fakaʻofoʻofa
The Tongan word for cute is fakaʻofoʻofa.
fakaʻofoʻofa is an adjective used to describe something or someone that is attractive or pleasing in a way that is youthful, dainty, quaint or fun-spirited.
Meaning: attractive or pleasing in a youthful, dainty, quaint or fun-spirited way (adj)
Did you know?
- While fakaʻofoʻofa means 'cute', the root word ofoʻofa refers to love, mercy or compassion. This suggests that in Tongan culture, cuteness is fundamentally linked to the feeling of being loved or pitied.
- The word fakaʻofoʻofa uses the glottal stop, represented by the inverted comma ʻ, which is a distinct consonant that changes the meaning of the word if omitted.
- Tongan speakers often use fakaʻofoʻofa to describe babies and pets, but it can also be used for small, traditional handicrafts or carefully arranged food displays.
Examples in context
- Ko e tamasiʻi fakaʻofoʻofa ʻeni.This is a cute boy.
- ʻOku fakaʻofoʻofa e ʻofá.The gift is cute.
Example conversation
Akuila and Losa are looking at a photo of a baby.
- AkuilaʻOku fakaʻofoʻofa lahi ʻa e tamaiʻiki ko ʻení.This baby is very cute.
- LosaʻIo, ʻoku fakaʻofoʻofa ia.Yes, he is cute.
- AkuilaʻOku tatau ia kiate koe.He looks just like you.
- LosaMalo ʻaupito, Akuila.Thank you very much, Akuila.
