pēpē
/peː.peː/
The Tongan word for baby is pēpē.
pēpē refers to a very young human being.
Meaning: very young human being (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
The word has two syllables and is pronounced /peː.peː/.
Did you know?
- The word pēpē is a loanword derived from the English word 'baby', which was adapted to fit the phonetic structure of the Tongan language.
- In Tongan culture, babies are traditionally wrapped in a fala, a finely woven mat that serves as both a bed and a carrier.
- Tongan parents often use a distinct, high-pitched baby talk style called lea pēpē to communicate with infants.
Examples in context
- Ko hai 'eni 'o e 'inasi?Whose baby is this?
- Ko e hingoa 'o e 'inasi ko…The name of the baby is…
- ʻOku mohe e pēpē.The baby is sleeping.
Example conversation
Mele and Akuila are looking at a new family member.
- MeleVakai, ʻoku fakaʻofoʻofa ʻa e pēpē!Look, the baby is cute!
- AkuilaʻIo, ʻoku toe moʻui pē ʻa ia.Yes, he is still very small.
- MeleKo hai e hingoa ʻa e pēpē?What is the baby's name?
- AkuilaKo Sione ʻene hingoa.His name is Sione.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “baby” translations and entries pēpē, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
