tōfā
The Samoan word for goodbye is tōfā.
The primary way to express farewell is with tōfā. In different contexts, you may encounter other phrases: Tofā Soifua is a way to say goodbye or farewell, Afio mai means to come back or return and can be used to politely bid farewell, Tofa is used to say bye or see you later and Mālō means thanks or thank you and is sometimes used informally to say goodbye.
Meaning: farewell (intj)
Which one should you use?
Tofa is a more casual way to say bye or see you later. Tofā Soifua serves as a more formal expression of farewell, and Afio mai is used specifically to mean 'come back' or 'return' when bidding someone farewell politely.
Did you know?
- The formal farewell Tofā Soifua literally translates to 'farewell to your life' or 'farewell to your well-being'.
- In Samoa, the farewell tōfā is often accompanied by a slight nod of the head as a sign of respect. This physical gesture reinforces the polite nature of the verbal parting.
- In traditional village settings, the length of your farewell can signal your status. A person of high rank might receive a longer, more elaborate version of tōfā soifua than a peer would.
Examples in context
- Tofa, mālō!Person A and Person B bid a casual and friendly goodbye, expressing appreciation as well.
- Tōfā mai.Goodbye to you (all).
- Tōfā lava.Goodbye (final/formal).
- Tōfā atu i lau aiga.Goodbye to your family.
Example conversation
Sina and Tau are finishing a conversation at the market.
- SinaSina: Tōfā, Tau!Goodbye, Tau!
- TauTau: Tōfā, Sina!Goodbye, Sina!
- SinaSina: Have a nice day.Have a nice day.
- TauTau: You too.You too.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “goodbye” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
