Markets & Souvenirs

1. E fia tupe lenei?

   How much does this cost?

   Usage

   Basic phrase for asking the price in markets or shops

   Grammar Note

   E is the present tense marker. tupe means money/coin in Samoan

2. E mafai ona fefaatauai?

   Can we bargain / negotiate the price?

   Usage

   Used at markets to ask if bargaining is possible

   Grammar Note

   e mafai ona is the Samoan modal for ability/possibility. ona is the infinitive particle before the verb

3. 'O le a lo'u tupe...

   I'll offer [lower price]...

   Usage

   Used to state a counter-offer price

   Grammar Note

   lo'u is the o-class inalienable possessive "my" in Samoan

4. E mafai ona e fa'aitiitia le tau?

   Can you give a discount?

   Usage

   Used to request a price reduction

   Grammar Note

   The fa'a- prefix is causative. fa'aitiitia = to make small/reduce

5. Na faia i lima?

   Is this handmade?

   Usage

   Used to check if a craft or souvenir is handmade

   Grammar Note

   na is the past tense marker. i lima = by hand (lima means hand and also five in Samoan)

6. 'O le a le mea na faia ai?

   What material is this made of?

   Usage

   Used to ask about the material of a product

   Grammar Note

   ai is a post-verb deictic that references the previously mentioned subject

7. E mafai ona afifi e pei 'o se meaalofa?

   Can you gift-wrap this?

   Usage

   Used to request gift wrapping

   Grammar Note

   e pei 'o = "like / as", i.e. pei plus the presentative 'o. Example: "pei 'o se papata"

8. 'O fea le maketi o le po?

   Where is the night market?

   Usage

   Used to find the location of a night market

   Grammar Note

   maketi is borrowed from English "market". o le po = of the night (genitive construction)

9. E mafai ona e ave mai se risiti?

   Can I have a receipt?

   Usage

   Used to request a receipt after a purchase

   Grammar Note

   ave mai = to bring/hand over toward the speaker. The directional mai marks movement toward the speaker; since the speaker receives the receipt, mai is used rather than atu

10. 'O a itūlā e tatala ai le maketi?

    What are the market opening hours?

    Usage

    Used to ask when the market opens

    Grammar Note

    "'O a itūlā e ... ai" asks at what hours something happens

11. 'O lo'o ou matamata na'o lava. Fa'afetai.

    I'm just looking, thank you.

    Usage

    Used to politely tell a vendor you're just browsing

    Grammar Note

    na'o is the particle meaning "only / just". 'o lo'o is the progressive tense marker

12. E talia kata?

    Do you accept card payment?

    Usage

    Used to ask if card payment is accepted

    Grammar Note

    kata means "card". "Pepa tupe" means banknotes (paper money), not cards, so it is not used here

13. 'O lo'o ou fa'atau lenei mo se meaalofa.

    I'm buying this as a souvenir.

    Usage

    Used to inform the vendor you are buying something as a souvenir

    Grammar Note

    mo = for (purpose preposition). fa'atau = to buy, from fa'a- prefix + tau (price)

14. E mafai ona lafoina atu i fafo?

    Can this be shipped internationally?

    Usage

    Used to ask about international shipping

    Grammar Note

    i fafo means "outside / abroad". fafo = outside/exterior in Samoan

15. 'O le a le mea sili ona fou?

    What's your freshest item?

    Usage

    Used at food markets to ask for the freshest item

    Grammar Note

    sili ona + adjective forms the superlative in Samoan. sili ona lelei = the best

16. E tele le tau.

    This is too expensive.

    Usage

    Used to signal the price is too high

    Grammar Note

    tele means "many / much". e tele le tau = the price is too much = too expensive

Browse all TravelPhrases languages