Tokelau
Tokelauan
Austronesian (Polynesian, Ellicean)
Tokelauan is the language of Tokelau, a New Zealand-administered territory of three small atolls (Atafu, Nukunonu, Fakaofo) in the central Pacific with ~1,500 island residents and ~3K diaspora speakers in New Zealand. Closely related to Tuvaluan and Samoan within the Polynesian group. Notable for macron-marked long vowels (ā ē ī ō ū) in standardized orthography (1986). Used in primary education and the Tokelauan Bible (translated 1969). Has ergative-absolutive case marking, unusual within Polynesian.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Tokelauan
Sources
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Austronesian (Polynesian, Ellicean)
| Meaning | Tokelauan | Tuvaluan | Samoan | Niuean | Pukapukan | East Futunan | Tongan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | vai /vai/ | vai /vai/ | vai /vai/ | vai /vai/ | wai /wai/ | vai /vai/ | vai /vai/ |
| Fire | afi /afi/ | afi /afi/ | afi /afi/ | afi /afi/ | awi /awi/ | afi /afi/ | afi /afi/ |
| Sun | lā /laː/ | laa /laː/ | lā /laː/ | lā /laː/ | la /la/ | laʻā /laʔaː/ | laʻā /laʔaː/ |
| Moon | māhina /maːhina/ | masina /masina/ | māsina /maːsina/ | mahina /mahina/ | malama /malama/ | māsina /maːsina/ | māhina /maːhina/ |
| Star | fetu /fetu/ | fetū /fetuː/ | fetū /fetuː/ | fetū /fetuː/ | wetū /wetuː/ | fetuʻu /fetuʔu/ | fetuʻu /fetuʔu/ |
| Night | pō /poː/ | pō /poː/ | pō /poː/ | pō /poː/ | pō /poː/ | pō /poː/ | pō /poː/ |
| Rain | ua /ua/ | ua /ua/ | ua /ua/ | ua /ua/ | ua /ua/ | ʻua /ʔua/ | ʻuha /ʔuha/ |
| Snow | kiona /kiona/ | kiona /kiona/ | kiona /kiona/ | kiona /kiona/ | kīona /kiːona/ | nive /nive/ | sinou /sinou/ |
| Wind | matagi /mataŋi/ | matagi /mataŋi/ | matagi /mataŋi/ | matagi /mataŋi/ | matangi /mataŋi/ | matagi /mataŋi/ | matangi /mataŋi/ |
| Earth | kelekele /kelekele/ | kelekele /kelekele/ | ʻeleʻele /ʔeleʔele/ | kelekele /kelekele/ | kelekele /kelekele/ | kele /kele/ | kelekele /kelekele/ |
| Stone | fatu /fatu/ | fatu /fatu/ | maʻa /maʔa/ | maka /maka/ | watu /watu/ | maka /maka/ | maka /maka/ |
| Mountain | mauga /mauŋa/ | mauga /mauŋa/ | mauga /mauŋa/ | mouga /mouŋa/ | maunga /mauŋa/ | maʻuga /maʔuŋa/ | moʻunga /moʔuŋa/ |
| Sea | moana /moana/ | tai /tai/ | sami /sami/ | tahi /tahi/ | tai /tai/ | moana /moana/ | tahi /tahi/ |
| Mother | mātua /maːtua/ | maatua /maːtua/ | tinā /tinaː/ | matua fifine /matua fifine/ | matua wawine /matua wawine/ | tinana /tinana/ | faʻē /faʔeː/ |
| Father | tamana /tamana/ | tamana /tamana/ | tamā /tamaː/ | matua taane /matua taːne/ | matua tāne /matua taːne/ | tamana /tamana/ | tamai /tamai/ |
| Daughter | afafine /afafine/ | tama fafine /tama fafine/ | afafine /afafine/ | tama fifine /tama fifine/ | tamāwine /tamaːwine/ | taʻine /taʔine/ | ʻofefine /ʔofefine/ |
| I | au /au/ | au /au/ | aʻu /aʔu/ | au /au/ | au /au/ | au /au/ | au /au/ |
| You | koe /koe/ | koe /koe/ | ʻoe /ʔoe/ | koe /koe/ | koe /koe/ | koe /koe/ | koe /koe/ |
| We | tātou / mātou /taːtou / maːtou/ | tātou / mātou /taːtou / maːtou/ | tātou / mātou /taːtou / maːtou/ | tautolu / mautolu /tautolu / mautolu/ | tātou / mātou /taːtou / maːtou/ | tātou / mātou /taːtou / maːtou/ | kitautolu / kimautolu /kitautolu / kimautolu/ |
| Name | igoa /iŋoa/ | igoa /iŋoa/ | igoa /iŋoa/ | higoa /hiŋoa/ | ingoa /iŋoa/ | igoa /iŋoa/ | hingoa /hiŋoa/ |
| Person | tagata /taŋata/ | tino /tino/ | tagata /taŋata/ | tagata /taŋata/ | tangata /taŋata/ | tagata /taŋata/ | tangata /taŋata/ |
| Head | ulu /ulu/ | ulu /ulu/ | ulu /ulu/ | ulu /ulu/ | ulu /ulu/ | ʻulu /ʔulu/ | 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/ | talinga /taliŋa/ | taliga /taliŋa/ | telinga /teliŋa/ |
| Nose | ihu /ihu/ | isu /isu/ | isu /isu/ | ihu /ihu/ | iyu /iðu/ | isu /isu/ | ihu /ihu/ |
| Mouth | gutu /ŋutu/ | gutu /ŋutu/ | gutu /ŋutu/ | gutu /ŋutu/ | ngutu /ŋutu/ | gutu /ŋutu/ | ngutu /ŋutu/ |
| Tooth | nifo /nifo/ | nifo /nifo/ | nifo /nifo/ | nifo /nifo/ | nio /nio/ | nifo /nifo/ | nifo /nifo/ |
| Tongue | alelo /alelo/ | alelo /alelo/ | laulaufaiva /laulaufaiva/ | alelo /alelo/ | alelo /alelo/ | ʻalelo /ʔalelo/ | ʻelelo /ʔelelo/ |
| Hand | lima /lima/ | lima /lima/ | lima /lima/ | lima /lima/ | lima /lima/ | lima /lima/ | nima /nima/ |
| Foot | vae /vae/ | vae /vae/ | vae /vae/ | hui /hui/ | vae /vae/ | vaʻe /vaʔe/ | vaʻe /vaʔe/ |
| Heart | fatu /fatu/ | fatu /fatu/ | loto /loto/ | atevili /atevili/ | loto /loto/ | mafu /mafu/ | loto /loto/ |
| Bone | ivi /ivi/ | ivi /ivi/ | ivi /ivi/ | hui /hui/ | ivi /ivi/ | ivi /ivi/ | hui /hui/ |
| Blood | toto /toto/ | toto /toto/ | toto /toto/ | toto /toto/ | toto /toto/ | toto /toto/ | toto /toto/ |
| Poop | tae /tae/ | tae /tae/ | tae /tae/ | tē /teː/ | tūtae /tuːtae/ | taʻe /taʔe/ | taʻe /taʔe/ |
| Love | alofa /alofa/ | alofa /alofa/ | alofa /alofa/ | fakaalofa /fakaalofa/ | aloa /aloa/ | alofa /alofa/ | ʻofa /ʔofa/ |
| Tree | lākau /laːkau/ | laakau /laːkau/ | laʻau /laʔau/ | akau /akau/ | lākau /laːkau/ | lāʻakau /laːʔakau/ | ʻakau /ʔakau/ |
| Dog | kuli /kuli/ | kuli /kuli/ | maile /maile/ | kuli /kuli/ | kulī /kuliː/ | kulī /kuliː/ | kulī /kuliː/ |
| Cat | puhi /puhi/ | pusi /pusi/ | pusi /pusi/ | pusi /pusi/ | pusi /pusi/ | pūsi /puːsi/ | pusi /pusi/ |
| Fish | ika /ika/ | ika /ika/ | iʻa /iʔa/ | ika /ika/ | ika /ika/ | ika /ika/ | ika /ika/ |
| Bird | manu /manu/ | manu /manu/ | manu /manu/ | manu /manu/ | manu /manu/ | manu /manu/ | manupuna /manupuna/ |
| Butterfly | pepe /pepe/ | pepe /pepe/ | pepe /pepe/ | pepe /pepe/ | — | pepe /pepe/ | pepe /pepe/ |
| Egg | fuāmoa /fuaːmoa/ | fuamoa /fuamoa/ | fuamoa /fuamoa/ | fua moa /fua moa/ | wuamoa /wuamoa/ | fua /fua/ | foʻi moa /foʔi moa/ |
| Bear | pea /pea/ | pea /pea/ | pea /pea/ | urosa /urosa/ | pea /pea/ | uluso /uluso/ | pea /pea/ |
| Horse | holofanua /holofanua/ | solofanua /solofanua/ | solofanua /solofanua/ | solofanua /solofanua/ | oloenua /oloenua/ | ōsi /oːsi/ | hoosi /hoːsi/ |
| House | fale /fale/ | fale /fale/ | fale /fale/ | fale /fale/ | wale /wale/ | fale /fale/ | fale /fale/ |
| Milk | huāhuhu /huaːhuhu/ | susu /susu/ | susu /susu/ | huhu /huhu/ | wū /wuː/ | — | huʻakau /huʔakau/ |
| Honey | meli /meli/ | hani /hani/ | meli /meli/ | meli /meli/ | meli /meli/ | — | hone /hone/ |
| Salt | māhima /maːhima/ | masima /masima/ | masima /masima/ | masima /masima/ | miti /miti/ | paʻatai /paʔatai/ | māsima /maːsima/ |
| Wine | uaina /uaina/ | uaina /uaina/ | uaina /uaina/ | uaina /uaina/ | uwaina /uwaina/ | vino /vino/ | uaine /uaine/ |
| Iron | ukamea /ukamea/ | fiti /fiti/ | uʻamea /uʔamea/ | lapatoa /lapatoa/ | āuli /aːuli/ | ukamea /ukamea/ | ukamea /ukamea/ |
| Wheel | uili /uili/ | teka /teka/ | uili /uili/ | veli /veli/ | — | teka /teka/ | veʻeteka /veʔeteka/ |
| Silk | hilika /hilika/ | silika /silika/ | silika /silika/ | silika /silika/ | tilika /tilika/ | — | silika /silika/ |
| Book | tuhi /tuhi/ | tusi /tusi/ | tusi /tusi/ | tohi /tohi/ | puka /puka/ | tosi /tosi/ | tohi /tohi/ |
| Eat | kai /kai/ | kai /kai/ | ʻai /ʔai/ | kai /kai/ | kai /kai/ | kai /kai/ | kai /kai/ |
| Drink | inu /inu/ | inu /inu/ | inu /inu/ | inu /inu/ | inu /inu/ | inu /inu/ | inu /inu/ |
| Sleep | moe /moe/ | moe /moe/ | moe /moe/ | mohe /mohe/ | moe /moe/ | moe /moe/ | mohe /mohe/ |
| One | tahi /tahi/ | tasi /tasi/ | tasi /tasi/ | taha /taha/ | tayi /taði/ | tasi /tasi/ | taha /taha/ |
| Two | lua /lua/ | lua /lua/ | lua /lua/ | ua /ua/ | lua /lua/ | lua /lua/ | ua /ua/ |
| Three | tolu /tolu/ | tolu /tolu/ | tolu /tolu/ | tolu /tolu/ | tolu /tolu/ | tolu /tolu/ | tolu /tolu/ |
| Four | fā /faː/ | fā /faː/ | fā /faː/ | fā /faː/ | wā /waː/ | fā /faː/ | fā /faː/ |
| Five | lima /lima/ | lima /lima/ | lima /lima/ | lima /lima/ | lima /lima/ | lima /lima/ | nima /nima/ |
| Hundred | helau /helau/ | selau /selau/ | selau /selau/ | teau /teau/ | lau /lau/ | kaulelau /kaulelau/ | teau /teau/ |
| Hello | malo ni /malo ni/ | taalofa /taːlofa/ | talofa /talofa/ | fakaalofa atu /fakaalofa atu/ | kia orana /kia oɾana/ | mālō /maːloː/ | mālō e lelei /maːloː e lelei/ |
| Thank you | fakafetai /fakafetai/ | fakafetai /fakafetai/ | faʻafetai /faʔafetai/ | fakaaue /fakaaue/ | meitaki /meitaki/ | mālō /maːloː/ | mālō /maːloː/ |
| Good | lelei /lelei/ | lei /lei/ | lelei /lelei/ | mitaki /mitaki/ | lelei /lelei/ | mālie /maːlie/ | lelei /lelei/ |
| New | fou /fou/ | fou /fou/ | fou /fou/ | foou /foou/ | wou /wou/ | foʻou /foʔou/ | foʻou /foʔou/ |
| Red | kukula /kukula/ | kula /kula/ | mūmū /muːmuː/ | kula /kula/ | kula /kula/ | kula /kula/ | kulokula /kulokula/ |
| White | paepae /paepae/ | kena /kena/ | paʻepaʻe /paʔepaʔe/ | tea /tea/ | tea /tea/ | tea /tea/ | hinehina /hinehina/ |
| Black | uli /uli/ | uli /uli/ | uliuli /uliuli/ | uli /uli/ | uli /uli/ | ʻuli /ʔuli/ | ʻuliʻuli /ʔuliʔuli/ |
| Green | lanu meamata /lanu meamata/ | lanu lau niu /lanu lau niu/ | lanumeamata /lanumeamata/ | lanu laukou /lanu laukou/ | yengayenga /ðeŋaðeŋa/ | moto /moto/ | lanu mata /lanu mata/ |
| Blue | lanumoana /lanumoana/ | lanu moana /lanu moana/ | lanumoana /lanumoana/ | lanu moana /lanu moana/ | yengayenga /ðeŋaðeŋa/ | ʻusi /ʔusi/ | lanu moana /lanu moana/ |
| Computer | komepiuta /komepiuta/ | komupiuta /komupiuta/ | komipiuta /komipiuta/ | komopiuta /komopiuta/ | — | masini /masini/ | komipiuta /komipiuta/ |
| Orange | moli /moli/ | moli /moli/ | moli /moli/ | moli /moli/ | — | moli /moli/ | moli /moli/ |
| Ninety-nine | iva hefuluiva /iva hefuluiva/ | iva sefulu iva /iva sefulu iva/ | ivasefulu ma le iva /ivasefulu ma le iva/ | — | — | — | hivangofulu mā hiva /hivaŋofulu maː hiva/ |
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