manaia le feiloai ma oe
manaia le feiloai ma oe is the Samoan way to say "nice to meet you".
This phrase is a polite expression used when meeting someone for the first time.
Did you know?
- In a formal village setting, the way you introduce yourself before even saying 'nice to meet you' can be dictated by your family lineage and village origin.
- The word ma in this phrase is a cognate with the Māori me and Hawaiian me, showing the shared linguistic roots across the Polynesian islands.
- Samoan culture places immense importance on 'fa'aaloalo', or respect, meaning that when saying this to an elder, your tone and posture must be significantly more formal than with a peer.
Example conversation
Tasi and Mere are introduced by a friend at a party.
- TasiTalofa, o Tasi lo'u igoa.Hello, my name is Tasi.
- MereTalofa Tasi, o Mere lo'u igoa.Hello Tasi, my name is Mere.
- TasiManaia le feiloai ma oe, Mere.Nice to meet you, Mere.
- MereFa'afetai, manaia fo'i le feiloai ma oe.Thank you, it is nice to meet you too.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ma, CC BY-SA 4.0.
