ʻikai, mālō
The Tongan phrase for "no, thank you" is ʻikai, mālō.
You can use this phrase to politely decline an offer of food, drink or assistance.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the negation ʻikai (no) and the particle mālō (thanks/well done).
Did you know?
- In Tongan culture, it is often considered more polite to decline an offer multiple times before finally accepting it, even if you intend to say yes from the start.
- Tongan has a complex system of social registers, meaning the way you say 'no, thank you' can change entirely if you are speaking to royalty.
- The word mālō can function as both a noun meaning 'thanks' and a verb meaning 'to be weary' or 'to be tired' in certain historical contexts.
Example conversation
Sina offers Viliami a piece of fruit.
- SinaKe ke kai ʻa e fuaʻi kai ʻeni?Do you want to eat this fruit?
- ViliamiʻIkai, mālō, Sina.No, thank you, Sina.
- SinaʻOku ʻikai ke ke fakaʻa?Are you not hungry?
- ViliamiKuo ou kai naʻe.I have already eaten.
