Vagahau Niue
Niuean
Austronesian (Polynesian, Tongic)
Niuean (ko e vagahau Niuē) is the language of the small Pacific nation of Niue, with ~9K speakers (most of whom now live in New Zealand following extensive 20th-century migration). Closely related to Tongan within the Tongic Polynesian subgroup, Niuean preserves several archaic Polynesian features. Co-official with English in Niue. Uses VSO word order with ergative-absolutive case marking. The Niue Bible (1860s, Polynesian Mission) was foundational. Today Niuean is taught as a heritage language in New Zealand schools where most ethnic Niueans (~30K) reside.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Niuean
Sources
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Austronesian (Polynesian, Tongic)
| Meaning | Niuean | Tuvaluan | Tokelauan | Samoan | Tongan | Pukapukan | Wallisian |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | vai /vai/ | vai /vai/ | vai /vai/ | vai /vai/ | vai /vai/ | wai /wai/ | vai /vai/ |
| Fire | afi /afi/ | afi /afi/ | afi /afi/ | afi /afi/ | afi /afi/ | awi /awi/ | afi /afi/ |
| Sun | lā /laː/ | laa /laː/ | lā /laː/ | lā /laː/ | laʻā /laʔaː/ | la /la/ | laʻā /laʔaː/ |
| Moon | mahina /mahina/ | masina /masina/ | māhina /maːhina/ | māsina /maːsina/ | māhina /maːhina/ | malama /malama/ | māhina /maːhina/ |
| Star | fetū /fetuː/ | fetū /fetuː/ | fetu /fetu/ | fetū /fetuː/ | fetuʻu /fetuʔu/ | wetū /wetuː/ | fetuʻu /fetuʔu/ |
| Night | pō /poː/ | pō /poː/ | pō /poː/ | pō /poː/ | pō /poː/ | pō /poː/ | pōʻuli /poːʔuli/ |
| Rain | ua /ua/ | ua /ua/ | ua /ua/ | ua /ua/ | ʻuha /ʔuha/ | ua /ua/ | ʻua /ʔua/ |
| Snow | kiona /kiona/ | kiona /kiona/ | kiona /kiona/ | kiona /kiona/ | sinou /sinou/ | kīona /kiːona/ | nive /nive/ |
| Wind | matagi /mataŋi/ | matagi /mataŋi/ | matagi /mataŋi/ | matagi /mataŋi/ | matangi /mataŋi/ | matangi /mataŋi/ | matagi /mataŋi/ |
| Earth | kelekele /kelekele/ | kelekele /kelekele/ | kelekele /kelekele/ | ʻeleʻele /ʔeleʔele/ | kelekele /kelekele/ | kelekele /kelekele/ | kele /kele/ |
| Stone | maka /maka/ | fatu /fatu/ | fatu /fatu/ | maʻa /maʔa/ | maka /maka/ | watu /watu/ | maka /maka/ |
| Mountain | mouga /mouŋa/ | mauga /mauŋa/ | mauga /mauŋa/ | mauga /mauŋa/ | moʻunga /moʔuŋa/ | maunga /mauŋa/ | moʻuga /moʔuŋa/ |
| Sea | tahi /tahi/ | tai /tai/ | moana /moana/ | sami /sami/ | tahi /tahi/ | tai /tai/ | tai /tai/ |
| Mother | matua fifine /matua fifine/ | maatua /maːtua/ | mātua /maːtua/ | tinā /tinaː/ | faʻē /faʔeː/ | matua wawine /matua wawine/ | faʻē /faʔeː/ |
| Father | matua taane /matua taːne/ | tamana /tamana/ | tamana /tamana/ | tamā /tamaː/ | tamai /tamai/ | matua tāne /matua taːne/ | tamai /tamai/ |
| Daughter | tama fifine /tama fifine/ | tama fafine /tama fafine/ | afafine /afafine/ | afafine /afafine/ | ʻofefine /ʔofefine/ | tamāwine /tamaːwine/ | ʻofafine /ʔofafine/ |
| I | au /au/ | au /au/ | au /au/ | aʻu /aʔu/ | au /au/ | au /au/ | au /au/ |
| You | koe /koe/ | koe /koe/ | koe /koe/ | ʻoe /ʔoe/ | koe /koe/ | koe /koe/ | koe /koe/ |
| We | tautolu / mautolu /tautolu / mautolu/ | tātou / mātou /taːtou / maːtou/ | tātou / mātou /taːtou / maːtou/ | tātou / mātou /taːtou / maːtou/ | kitautolu / kimautolu /kitautolu / kimautolu/ | tātou / mātou /taːtou / maːtou/ | tātou / mātou /taːtou / maːtou/ |
| Name | higoa /hiŋoa/ | igoa /iŋoa/ | igoa /iŋoa/ | igoa /iŋoa/ | hingoa /hiŋoa/ | ingoa /iŋoa/ | higoa /hiŋoa/ |
| Person | tagata /taŋata/ | tino /tino/ | tagata /taŋata/ | tagata /taŋata/ | tangata /taŋata/ | tangata /taŋata/ | tagata /taŋata/ |
| Head | ulu /ulu/ | ulu /ulu/ | ulu /ulu/ | ulu /ulu/ | ʻulu /ʔulu/ | ulu /ulu/ | ʻulu /ʔulu/ |
| Eye | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ |
| Ear | taliga /taliŋa/ | taliga /taliŋa/ | taliga /taliŋa/ | taliga /taliŋa/ | telinga /teliŋa/ | talinga /taliŋa/ | taliga /taliŋa/ |
| Nose | ihu /ihu/ | isu /isu/ | ihu /ihu/ | isu /isu/ | ihu /ihu/ | iyu /iðu/ | ihu /ihu/ |
| Mouth | gutu /ŋutu/ | gutu /ŋutu/ | gutu /ŋutu/ | gutu /ŋutu/ | ngutu /ŋutu/ | ngutu /ŋutu/ | gutu /ŋutu/ |
| Tooth | nifo /nifo/ | nifo /nifo/ | nifo /nifo/ | nifo /nifo/ | nifo /nifo/ | nio /nio/ | nifo /nifo/ |
| Tongue | alelo /alelo/ | alelo /alelo/ | alelo /alelo/ | laulaufaiva /laulaufaiva/ | ʻelelo /ʔelelo/ | alelo /alelo/ | ʻalelo /ʔalelo/ |
| Hand | lima /lima/ | lima /lima/ | lima /lima/ | lima /lima/ | nima /nima/ | lima /lima/ | nima /nima/ |
| Foot | hui /hui/ | vae /vae/ | vae /vae/ | vae /vae/ | vaʻe /vaʔe/ | vae /vae/ | vaʻe /vaʔe/ |
| Heart | atevili /atevili/ | fatu /fatu/ | fatu /fatu/ | loto /loto/ | loto /loto/ | loto /loto/ | mafu /mafu/ |
| Bone | hui /hui/ | ivi /ivi/ | ivi /ivi/ | ivi /ivi/ | hui /hui/ | ivi /ivi/ | hui /hui/ |
| Blood | toto /toto/ | toto /toto/ | toto /toto/ | toto /toto/ | toto /toto/ | toto /toto/ | toto /toto/ |
| Poop | tē /teː/ | tae /tae/ | tae /tae/ | tae /tae/ | taʻe /taʔe/ | tūtae /tuːtae/ | taʻe /taʔe/ |
| Love | fakaalofa /fakaalofa/ | alofa /alofa/ | alofa /alofa/ | alofa /alofa/ | ʻofa /ʔofa/ | aloa /aloa/ | ʻofa /ʔofa/ |
| Tree | akau /akau/ | laakau /laːkau/ | lākau /laːkau/ | laʻau /laʔau/ | ʻakau /ʔakau/ | lākau /laːkau/ | ʻakau /ʔakau/ |
| Dog | kuli /kuli/ | kuli /kuli/ | kuli /kuli/ | maile /maile/ | kulī /kuliː/ | kulī /kuliː/ | kulī /kuliː/ |
| Cat | pusi /pusi/ | pusi /pusi/ | puhi /puhi/ | pusi /pusi/ | pusi /pusi/ | pusi /pusi/ | pusi /pusi/ |
| Fish | ika /ika/ | ika /ika/ | ika /ika/ | iʻa /iʔa/ | ika /ika/ | ika /ika/ | ika /ika/ |
| Bird | manu /manu/ | manu /manu/ | manu /manu/ | manu /manu/ | manupuna /manupuna/ | manu /manu/ | manu /manu/ |
| Butterfly | pepe /pepe/ | pepe /pepe/ | pepe /pepe/ | pepe /pepe/ | pepe /pepe/ | — | pepe /pepe/ |
| Egg | fua moa /fua moa/ | fuamoa /fuamoa/ | fuāmoa /fuaːmoa/ | fuamoa /fuamoa/ | foʻi moa /foʔi moa/ | wuamoa /wuamoa/ | fuāmoa /fuaːmoa/ |
| Bear | urosa /urosa/ | pea /pea/ | pea /pea/ | pea /pea/ | pea /pea/ | pea /pea/ | uluso /uluso/ |
| Horse | solofanua /solofanua/ | solofanua /solofanua/ | holofanua /holofanua/ | solofanua /solofanua/ | hoosi /hoːsi/ | oloenua /oloenua/ | hōsi /hoːsi/ |
| House | fale /fale/ | fale /fale/ | fale /fale/ | fale /fale/ | fale /fale/ | wale /wale/ | fale /fale/ |
| Milk | huhu /huhu/ | susu /susu/ | huāhuhu /huaːhuhu/ | susu /susu/ | huʻakau /huʔakau/ | wū /wuː/ | huʻa pipi /huʔa pipi/ |
| Honey | meli /meli/ | hani /hani/ | meli /meli/ | meli /meli/ | hone /hone/ | meli /meli/ | meli /meli/ |
| Salt | masima /masima/ | masima /masima/ | māhima /maːhima/ | masima /masima/ | māsima /maːsima/ | miti /miti/ | māsima /maːsima/ |
| Wine | uaina /uaina/ | uaina /uaina/ | uaina /uaina/ | uaina /uaina/ | uaine /uaine/ | uwaina /uwaina/ | vino /vino/ |
| Rice | laisi /laisi/ | laisi /laisi/ | — | alaisa /alaisa/ | laise /laise/ | — | lāisi /laːisi/ |
| Iron | lapatoa /lapatoa/ | fiti /fiti/ | ukamea /ukamea/ | uʻamea /uʔamea/ | ukamea /ukamea/ | āuli /aːuli/ | ukamea /ukamea/ |
| Wheel | veli /veli/ | teka /teka/ | uili /uili/ | uili /uili/ | veʻeteka /veʔeteka/ | — | teka /teka/ |
| Silk | silika /silika/ | silika /silika/ | hilika /hilika/ | silika /silika/ | silika /silika/ | tilika /tilika/ | silika /silika/ |
| Book | tohi /tohi/ | tusi /tusi/ | tuhi /tuhi/ | tusi /tusi/ | tohi /tohi/ | puka /puka/ | tohi /tohi/ |
| Eat | kai /kai/ | kai /kai/ | kai /kai/ | ʻai /ʔai/ | kai /kai/ | kai /kai/ | kai /kai/ |
| Drink | inu /inu/ | inu /inu/ | inu /inu/ | inu /inu/ | inu /inu/ | inu /inu/ | inu /inu/ |
| Sleep | mohe /mohe/ | moe /moe/ | moe /moe/ | moe /moe/ | mohe /mohe/ | moe /moe/ | moe /moe/ |
| One | taha /taha/ | tasi /tasi/ | tahi /tahi/ | tasi /tasi/ | taha /taha/ | tayi /taði/ | tahi /tahi/ |
| Two | ua /ua/ | lua /lua/ | lua /lua/ | lua /lua/ | ua /ua/ | lua /lua/ | lua /lua/ |
| Three | tolu /tolu/ | tolu /tolu/ | tolu /tolu/ | tolu /tolu/ | tolu /tolu/ | tolu /tolu/ | tolu /tolu/ |
| Four | fā /faː/ | fā /faː/ | fā /faː/ | fā /faː/ | fā /faː/ | wā /waː/ | fā /faː/ |
| Five | lima /lima/ | lima /lima/ | lima /lima/ | lima /lima/ | nima /nima/ | lima /lima/ | nima /nima/ |
| Hundred | teau /teau/ | selau /selau/ | helau /helau/ | selau /selau/ | teau /teau/ | lau /lau/ | teau /teau/ |
| Hello | fakaalofa atu /fakaalofa atu/ | taalofa /taːlofa/ | malo ni /malo ni/ | talofa /talofa/ | mālō e lelei /maːloː e lelei/ | kia orana /kia oɾana/ | mālō te maʻuli /maːloː te maʔuli/ |
| Thank you | fakaaue /fakaaue/ | fakafetai /fakafetai/ | fakafetai /fakafetai/ | faʻafetai /faʔafetai/ | mālō /maːloː/ | meitaki /meitaki/ | mālō /maːloː/ |
| Good | mitaki /mitaki/ | lei /lei/ | lelei /lelei/ | lelei /lelei/ | lelei /lelei/ | lelei /lelei/ | lelei /lelei/ |
| New | foou /foou/ | fou /fou/ | fou /fou/ | fou /fou/ | foʻou /foʔou/ | wou /wou/ | foʻou /foʔou/ |
| Red | kula /kula/ | kula /kula/ | kukula /kukula/ | mūmū /muːmuː/ | kulokula /kulokula/ | kula /kula/ | kula /kula/ |
| White | tea /tea/ | kena /kena/ | paepae /paepae/ | paʻepaʻe /paʔepaʔe/ | hinehina /hinehina/ | tea /tea/ | hina /hina/ |
| Black | uli /uli/ | uli /uli/ | uli /uli/ | uliuli /uliuli/ | ʻuliʻuli /ʔuliʔuli/ | uli /uli/ | ʻuli /ʔuli/ |
| Green | lanu laukou /lanu laukou/ | lanu lau niu /lanu lau niu/ | lanu meamata /lanu meamata/ | lanumeamata /lanumeamata/ | lanu mata /lanu mata/ | yengayenga /ðeŋaðeŋa/ | moto /moto/ |
| Blue | lanu moana /lanu moana/ | lanu moana /lanu moana/ | lanumoana /lanumoana/ | lanumoana /lanumoana/ | lanu moana /lanu moana/ | yengayenga /ðeŋaðeŋa/ | ʻui /ʔui/ |
| Computer | komopiuta /komopiuta/ | komupiuta /komupiuta/ | komepiuta /komepiuta/ | komipiuta /komipiuta/ | komipiuta /komipiuta/ | — | olotinatea /olotinatea/ |
| Tea | tī /tiː/ | tī /tiː/ | — | tī /tiː/ | tī /tiː/ | — | ti /ti/ |
| Coffee | kofe /kofe/ | kofe /kofe/ | — | kofe /kofe/ | kofi /kofi/ | — | kafe /kafe/ |
| Sugar | suka /suka/ | suka /suka/ | — | suka /suka/ | suka /suka/ | — | suka /suka/ |
| Orange | moli /moli/ | moli /moli/ | moli /moli/ | moli /moli/ | moli /moli/ | — | moli /moli/ |
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