vale
The Fijian word for home is vale.
The word vale is used to refer to a person's house, dwelling or the structure in which someone lives.
Meaning: house or structure in which someone lives (noun)
Did you know?
- The word vale descends from the Proto-Austronesian root *balay, linking it to similar words for house in languages spoken as far away as Madagascar and Taiwan.
- Traditional vale are built on elevated stone mounds called yavu, which are considered sacred ancestral land and are never sold.
- When visiting someone's 'vale', it is a common cultural practice to show respect through specific protocols, such as presenting a 'tabua' (sperm whale's tooth) in formal ceremonies.
Examples in context
- E lako ki vale ko koya.S/he went home.This sentence shows how to use vale when stating that someone went home.
- Sa leqa na vale.The house is beautiful.
- E rerea na vale.The house is leaking.
Example conversation
Jone and Adi are talking about where Jone lives.
- JoneO sa vakaciviti na no vale?Are you near your home?
- AdiIo, e tiko vakaivola.Yes, it is just around the corner.
- JoneAu vinakata me'u raica na no vale.I want to see your house.
- AdiLako mai, Adi na qai kerea.Come along, Adi will ask.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry vale, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries vale, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
