Nathaniel Paul

The Tongan way to say ‘bless you’ is ‘ofa atu. This phrase is used as an interjection when someone sneezes.

In Tongan, the name of the country is Tonga. Tonga refers to the country itself.

Merry Christmas in Tongan is Kilisimasi fiefia. Kilisimasi fiefia is used to express good wishes during the Christmas season.

The Tongan word for sorry is fakamolemole. Fakamolemole is used to express an apology or regret, such as saying ‘sorry’ or ‘I beg your pardon’.

Ko hai ho hingoa? is the Tongan phrase for “what is your name?” Ko hai ho hingoa? is a question used to ask someone what they are called.

The English phrase “shut up” is translated into Tongan as fakamāpuni ho ngutu. The phrase fakamāpuni ho ngutu is used to command someone to stop talking.

The Tongan word for heart is mafu. mafu refers to the heart as a biological organ.

The Tongan word for brother is tokoua. In Tongan, the term used to refer to a male sibling is tokoua.

The Tongan word for “ocean” is tahi. Both tahi and ‘oseni are used to refer to the ocean as one of the large bodies of water.