lelei
/le.le.i/
The Tongan word for "nice" is lelei.
lelei is an adjective used to describe something or someone as attractive or friendly.
Meaning: attractive, friendly (adj)
How do you pronounce it?
/le.le.i/
When do people say it?
The word is used in the common greeting Mālō e lelei, which means "Hello" in Tongan.
Did you know?
- The word lelei is part of the standard Tongan greeting Mālō e lelei, which literally translates to 'well done' or 'good' to a person.
- In Tongan, the concept of being lelei is closely tied to 'faka'apa'apa', which means 'respect'. To be truly 'nice' in a social sense, one must demonstrate proper respect to elders and chiefs.
- The word lelei shares an ancestral root with the Samoan word for 'good', making it part of a large linguistic family across the Pacific.
Examples in context
- Ko e tangata lelei ia.He is a nice man.
- Ko e fafine lelei ia.She is a nice woman.
Example conversation
Viliami and Losa are talking about a new neighbor.
- ViliamiNa'e faka-lelei mai e kau-faka'ali'i fo'ou.The new neighbor was very nice to me.
- LosaKo e toká lelei ia?Is that person nice?
- Viliami'Io, ko e toká lelei mo'oni.Yes, he is really nice.
- LosaKo e lea lelei ia.That is nice to hear.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry lelei, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries lelei, CC BY-SA 4.0.
