mālō
The Samoan word for hello is mālō.
mālō is a versatile greeting used both when arriving and when passing someone. It is used to acknowledge someone's presence or well-being.
Meaning: greeting (intj)
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, mālō means 'well done' or 'good' and is used as a greeting to acknowledge someone's presence or well-being.
Which one should you use?
You may also encounter the formal versions Talofa (Greetings) and Talofa lava (Hello). For a more extended greeting, Talofa lava ma le soifua translates to 'Greetings and blessings'.
How does it change in a sentence?
Talofa korua is used specifically when greeting two people.
When do people say it?
When someone greets you with mālō, it is standard to respond by repeating mālō back to them.
Did you know?
- Because mālō traces back to the Proto-Polynesian word for 'victorious', using it to say 'hello' is essentially acknowledging that the person has successfully completed their tasks or survived the day.
- In many Polynesian cultures, including Samoa, the act of greeting is often accompanied by a subtle nod or a specific hand gesture to show respect, which changes the weight of the word mālō.
Examples in context
- Talofa korua, malo lava!Hello to both of you, thank you!
- Mālō!Hello!
- Mālō le aso.Hello, have a good day.
- Mālō i ai uma.Hello to everyone.
Example conversation
Tau and Sina meet on a street in the morning.
- TauMālō, Sina!Hello, Sina!
- SinaMālō lava, Tau.Hello, Tau.
- TauO fea e te alu atu ai?Where are you going?
- SinaE alu atu i le fale.I am going home.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries mālō, CC BY-SA 4.0.
