leai
The English word "no" is translated into Samoan as leai.
leai is used as a particle to show disagreement or to express negation.
Meaning: used to show disagreement or negation (particle)
Did you know?
- Because Samoan is a Polynesian language, leai shares distant ancestral roots with negation words in other Pacific languages like Maori or Hawaiian, though they have evolved into very different sounds.
- The word leai is often used to mean 'there is none' or 'I don't have any'. This makes it a versatile tool for both disagreeing with a statement and indicating the absence of an object.
- In many Polynesian cultures, including Samoa, a person might signal 'no' or disagreement by slowly shaking the head or even just through subtle eye movements, rather than relying solely on the word leai.
Examples in context
- Leai, e lē moni lena.No, that is not true.
Example conversation
Sina asks Manu if he has finished his work.
- SinaManu, ua mae'a lau galuega?Manu, is your work finished?
- ManuLeai, ou tei galue lava.No, I am still working.
- SinaE te manaomia se fesoasoani?Do you need some help?
- ManuLeai, fa'afetai tele.No, thank you very much.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “no” translations and entries leai, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
