sāmasama
The Samoan word for yellow is sāmasama.
The term sāmasama is an adjective used to describe something that has yellow as its color.
Meaning: having yellow as its color (adj)
Did you know?
- The repetitive structure of sāmasama is a common feature in Austronesian languages to emphasize or intensify an adjective.
- The concept of 'yellow' in some Polynesian languages can overlap with colors like light green or gold, meaning sāmasama might describe things that an English speaker would call 'golden'.
- In many Polynesian languages, including Samoan, color terms often evolved from descriptions of brightness or clarity rather than just hue.
Examples in context
- Aua e fa'ao'o mai le 'ava leno.Don't give me the yellow 'ava.
- E sāmasama le tusi.The notebook is yellow.
- O se mea sāmasama lena.That is a yellow thing.
- E sāmasama le fua o le la'au.The fruit is yellow.
Example conversation
Tasi and Mere are looking at a piece of clothing in a shop.
- TasiE sāmasama lenei teisi.This shirt is yellow.
- MereAe le o le lanu ou te fiafia ai.But it is not the color I like.
- TasiE te fiafia i le lanu biru?Do you like the color blue?
- MereIoe, e sili atu le biru.Yes, blue is much better.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “yellow” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
