fakaʻofoʻofa
The Tongan word for "awesome" is fakaʻofoʻofa.
While the English word "awesome" often implies something that causes awe or is overwhelming, fakaʻofoʻofa is used more broadly to describe things that are beautiful, wonderful, excellent or exciting.
Meaning: excellent, exciting (adj)
Did you know?
- Because Tongan has a highly stratified language called 'lea faka-ʻeiki', certain words for 'excellent' are reserved only for royalty and cannot be used for common objects.
- In a Tongan context, fakaʻofoʻofa can be used to describe a child's behavior, shifting the meaning from 'exciting' to 'endearing' or 'sweet'.
- The prefix faka- is a versatile tool in Tongan used to turn a noun or verb into an adjective, essentially meaning 'to make' or 'to be like'.
Examples in context
- Ko e meʻa fakaʻofoʻofa ia.That is an awesome thing.
Example conversation
Viliami and Mele are looking at a beautiful sunset.
- ViliamiNaʻa ke maʻu e kumi fakaʻofoʻofa!You got an awesome photo!
- MeleMalo, Viliami. Ko e langi ʻoku fakaʻofoʻofa.Thanks, Viliami. The sky is awesome.
- ViliamiʻOku hoko atu kitautolu ʻapi?Are we going home now?
- MeleʻIo, ʻoku ou fakaʻamu atu.Yes, I am ready to go.
