'oku ou sai'ia 'ia koe
In Tongan, the phrase "I like you" is expressed as 'oku ou sai'ia 'ia koe.
Meaning: I like you (phrase)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is built from 'oku (a present tense marker), ou (I), sai'ia (to like or to be fond of) and 'ia koe (you).
Did you know?
- Tongan is a highly stratified language where the choice of words depends on the social rank of the speaker and the listener. While 'oku ou sai'ia 'ia koe is standard, different pronouns would be required if speaking to royalty.
- Tongan uses a system of 'inclusive' and 'exclusive' we. While 'oku ou sai'ia 'ia koe is singular, changing the phrase to 'we like you' requires choosing whether the person being spoken to is included in the group.
- The Tongan verb sai'ia is remarkably versatile, acting as a 'catch-all' for many English distinctions. You can use the same grammatical structure to say you like a person, a specific dish, or even a geographical location.
Example conversation
Losa and Tevita are talking privately at a gathering.
- LosaTevita, 'oku ou sai'ia 'ia koe.Tevita, I like you.
- TevitaMālō, Losa. 'Oku ou sai'ia foki 'ia koe.Thank you, Losa. I like you too.
- LosaʻOku ou manatu'i koe 'e lava.I cannot stop thinking about you.
- TevitaʻOku ou faka'apa'apa foki 'ia koe.I respect you as well.
