Ou te alofa ia te oe
The English phrase "I love you" is translated into Samoan as Ou te alofa ia te oe.
This phrase is used to express an affirmation of romantic feeling.
Meaning: affirmation of romantic feeling (phrase)
Which one should you use?
The phrase Ou te alofa ia te oe is the full way to say "I love you," whereas E alofa ia te oe is a more casual way of saying "Love you."
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase Ou te alofa ia te oe, the pronoun oe refers to "you" in a singular, informal context. If you want to say "I love you" to more than one person, you should replace oe with outou, resulting in Ou te alofa ia te outou.
Did you know?
- While Ou te alofa ia te oe is used for romance, the core word alofa is also the term used for 'mercy' or 'pity' in many traditional contexts.
- In traditional Samoan society, expressions of love are often conveyed through actions and the gifting of 'ie toga' (fine mats) rather than spoken phrases.
- The word alofa is a direct relative of the famous Hawaiian word aloha, sharing the same ancient roots.
Examples in context
- Ou te alofa tele ia te oe.I love you very much.
- Ou te alofa ia te oe.I love you.
- E te iloa, ou te alofa ia te oe.You know, I love you.
Example conversation
A couple is saying goodbye before work.
- SioneOu te alofa ia te oe, Losa.I love you, Losa.
- LosaOu te alofa foi ia te oe, Sione.I love you too, Sione.
- SioneIa manuia lau aso.Have a great day.
- LosaFaafetai, ma oe foi.Thank you, and you too.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries alofa, ia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
