Maʻu ha ʻaho lelei
Maʻu ha ʻaho lelei is the Tongan way to say "have a good day".
This phrase is a polite greeting used when saying goodbye to wish someone a pleasant day.
Did you know?
- Tongan has a complex system of social hierarchy and 'chiefly language', meaning certain words for 'good' or 'day' may change depending on the social rank of the person you are addressing.
- In Tongan culture, the word lelei does not just mean 'good' in a general sense but often implies that something is 'correct' or 'proper' according to social norms.
- The glottal stop, represented by the symbol ʻ, is a full consonant in Tongan and changing it can completely alter the meaning of the words in this phrase.
Example conversation
Akuila and Mele are leaving a shop.
- AkuilaTāu mālō choʻoe, Mele.Thank you, Mele.
- MeleʻOku lelei, Akuila.You're welcome, Akuila.
- AkuilaMaʻu ha ʻaho lelei!Have a good day!
- MeleMaʻu ha ʻaho lelei foki!Have a good day too!
