au
The English pronoun 'me' is translated into Tongan as au.
au is the pronoun used by a speaker to refer to themselves when they are the object of a verb or a preposition.
Did you know?
- If you were to use the word au as a verb, it can mean 'to weave' or 'to tie', completely changing its function from a pronoun.
- Because Tongan is a highly hierarchical language, using the wrong form of a pronoun can accidentally sound like you are being disrespectful to the person you are talking to.
- Tongan pronouns like au share a deep ancestral bond with the word 'aku' found in Malay and Indonesian, reflecting their shared Proto-Malayo-Polynesian origin.
Examples in context
- ʻOku ʻikai ke ne fakatokanga mai ki au.He is not looking at me.
- ʻOku ʻikai ke ne ʻiloʻi au.She does not know me.
Example conversation
Mele and Akuila are talking about a gift.
- MeleKumi mai ki au, Akuila.Look at me, Akuila.
- AkuilaʻOku ʻi ai ha meʻa?Is something there?
- MeleFakaʻamu au ki he meʻa ʻni.Give me this thing.
- AkuilaʻOku ʻi ai, Mele.Here it is, Mele.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries au, CC BY-SA 4.0.
