Accommodation

1. E maua se potu?

   Is there a room available?

   Usage

   Used to ask if a room is available at accommodation

   Grammar Note

   Samoan uses VSO word order. "E maua" questions availability. Related words: "fale moe" (lodging), "faletalimalo" (hotel/guest house).

2. E fia le tau mo le po e tasi?

   How much is it per night?

   Usage

   Used to ask about the nightly rate

   Grammar Note

   "E fia" is the question form for price and quantity. "Po" means "night". Staying in a traditional Samoan fale (open-sided house) is a popular experience.

3. E iai le fa'amalama i totonu?

   Is there a window inside?

   Usage

   Used to check about room facilities

   Grammar Note

   "E iai" is the existential verb "there is/are" in question form. Traditional Samoan fales have no walls, making a window question unusual for traditional stays.

4. Fa'amolemole fa'amamā le potu

   Please clean the room

   Usage

   Used to request room cleaning from hotel staff

   Grammar Note

   "Fa'amolemole" is "please" in Samoan. The prefix "fa'a-" is highly productive, creating causative and adverbial meanings.

5. 'O fea le fale o le ta'aloga i le vai?

   Where is the swimming pool?

   Usage

   Used to ask about the location of a hotel swimming pool

   Grammar Note

   "'O fea" is the question word for "where". "'O" is the presentative particle marking the predicate; the bare preposition o means "of". "Vai" means "water (fresh water)". Sea water is "sami" or "tai".

6. Ou te mana'o i se potu e latalata i le sami

   I would like a room near the ocean

   Usage

   Used to request an ocean-view or oceanside room

   Grammar Note

   "Mana'o" means "to want/desire". "Le sami" means "the ocean". Samoa's island setting means oceanside accommodation is highly sought after.

7. E iai se potu e sili atu?

   Is there a better room?

   Usage

   Used to ask about room upgrades

   Grammar Note

   "Sili" means "excellent/superior". "Atu" is a directional particle (away from speaker) often used in comparative expressions.

8. Afio mai i le faletalimalo

   Welcome to the hotel

   Usage

   Used by hotel staff to welcome a guest

   Grammar Note

   "Faletalimalo" = "fale" (house) + "talimalo" (to receive guests). The literal meaning is "house that receives guests".

9. E iai se 'ai taeao?

   Is there breakfast?

   Usage

   Used to ask if breakfast is included

   Grammar Note

   "Taeao" means "morning". "'Ai taeao" means "breakfast" (lit. eating in the morning). Samoan breakfasts often feature tropical fruits, taro, and breadfruit.

10. E iai se solo?

    Is there a towel?

    Usage

    Used to ask for a towel

    Grammar Note

    "Solo" is the Samoan word for a towel (as a verb, "to wipe"). "Solosolo" is a handkerchief or small towel.

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