mohe a pō
mohe a pō is the Niuean way to say goodnight.
This phrase is used to wish someone a good night's sleep before they go to bed.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally means 'sleep the night'. The word mohe is the verb meaning 'to sleep' and pō means 'night'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb mohe means 'to sleep' and the noun pō means 'night'.
Did you know?
- The word pō is also used in Niuean to describe darkness or a lack of light, regardless of whether it is actually nighttime.
- Niuean is a Polynesian language, meaning pō shares a common ancestral root with the Hawaiian word pō and the Māori word pō.
- Unlike English, which uses the adjective 'good' in 'goodnight', the Niuean phrase mohe a pō focuses on the action of sleeping rather than the quality of the night.
Examples in context
- Mohe a pō, e kaina.Goodnight, my friend.
- Mohe a pō, e tama.Goodnight, boy.
Example conversation
Mikaele and Tala are finishing their day at home.
- MikaeleKua hūmālie e pō.The night is calm.
- TalaAe kua faka-mālaō au.But I am tired.
- MikaeleMohe a pō, Tala.Goodnight, Tala.
- TalaMohe a pō, Mikaele.Goodnight, Mikaele.
