tala
The Samoan word for story is tala.
tala is a versatile term that can mean a fictional story, a news report or a general account of events. If you want to refer specifically to Samoan stories or legends, you can use the expression tala fa'asamoa.
Meaning: account of events (noun)
Which one should you use?
While tala is the general term for a story or report, you can use the phrase tala fa'asolo to specify a continuous story or a narrative that unfolds.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun tala is an invariant form and does not change to indicate plurality.
Did you know?
- The word tala can also mean 'to speak' or 'to talk' when used in certain grammatical constructions. This creates a linguistic connection between the act of speaking and the story itself.
- When used in a formal setting, tala can refer to a 'declaration' or an 'official statement'. This shifts the word from the realm of fiction into the realm of officiality.
- While many languages use different words for 'news' and 'fable', the single word tala encompasses both the most recent reports and ancient legends.
Examples in context
- E iai se tala fou e uiga i le malaga.There is a new story about the trip.
- Faamatala mai le tala sa tupu i le aso.Tell me the story of what happened today.
Example conversation
Sione and Mere are talking about a book.
- SioneSia fa'alogo, o le a le tala o lenei tusi?Listen, what is the story of this book?
- MereO se tala e uiga i se tagata malaga.It is a story about a traveler.
- SioneE foliga mai e lelei lena tala.That story seems good.
- MereAe, e sili ona manaia le fa'ai'uga.Yes, the ending is the most interesting.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “story” translations and entries tala, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
