Accessibility

1. E mafai ona fa'aoga le nofoa fa'ata'avale i lenei nofoaga?

   E ma-fai o-na fa'a-o-ga le no-fo-a fa'a-ta'a-va-le i le-nei no-fo-a-ga?

   Is this place wheelchair accessible?

   Usage

   Used to ask if a location can be accessed by wheelchair

   Grammar Note

   "E mafai ona" = "can / it is possible to". Wheelchair = "nofoa" (chair) + "fa'ata'avale" (to roll). "Nofoa feavea'i" is also used.

2. E iai se lifti iinei?

   E i-ai se lif-ti i-i-nei?

   Do you have an elevator / lift?

   Usage

   Used when asking if an elevator is available

   Grammar Note

   "E iai" is the standard Samoan existential phrase meaning "there is"

3. E mana'omia se potu mo tagata ua le ato'atoa le malosi.

   E ma-na'o-mi-a se po-tu mo ta-ga-ta u-a le a-to'a-to-a le ma-lo-si.

   I need a room with accessibility features.

   Usage

   Used when requesting an accessible room at a hotel

   Grammar Note

   "E mana'omia" is the passive "it is needed". "Tagata ua le ato'atoa le malosi" is the recommended term for a person with a disability. "Ato'atoa" = complete. "Tagata e le malamalama lelei" means "people who do not understand well" — not a term for disabled people, and potentially insulting ("malamalama" = to understand)

4. E iai se ala e alu ai le nofoa fa'ata'avale?

   E i-ai se a-la e a-lu ai le no-fo-a fa'a-ta'a-va-le?

   Is there a ramp or step-free entrance?

   Usage

   Used when asking about ramp or barrier-free entry

   Grammar Note

   "E … ai" is the relative marking means or route. "Alatele" is a main road. It is not a ramp. The card uses no word for "ramp" and asks functionally whether there is a way a wheelchair can get through

5. 'O fea le faleuila mo tagata ua le ato'atoa le malosi?

   'O fea le fa-le-ui-la mo ta-ga-ta u-a le a-to'a-to-a le ma-lo-si?

   Where is the accessible restroom?

   Usage

   Used when asking for the location of an accessible restroom

   Grammar Note

   "'O fea" = where. "Faleuila" = toilet. Examples: ("'O fea le faleuila fa'amolemole?" — where is the toilet please; "pepa faleuila" — toilet paper).

6. E fa'aletonu lo'u va'ai — e mafai ona e fesoasoani mai ia te a'u?

   E fa'a-le-to-nu lo'u va-'ai — e ma-fai o-na e fe-so-a-so-a-ni mai i-a te a'u?

   I am visually impaired — can you help me?

   Usage

   Used when disclosing visual impairment and requesting assistance

   Grammar Note

   "Fa'aletonu le va'ai" is the phrase for "having problems with sight". "Va'ai" = to look/see. "E le malamalama lelei o'u mata" says "my eyes do not understand well"

7. E iai se lisi mea'ai e tetele ona mata'itusi?

   E i-ai se li-si mea-'ai e te-te-le o-na ma-ta'i-tu-si?

   Do you have large-print menus?

   Usage

   Used when requesting a large-print menu for low vision

   Grammar Note

   "Mata'itusi" = letters of the alphabet. "Ona" is the "o"-class plural possessive "its". The word is "lisi", not "lisi'o", and "fa'amamafa" is the Samoan name for the macron diacritic itself, so "e tusia fa'amamafa" reads "written with macrons"

8. E iai ni fa'amatalaga leo e maua ai?

   E i-ai ni fa'a-ma-ta-la-ga le-o e ma-ua ai?

   Are there audio guides available?

   Usage

   Used when asking about audio guide availability at attractions

   Grammar Note

   "e maua ai" means "can be obtained/available"

9. Ou te fa'aaogaina se meafa'alogo — fa'amolemole tautala manino.

   Ou te fa'a-a-o-ga-i-na se me-a-fa'a-lo-go — fa'a-mo-le-mo-le tau-ta-la ma-ni-no.

   I use a hearing aid — please speak clearly.

   Usage

   Used to inform others of hearing aid use and request clear speech

   Grammar Note

   "fa'amolemole" is the Samoan polite phrase for "please"

10. E mafai ona ou aumai la'u maile fesoasoani?

    E ma-fai o-na ou au-mai la'u mai-le fe-so-a-so-a-ni?

    Can I bring my service/guide dog?

    Usage

    Used when asking permission to bring a service or guide dog

    Grammar Note

    "E mafai ona ou" forms a first-person ability question

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