Business & Work

1. Ou te mana'o e feiloa'i ma oe e uiga i pisinisi

   I would like to meet with you about business

   Usage

   Used to request a business meeting

   Grammar Note

   "Pisinisi" is borrowed from English "business". "E uiga i" means "about/regarding". Samoan freely borrows from English for modern concepts.

2. Fa'amolemole tu'u mai lau pepa fa'ailoa

   Please give me your business card

   Usage

   Used to request a business card

   Grammar Note

   "Tu'u mai" = "place" + directional "mai" (toward speaker) = "hand over". "Pepa" means "paper/card". "Fa'ailoa" means "to show/indicate".

3. 'O le a le tau o lenei oloa?

   What is the price of this product?

   Usage

   Used to ask about the price of a product

   Grammar Note

   "'O le a" means "what is". "Oloa" means "goods/products". "Tau" means "price".

4. E mafai ona tatou fetaui i le Aso Gafua?

   Can we meet on Monday?

   Usage

   Used to schedule a business meeting

   Grammar Note

   "E mafai ona" expresses ability/possibility. Days: "Aso Sa" (Sunday, holy day), "Aso Gafua" (Monday), "Aso Lua" (Tuesday, 2nd day), through "Aso To'ona'i" (Saturday).

5. Ou te le malamalama i lenei konekarate

   I don't understand this contract

   Usage

   Used to indicate you need clarification on a contract

   Grammar Note

   "Konekarate" is from English "contract". "Le malamalama" = negator "le" + "to understand". Legal documents in Samoa are often in English.

6. Fa'amolemole tusi mai lau igoa

   Please write your name

   Usage

   Used to ask someone to write their name on a document

   Grammar Note

   "Tusi" means "to write". Directional "mai" (toward speaker) implies "write for/to me". "Igoa" means "name" (uses "o" possession class).

7. 'O le a le tupe e totogi ai?

   What currency is used for payment?

   Usage

   Used to ask about the currency for payment

   Grammar Note

   "Tupe" means "money/coin". Samoa's currency is the "tālā". "Totogi" means "to pay". Samoan Tālā is the official currency.

8. Fa'amolemole lafo mai le risiti

   Please send the receipt

   Usage

   Used to request that a receipt be sent

   Grammar Note

   "Lafo" means "to throw/send". Adding directional "mai" means "send toward me". "Risiti" is borrowed from English "receipt".

9. 'O le a le numera o lau telefoni?

   What is your phone number?

   Usage

   Used to ask for a business contact's phone number

   Grammar Note

   "Numera" from English "number", "telefoni" from "telephone". Modern concepts in Samoan are typically expressed through English loanwords.

10. Fa'afetai tele mo lenei avanoa

    Thank you very much for this opportunity

    Usage

    Used to express gratitude for a business opportunity

    Grammar Note

    "Tele" means "many/large" and intensifies adjectives ("very"). "Avanoa" means "opportunity/opening". "Ava" implies space/respect in the traditional sense.

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