tangi
The Tongan word for 'cry' is tangi.
While tangi can mean the physical act of shedding tears, it is also used more broadly to describe wailing, mourning or lamenting during times of intense grief.
Meaning: intransitive: to shed tears (verb)
When do people say it?
In Tongan culture, tangi is a term associated with formal expressions of grief, such as the act of wailing or mourning during a funeral.
Did you know?
- Performing a tangi at a funeral is considered a skilled expression of love and respect, rather than a sign of weakness or instability.
- The word tangi belongs to a vast family of Austronesian languages, meaning you might find similar sounds in languages as far away as Madagascar or Hawaii.
- The Tongan word tangi is a linguistic relative of the Māori word tangi which refers to a formal funeral ceremony.
Examples in context
- ʻE tangi e tamaʻe.The girl is crying.
- Kuo tangi e pē.The baby has cried.
Example conversation
Akuila finds Losa upset in the living room.
- AkuilaLosa, ko e hā ʻoku ke tangi?Losa, why are you crying?
- LosaʻOku ou tangi he ʻoku ou mōmoʻī.I am crying because I am sad.
- AkuilaʻOku ʻikai ke tangi, ʻoku ʻihi ai.Don't cry, it's okay.
- LosaMālō, Akuila.Thank you, Akuila.
