hiva
/hi.va/
The Tongan word for "song" is hiva.
hiva refers to music with words.
Meaning: music with words (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
The word has two syllables and is pronounced /hi.va/.
Did you know?
- In traditional Tongan culture, hiva is often inseparable from dance, meaning a 'song' is frequently viewed as a performance that must be seen as well as heard.
- The word hiva descends from the Proto-Austronesian root *Siwa, linking Tongan songs to languages spoken as far away as Taiwan and Madagascar.
- Certain types of hiva were historically composed specifically to honor the Tongan monarchy, following strict rules of composition and performance.
Example sentences for Tongan are not verified yet.
Example conversation
Losa and Tevita are listening to the radio.
- LosaTevita, ʻoku ʻuike ʻa e hiva ko ʻení.Tevita, this song is wonderful.
- TevitaʻOku ou ʻamanu ke ʻilo ʻa e hingoa ʻa e hiva ko ʻení.I want to know the name of this song.
- LosaʻOku ʻilo ʻe Losa ʻa e hiva ko ʻení.Losa knows this song.
- TevitaFakaʻapaʻapa atu, Losa.Thank you, Losa.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “song” translations and entries hiva, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries hiva, CC BY-SA 4.0.
