fakavave
The Tongan phrase for 'hurry up' is fakavave.
The verb fakavave is used to tell someone to go faster.
Meaning: go faster (verb)
Did you know?
- In certain Tongan contexts, 'hurrying' can be a social faux pas if it implies a lack of respect for the pace of an elder or a chief.
- In Tongan, vave can refer to both the speed of an object and the quickness of a person's temper, allowing fakavave to conceptually link speed and intensity.
- Tongan is a Polynesian language, and the root vave is a cognate with the word vave in Samoan, which also means 'fast' or 'quick'.
Examples in context
- Fakavave lahi atu!Please hurry up!
- Fakavave atu, 'oku faka'osi e taimi.Hurry up, time is running out.
Example conversation
Akuila and Losa are getting ready to leave the house.
- AkuilaLosa, fakavave mai!Losa, hurry up!
- LosaOku ou'u fakavave, Akuila.I am hurrying, Akuila.
- AkuilaE tau tu'u faka'au tu'u.We are almost late.
- LosaOku ou'i'i ai a'u.I am almost there.
