -- to hit
• puke, tago -- to hold
• taa mate -- to kill
• tafu, tugia, tutu, tuugina -- to burn
• tagi -- to cry
• takapili, ui -- to turn
• tu/tuli -- to hunt
• tui -- to sew
• tuki, tukituki -- to pound, beat
• tunu -- to cook
• tuu -- to stand