lako
The English verb "go" is translated as lako in Fijian.
lako is used to describe moving through space, specifically in the sense of moving from one place to another. To specify a destination, you must follow lako with the preposition ki (to).
Meaning: to move through space (especially from one place to another) (verb)
How does it change in a sentence?
While lako means to go away from the speaker, adding the particle mai (towards the speaker) creates the meaning "to come" (lako mai).
Did you know?
- In many Fijian contexts, the verb lako is used figuratively to mean 'to die' or 'to pass away', serving as a gentler euphemism for the end of life.
- Because Fijian is an Austronesian language, lako shares distant ancestral roots with words for movement in languages spoken as far away as Madagascar and Hawaii.
- Fijian is a VSO (Verb-Subject-Object) language, meaning the word lako will typically appear at the very beginning of a sentence, before the person who is going.
Examples in context
- E lako na gone.The child goes.
- Me lako ki Nadi.Go to Nadi.
Example conversation
Sereana and Jone are deciding to leave the house.
- SereanaJone, me lako jeda?Jone, shall we go now?
- JoneIo, me lako.Yes, let's go.
- SereanaKeo lako ki na loma?Are you going inside?
- JoneSega, au lako ki rawa.No, I am going outside.
