Wine & Spirits

1. E mafai ona ou va'ai i le lisi o uaina?

   May I see the wine list?

   Usage

   Used to request a wine list at a restaurant

   Grammar Note

   uaina is borrowed from English "wine". lisi is borrowed from English "list"

2. E mafai ona e fautua mai se uaina fa'alotoifale?

   Can you recommend a local wine?

   Usage

   Used to ask for a local wine recommendation

   Grammar Note

   fa'alotoifale literally means "within the house/country" → local/domestic

3. Ou te mana'o i se ipu o le uaina mumu.

   I'd like a glass of red wine.

   Usage

   Used to order a glass of red wine

   Grammar Note

   mumu means red/burning. uaina pa'epa'e = white wine. pa'epa'e = white/pale

4. Ou te mana'o i se fagu, fa'amolemole.

   I'd like a bottle, please.

   Usage

   Used to order a full bottle of wine

   Grammar Note

   fa'amolemole = please. mana'o = to want/wish. Polite standard request form

5. 'O le a le mea e sili ona fetaui ma lenei mea'ai?

   What pairs well with this dish?

   Usage

   Used to ask about wine pairing with a dish

   Grammar Note

   sili ona fetaui = best pairs with / suits best. sili ona forms superlatives

6. E fia le pasene o le 'ava malosi?

   What is the alcohol content?

   Usage

   Used to ask about the alcohol percentage

   Grammar Note

   'ava malosi = strong drink/alcohol. malosi means strong/powerful in Samoan. 'ava is kava; the glottal-less ava is a different word (reef passage, wife, respect)

7. 'O lenei uaina e matutu / fua / lemu.

   This wine is dry / fruity / smooth.

   Usage

   Used to describe the taste profile of a wine

   Grammar Note

   'o lenei uaina = this wine (subject phrase). Predicates follow the VSO structure

8. Ou te mana'o e tofotofo uaina.

   I'd like to do a wine tasting.

   Usage

   Used to request a wine tasting experience

   Grammar Note

   mana'o e + verb = I want to (do something). mana'o expresses desire/wish. tofotofo = to taste/try, so tofotofo uaina = to taste wine (a tasting)

9. E iai ni fa'ata'ita'iga e mafai ona ou inu?

   Do you offer tasting samples?

   Usage

   Used to ask if tasting samples are provided

   Grammar Note

   e iai = there is/are (existential). ni is the indefinite plural determiner

10. Aua ne'i tele le suamalie.

    Not too sweet, please.

    Usage

    Used to specify you prefer a less sweet drink

    Grammar Note

    aua ne'i expresses a negative preference/request meaning "lest / so that not"

11. 'O le a le uaina o le fale?

    What's the house wine?

    Usage

    Used to ask about the restaurant's house wine

    Grammar Note

    o le fale = of the house. fale is the traditional Samoan house, used broadly for any establishment

12. Na sau mai fea lenei uaina?

    What region is this wine from?

    Usage

    Used to ask the origin region of a wine

    Grammar Note

    na = past tense marker. sau = to come. mai = from (origin), so mai fea = from where. "Where did it come from" asks the wine's origin

13. Ia manuia!

    Cheers!

    Usage

    The Samoan toast — cheers!

    Grammar Note

    ia is a particle expressing wish/blessing. ia manuia = may you be blessed

14. E ma'alili lenei uaina?

    Is this wine chilled?

    Usage

    Used to check if wine is properly chilled

    Grammar Note

    ma'alili means cold/cool/chilled, and it keeps its koma liliu

15. E iai se mea inu e le 'o le 'ava malosi?

    Do you have non-alcoholic options?

    Usage

    Used to ask about non-alcoholic drink options

    Grammar Note

    e le 'o negates a noun predicate: "a drink that is not alcohol". "E le 'o outou na 'auina mai a'u i'inei"; "e lē 'o se pepe"

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