Language/Fijian/Grammar/Plurals

Fijian Grammar - Plurals

Hi Fijian learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will talk about plurals in the Fijian language. As you may know, making nouns plural in English usually involves adding an "s" or "es" at the end of the word. However, it's a bit different in Fijian. Let's dive in!

Once you've mastered this lesson, take a look at these related pages: Pronouns, Give your Opinion, Adjectives & Negation.

Singular vs. Plural

In Fijian, making a singular noun plural depends on the type of noun it is. There are two types of noun categories in Fijian: animate and inanimate. Animate nouns refer to living things, while inanimate nouns are non-living things.

There are different ways to form plurals for different types of nouns, but generally, animate nouns are made plural by adding a suffix "-vu/-bu" or "-dru" to the end of the noun. In contrast, inanimate nouns are made plural by reduplicating the last syllable of the word.

Let's look at some examples:

Fijian	Pronunciation	English
tamata	/taˈmata/	person (singular)
tamabu	/taˈmabu/	people (plural)
waqa	/waˈŋa/	canoe (singular)
waqawaqa	/waŋaˈwaŋaŋa/	canoes (plural)
ika	/ˈika/	fish(singular)
ikadru	/ikaˈdru/	fishes (plural)

Note that we use the suffix "-dru" for fish instead of the usual "-vu" or "-bu". This is because fish is a special animate noun in Fijian that has its own plural suffix.

Exceptions to the rule

As with any language, there are some exceptions to the rule. For example, certain animate nouns follow a different pluralization pattern. These include personal names like "Ratu" or "Adi", and kinship terms like "tama" (father) or "lako" (brother/sister). These nouns are made plural without any suffixes or reduplication.

Here are some examples:

Fijian	Pronunciation	English
Ratu	/ˈratu/	chiefs (plural)
tama	/ˈtama/	fathers (plural)
lako	/ˈlako/	siblings (plural)

Also, some inanimate nouns that end in "-i" or "-u" take a different plural suffix "-ga". For example:

Fijian	Pronunciation	English
bati	/ˈbati/	stone(singular)
batiga	/baˈtiŋa/	stones(plural)
kasu	/ˈkasu/	grass(singular)
kasuga	/kaˈsuŋa/	grasses(plural)

Dialogue

To help you understand plurals in context, let's take a look at a dialogue between two friends.

• Person 1: Au sa lako ki na koro kei ira na tamaqu. (I am going to the village with my fathers.)
• Person 2: Sa lewe vuqa na tamabu? (Are there many people?)
• Person 1: Io, era a lotu kecega mai Viti. (Yes, they are all the believers from Fiji.)

Cultural Insights

In Fijian culture, family and community are highly valued. It is common to refer to distant relatives or acquaintances as "aunty" or "uncle" as a sign of respect. Likewise, it is customary for Fijians to greet others and use appropriate titles such as "Bula" (hello) or "Vinaka" (thank you) when engaging with others. This practice reinforces the importance of strong relationships within the community.

Conclusion

Well done! You've learned about pluralization in Fijian according to the type of noun. If you want to practice more, try to use the Find native speakers and ask them any Fijian questions! You can also use the Polyglot Club website to find other Fijian learners or to practice your skills. Don't forget to check out the [ [Language/Fijian/Grammar|Fijian grammar] for more useful insights.

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➡ If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments section below.
➡ Feel free to edit this wiki page if you think it can be improved. 😎

Sources

• Fijian/Nouns - Wikibooks, open books for an open world
• Fijian Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

• Reduplication
• Fijian Language

With this lesson finished, you may want to explore these additional pages: How to Use "Have", Clothes, Questions & Conditional Mood.

Other Lessons

• Negation
• Adjectives
• Give your Opinion
• Questions
• Future Tense
• Pronouns
• Conditional Mood
• How to Use Have