'ofa atu foki
The English phrase 'I love you too' is translated into Tongan as 'ofa atu foki.
This phrase is a response used to tell someone that you feel the same love for them.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of 'ofa (love), atu (a directional particle indicating the action is directed toward the listener) and foki (also/too).
Which one should you use?
The standard way to say 'I love you' is 'ofa atu, whereas adding foki at the end changes the meaning to 'I love you too'.
How does it change in a sentence?
In Tongan, the subject 'I' is often omitted in this phrase because the directional particle atu implicitly indicates the direction of the feeling from the speaker to the listener.
Did you know?
- In Tongan culture, expressing 'ofa is often demonstrated through fatongia, which refers to the lifelong obligations and duties one owes to their family.
- The phrase 'ofa atu foki relies on a system of directional particles where atu specifically denotes movement away from the speaker, a feature shared with other Polynesian languages.
- The particle atu creates a mental image of the love physically traveling from the speaker toward the listener.
Examples in context
- 'Ofa atu foki eku.I love you too.
