oe
The Samoan word for the subject pronoun "you" is oe.
oe is used as a subject pronoun to refer to the person being addressed.
Meaning: subject pronoun: the person being addressed (pron)
Which one should you use?
While oe refers to a single person, you should use outou when addressing more than one person (plural).
Did you know?
- When speaking to a high-ranking chief, a special 'chiefly language' called gagana fa'aaloalo is used, which replaces common words like oe with entirely different honorific terms.
- While oe is the standard singular 'you', using the plural outou to address a single person of high status is a traditional way to show extreme reverence.
- Samoan-speaking cultures place a high value on 'va', or the relational space between people. The choice of how you say 'you' is a tool used to maintain or respect that sacred space.
Examples in context
- 'O ā mai 'oe?How are you?This sentence is useful for learning how to ask someone how they are using oe.Tatoeba #11046075 by lightswitch, translation #373320 by CK
- E te sili ona lelei oe.You are very good.
Example conversation
Tasi and Mere are meeting for the first time.
- TasiO ai oe?Who are you?
- MereO lo'u igoa o Mere.My name is Mere.
- TasiE manuia oe, Mere.You are blessed, Mere.
- MereFa'afetai, Tasi.Thank you, Tasi.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
