mālō
In Tongan, 'thank you' is expressed as mālō.
The word mālō is a versatile expression that can be used as a standalone exclamation to mean 'thank you' or 'well done'.
Meaning: an expression of gratitude (intj)
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, mālō translates to 'well', 'good' or 'successful' in a sense of completion or achievement.
Which one should you use?
While mālō is the standard way to say thank you, it can also function as an exclamation of praise or approval, similar to 'well done' in English.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For a more formal expression of thanks, you can use Malo aupito. To express gratitude for a specific thing, use the construction mālō e followed by the noun.
How does it change in a sentence?
To express gratitude for a specific thing, use the construction mālō e followed by the noun, such as mālō e moʻui (thank you for life).
Did you know?
- In highly formal settings, such as addressing royalty, the way mālō is used is governed by strict rules of social hierarchy known as fakaʻapaʻapa.
- Tongan speakers may repeat the word as mālō mālō to express an intensified or more heartfelt sense of gratitude in casual conversation.
- Tongan is a Polynesian language, meaning mālō shares ancestral roots with similar words for 'good' or 'strong' in other Pacific languages like Samoan.
Examples in context
- Mālō!Thank you!This sentence is useful for a simple exclamation of thanks using mālō.Tatoeba #7560404 by Ricardo14, translation #374827 by sysko
Example conversation
Sione gives Sina a piece of fruit.
- SinaMālō, Sione.Thank you, Sione.
- SioneʻOku mālō.You are welcome.
- SinaʻOku mālie ia.It is delicious.
- SioneʻOku lelei.That is good.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “thank you” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
