aʻu
The English phrase 'I' is translated into Samoan as aʻu. Wiktionary also lists ʻou.
Meaning: personal pronoun (pron)
Ways to say it
| Samoan |
|---|
| aʻu |
| ʻou |
This is a personal pronoun.
Did you know?
- The word aʻu is an ancient linguistic relative of words for 'I' used in languages as far west as Madagascar.
- Samoan distinguishes between 'i' and 'we' based on whether the listener is included. To say 'i' in a way that implies a shared group, you would use the inclusive tātou or exclusive mātou instead of aʻu.
- While aʻu means 'i', omitting it entirely is common in Samoan because the verb often implies who is speaking.
Examples in context
- Na ʻou fia alu.I wanted to go.This sentence uses ʻou.Tatoeba #3708475 by saiko, translation #2011299 by CK
- O aʻu o Ricardo.I am Ricardo.This sentence uses aʻu.Tatoeba #6824286 by Ricardo14, translation #6015388 by Ricardo14
Example conversation
Talisa and Tasi are talking about lunch.
- TalisaO aʻu ua maimai.I am hungry.
- TasiE maimai foi oe?Are you hungry too?
- TalisaIoe, e fia ai aʻu i se pisini.Yes, I want some bread.
- TasiIa tatou alu nei.Let's go now.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “I” translations and entries aʻu, ʻou, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
