manuia le po
The English phrase "good night" is translated into Samoan as manuia le po.
manuia le po is used as a farewell when parting ways in the evening or before going to sleep.
Meaning: a farewell (phrase)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally means 'blessed be the night' or 'may the night be good', where 'manuia' means blessed/good and 'le po' means the night.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word 'manuia' functions as an adjective or an optative verb expressing a wish for goodness or blessing.
Did you know?
- Depending on the region, some speakers may use different registers of the language to say good night, distinguishing between 'common' speech and 'chiefly' speech.
- The word manuia is used not only for 'good night' but also to say 'congratulations' or 'good luck' in various contexts.
- In Samoa, the concept of 'blessing' expressed in manuia is deeply tied to the 'fa'asamoa' or the Samoan way of life, where social harmony is seen as a divine blessing.
Examples in context
- Manuia le po i oe.Good night to you.
- Manuia le po uma.Good night to everyone.
Example conversation
Tau is leaving Talisa's house after a visit.
- TalisaFaafetai mo le aso, Tau.Thank you for the day, Tau.
- TauE leai se mea, Talisa.No problem, Talisa.
- TauManuia le po ia te oe.Good night to you.
- TalisaManuia le po fo'i ia te oe.Good night to you too.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “good night” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
