Te ggana Tuuvalu
Tuvaluan
Austronesian (Polynesian, Ellicean)
Tuvaluan (te ggana Tūvalu) is the national language of Tuvalu, one of the world's smallest sovereign states (~11,000 inhabitants on nine atolls in the central Pacific). With ~10K speakers, it is closely related to Samoan and Tokelauan, all forming the Ellicean Polynesian subgroup. Distinctive features include geminate consonants (written double: ppoto "wisdom"), a 5-vowel system with length contrast, and an inclusive/exclusive 1st person plural distinction. The Bible (translated 1860s onwards) was foundational for the Latin orthography.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Tuvaluan
Sources
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Austronesian (Polynesian, Ellicean)
| Meaning | Tuvaluan | Tokelauan | 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 | laa /laː/ | lā /laː/ | lā /laː/ | lā /laː/ | la /la/ | laʻā /laʔaː/ | laʻā /laʔaː/ |
| Moon | masina /masina/ | māhina /maːhina/ | māsina /maːsina/ | mahina /mahina/ | malama /malama/ | māsina /maːsina/ | māhina /maːhina/ |
| Star | fetū /fetuː/ | fetu /fetu/ | 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 | tai /tai/ | moana /moana/ | sami /sami/ | tahi /tahi/ | tai /tai/ | moana /moana/ | tahi /tahi/ |
| Mother | maatua /maːtua/ | mātua /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 | tama fafine /tama fafine/ | afafine /afafine/ | 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 | tino /tino/ | tagata /taŋata/ | 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 | isu /isu/ | ihu /ihu/ | 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 | laakau /laːkau/ | lākau /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 | pusi /pusi/ | puhi /puhi/ | 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 | fuamoa /fuamoa/ | fuāmoa /fuaːmoa/ | 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 | solofanua /solofanua/ | holofanua /holofanua/ | 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 | susu /susu/ | huāhuhu /huaːhuhu/ | susu /susu/ | huhu /huhu/ | wū /wuː/ | — | huʻakau /huʔakau/ |
| Honey | hani /hani/ | meli /meli/ | meli /meli/ | meli /meli/ | meli /meli/ | — | hone /hone/ |
| Salt | masima /masima/ | māhima /maːhima/ | 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/ |
| Rice | laisi /laisi/ | — | alaisa /alaisa/ | laisi /laisi/ | — | — | laise /laise/ |
| Iron | fiti /fiti/ | ukamea /ukamea/ | uʻamea /uʔamea/ | lapatoa /lapatoa/ | āuli /aːuli/ | ukamea /ukamea/ | ukamea /ukamea/ |
| Wheel | teka /teka/ | uili /uili/ | uili /uili/ | veli /veli/ | — | teka /teka/ | veʻeteka /veʔeteka/ |
| Silk | silika /silika/ | hilika /hilika/ | silika /silika/ | silika /silika/ | tilika /tilika/ | — | silika /silika/ |
| Book | tusi /tusi/ | tuhi /tuhi/ | 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 | tasi /tasi/ | tahi /tahi/ | 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 | selau /selau/ | helau /helau/ | selau /selau/ | teau /teau/ | lau /lau/ | kaulelau /kaulelau/ | teau /teau/ |
| Hello | taalofa /taːlofa/ | malo ni /malo ni/ | 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 | lei /lei/ | lelei /lelei/ | 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 | kula /kula/ | kukula /kukula/ | mūmū /muːmuː/ | kula /kula/ | kula /kula/ | kula /kula/ | kulokula /kulokula/ |
| White | kena /kena/ | paepae /paepae/ | 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 lau niu /lanu lau niu/ | lanu meamata /lanu meamata/ | lanumeamata /lanumeamata/ | lanu laukou /lanu laukou/ | yengayenga /ðeŋaðeŋa/ | moto /moto/ | lanu mata /lanu mata/ |
| Blue | lanu moana /lanu moana/ | lanumoana /lanumoana/ | lanumoana /lanumoana/ | lanu moana /lanu moana/ | yengayenga /ðeŋaðeŋa/ | ʻusi /ʔusi/ | lanu moana /lanu moana/ |
| Computer | komupiuta /komupiuta/ | komepiuta /komepiuta/ | komipiuta /komipiuta/ | komopiuta /komopiuta/ | — | masini /masini/ | komipiuta /komipiuta/ |
| Tea | tī /tiː/ | — | tī /tiː/ | tī /tiː/ | — | — | tī /tiː/ |
| Coffee | kofe /kofe/ | — | kofe /kofe/ | kofe /kofe/ | — | — | kofi /kofi/ |
| Sugar | suka /suka/ | — | suka /suka/ | suka /suka/ | — | — | suka /suka/ |
| Orange | moli /moli/ | moli /moli/ | moli /moli/ | moli /moli/ | — | moli /moli/ | moli /moli/ |
| Ninety-nine | iva sefulu iva /iva sefulu iva/ | iva hefuluiva /iva hefuluiva/ | ivasefulu ma le iva /ivasefulu ma le iva/ | — | — | — | hivangofulu mā hiva /hivaŋofulu maː hiva/ |
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