Language/Samoan/Grammar/Plurals

Samoan Grammar - Plurals

Hi Samoan learners! 😊
In this lesson, we'll be discussing plurals in the Samoan language. Knowing plural forms in Samoan will help you understand its sentence structure better. We'll also give you cultural information and interesting facts along the way.

Plural markers

In Samoan, to indicate that a noun is plural, we add a plural marker on the word. Here are the plural markers:

• "-ga" for words that end with a, e, or o
• "-lau" for words that end with i or u

For example, “pua’a” (pig) becomes “pua’a-ga” (pigs) when pluralized. Similarly, “tama” (father) becomes “tama-lau” (fathers) when pluralized.

There are some words, however, that don’t have any plural marker at all. These are usually words that are already in their plural form, such as “tautai” (fish), “suafa” (shoes), or “lea” (language).

Dialogue - Plural Markers

• Person 1: O fea la ou iloa ai tulaga e fa’aalia ai le fa’aaliga? (Where did you learn about the markers?)
• Person 2: Ou te iloa mai i le koleni. O le setete mo ga ma lau. (I learned it in school. The marker for a, e, o is ga and for i, u is lau.)

Plural pronouns

Like any language, Samoan has different pronouns for differing numbers of people. Here are the plural pronouns in Samoan:

• “Tatou” means “we” and includes the person speaking and one or more listeners.
• “Tamaoaiga” means “our fathers.”
• “Matai” is the plural of “matai” (chief) and is often used when referring to the leaders of a family or village.
• “Alaga’ia,” which is the plural form of “alaga’i,” means “they are asked.”

Examples - Plural Pronouns

Samoan	Pronunciation	English
Tatou	ta-toe	we
Tamaoaiga	ta-mao-a-ee-nga	our fathers
Matai	ma-tie	chiefs/leaders
Alaga’ia	a-la-nga-ga-ee-ya	they are asked

Irregular plurals

There are a handful of words in Samoan that have irregular plural forms, and they are usually borrowed words from English. Here are some examples:

• “Maketi” (market) becomes “maketi-lua” (markets).
• “Vasiti” (university) becomes “vasiti-fono” (universities).
• “Kaisara” (emperor) becomes “kaisara-tou” (emperors).
• “Ali’i” (chief) becomes “ali’i fa’atuatua” (chiefs).

Dialogue - Irregular Plurals

• Person 1: O lou a mafai ona fai le plural o “emperor”? (How do you make the plural of “emperor”?)
• Person 2: O le plural mo “kaisara” o “kaisara-tou.” (The plural for “emperor” is “kaisara-tou.”)

Plural prefixes

Another way to indicate plurals in Samoan is by using a plural prefix. This prefix is only used for counting people or things. Instead of "ga" or "lau," a prefix "a" is added. Here are some examples:

• “A-tolu” (three people or objects)
• “A-fa’afou” (four people or objects)
• “A-tasi” (one person or object)
• “A-laua” (two people or objects)

Dialogue - Plural Prefixes

• Person 1: O lou aupito lea i le fesootai ma le tagata fai aiga? (How many people usually attend a family gathering?)
• Person 2: Na o le a-fa’afou lava. (It usually is four people.)

Cultural information

In Samoan culture, the concept of faiā means “to do things together.” It’s a core part of Samoan culture, emphasizing community and fellowship. Knowing the plurality in Samoan is a reflection of this emphasis on togetherness.

When Samoans pray, they often include both themselves and others in their prayer in the singular and plural forms. Furthermore, common catchphrases used by fa’afafine (Samoan men who live as women) and fa’atama (Samoan women who live as men) include “Tatou le lauiloa” (We are one) and “O matou te tau fa’atasi” (We are the same).

Interesting facts

This year, Samoan was declared an official language of the Pacific Games for the first time. The event is a celebration of Polynesian culture with athletes from the Pacific and other regions.

Sources

• Samoan Grammar
• Fa’afafine
• Polynesian Cultural Center

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