Fijian Grammar Flashcards
siga
day
bogi
night
mataka
morning
yakavi
afternoon, evening
levu
big, large, great, numerous
lailai
small
vale
house
ika
fish
gone
child
vinaka
good, right
cā
bad, evil
kā
thing
bula
life, living
na siga levu
noon, midday
na bogi levu
midnight, middle of the night
na yakavi siga
afternoon
na yakavi bogi
evening
na ma’aka lailai
early morning, dawn
na bula vinaka
good health, fitness
ciri, cirima
v. to drift (of an object), set it drift
Sa ciri yawa na noqu vakasama.
My thoughts are drifting far away.
cili / ciliva / cilivi
1.) to cut open, pierce open, slice lightly with a surface cut; circumcise
2.) to stitch up or repair holes (as of fishnet)
ciqo, ciqoma
- v. to catch, receive (ball, other object) in the hands
- ceremonially to accept a gift ritually presented (whale tooth or yaqona); to revive and accept the decision of the council
Au ciqoma ena yalo marau.
I joyously accept it.
O iko mo ciqoma na lewa ni bose.
You need to receive and accept the decision of the council.
wara ni ciqomi raraba
not widely accepted (in social terms)
ceva
n. south
ena ceva kei Suva
to the south of Suva
cegu, ceguva
v. to breathe, breathe in, take a rest, relax, be relieved
cegu cake!
breathe in!
cegu sobu!
breathe out!
ceguva na ___
breathe it in (as of oxygen in a hospital)
me cegu mada
take a break
cegu levu
breathe heavily
wācegucegu
pant, puff, out of breath
Sa cegu na yaloqu.
My spirit is relieved.
cere
adj., n. - high, height (outdoors, of natural objects such as a mountain)
na cere ni ulunivanua
the height of the mountain
E rua na drau fiti na kena cere.
It’s height is 200 feet.
raba
n. width
raraba
adj. wide
vakacerea
v. to raise up / raise the height
vakacerecerea
v. to elevate, to hold up supportively, usually with praise for some person(s), or occasion or act, raising in esteem
cere, cereka
v. to lift away partly (mat, box), or open up, raise slightly, tip up on its side (box, suitcase)
cereka na ligamu
open up your hand
cara, carā, carata, caramaka
v. to clean off, sweep off (a place), such as a path, or a place for lovo, usually outdoors. Can include gathering of rubbish.
were cara
clean off all vegetation down to the bare ground
caracara
adj. strong, willing, fast,
e dua na vale
one house, a house
e dua na ika
one fish, a fish
sā dua na waqa
there is one canoe
o nona ‘okani
his friend
o tamaqu
Father
o na ganequ
my sister/brother (opposite sibling)
o irau
the two of them
balavu
long, length
lekaleka
short
vonu
n. turtle
qoli
v. fish
na veimataka
every morning
na veivala
the various houses
na veikā
the things
e vano
he, she, it goes
e rau vano
they (two) go
e ra’ou vano
they (three or few) go
e ra vano
they (many) go
e rau sā vano
they (two) have gone
e ra’ou sā vano
they (three or few) have gone
e ra sā vano
they (many) have gone
sā vano
he, she, it has (just) gone
sā rau vano
they (two) have (just) gone
sā ra’ou vano
they (three) have (just) gone
sā ra vano
they (many) have (just) gone
e yadra na gone ka moce na yalewa
the child is awake and the woman is asleep
era sā kana ka ra sā somi
they (many) ate and they (many) drank
era kana ka gunu
they (many) ate and drank
na kana kei na gunu
the eating and the drinking
na vinaka kei na cā
good and evil
o Viti kei Ratuma
Fiji and Rotuma
era vala kei na meca
they fight with the enemy
Erau moce o Lice kei Mereyani
Lice and Mereyani are asleep
Era qito na gone
the children are playing
Era’ou bula na cauravou
the (few) young men are well
i (nominal particle)
to or towards
mai (nominal particle)
from, out of; in, at, on (with reference to things away from the speaker)
e (nominal particle)
in, at, on (with reference to things near the speaker)
i na vale
to the house
mai na koro
from the village / in the village
e na bogi / va bogi
in the night, last night
sai koya oqō na vuna
this is the reason
sai koya oqori na vuna
that was the reason
e na gauna oyā
in those days (the distant past)
na kena turaga
elderly man
na kena marama
elderly woman
na Siga ni Mate
Easter
na vinakata
n. wanting, desire (for a particular thing)
na vakabauta
faith (in someone or something)
lakova
trans. going, (going) after, fetching from
qoliva
trans. fishing in
gunuva
trans. drinking
yadrava
trans. guarding
cinava
trans. shining on
sigana
trans. stunning, drying
dabeca
trans. sitting on
cata
trans. hating, disliking
vinakata
trans. liking, wanting
kilā
trans. knowing, understanding
lewā
trans. deciding, judging
e ‘ū oyā e dua na ‘ama’a
there is a person standing over there
e ‘ū mai Lautoka
he is (somewhere) in Lautoka
e ‘ū o Samu mai Niu Siladi
Samu is in New Zealand (somewhere or other)
e ‘ū e dua na vuniniu mai Sērua
there is a coconut tree (somewhere in Sērua)
e levu ‘ū na ua
the sea is (in general) rough
e ‘auvima’e ‘ū
he is sick (I don’t know for how long)
sā rua ‘ū na ‘abua
there are two whale’s teeth (no more are expected)
e cā ‘ū na nona vale
his house is damaged (for an indefinite period)
e ‘iko koyā e dua na ‘ama’a
there is a man over there (location known by speaker)
veivugoni
relationship
e naica?
when? (in the past)
ni naica?
when? (for the future)
evei?
where? (likely to be near)
maivei?
where? (likely to be far); where from?
kivei
where to?
Erau sā lako maivei?
Where have they (two) come from?
O ā raicia maivei?
Where did you find it?
E tiko evei na nona vale?
Where is is house?
Era’ou na vanovei e na ma’aka?
Where will they (few) go to tomorrow?
E tiko evei o Jone?
Where is Jone staying? (in another area previously mentioned).
O kilā vakacava/vakaevei?
How do you know?
Era’ou ā raicia vakacava/vakaevei?
How did they (few) see it?
E na vuku ni cava?
For the sake of what? (Why?)
Erau ā vanoi Suva e na vuku ni cava?
Why did they (two) go to Suva?
e wara na kakana
there is no food, food is lacking
au wara ni kilā na dali
i don’t know the language
E wara ni ‘iko e dua na yaqona?
isn’t there any kava?
E sā reva?
Is it lost?
E sā na vanoi Suva?
Is he going to Suva?
susu, susuga
v. bring up, rear
keli, kelia
v. digging
voli, volia
v. buying
qara, qarava
v. looking after, facing
tagi, tagica
v. crying
bai
n. fence, wall
loma
n. interior, inside
kau
n. wood
wā
n. string, tie
vatu
n. stone, rock
qara
n. hole, mine
qele
n. earth, soil
lovo
n. earth oven, food cooked in earth oven
magi’i
n. feast, gift of food
va’a
n. shelf
‘aga
bag, pocket, sack
‘avaya
n. bottle
kalawa
n. step
māsima
n. salt
waiwai
n. oil
madrai
n. bread
niu
n. coconut, copra
manamanu
n. bird, animal
kolī
n. dog
vuaka
n. pig
‘oa
chicken
bulumakau
n. cattle, cow, beef
ose
n. horse
si’oa
n. shop, store
vusi
n. cat
suka
n. sugar
tavako
n. tobacco
karasini
n. kerosene
‘ī
tea
‘ini _____
tin _____
‘agi na ‘oa
n. cock-crow
sā o’i ‘o’olo
it was over quickly
na veikau
bush, forest
na veiniu
coconut plantation
qele bula
fertile soil, humus
qele mate
barren soil
e yaco mai e dua
someone came
e dua na ka
something, anything
vale kau
wooden house
vale va’u
concrete house
e loma ni bai
in the compound
e loma ni veikau
in the forest, in the bush
e loma ni vale
in the house, indoors
e loma ni koro
in the village, in town
e loma ni lawa
in the fishing net; in the net of the law
e na veigauna kece
at all times
e wara ni dua na ___
there is no ___
susu manumanu
cattle breeding
qarava na tūraga
wait on a chief
qarava na gone
provide for a child
qarava na yaqona
attend to the kava (during a ceremony)
cakavia e dua na lovo
prepare food for a feast
cakava e dua na magi’i
prepare or offer a gift of food
kana ‘avako / suki
smoke tabacco / suki
e na yabaki ka ‘ū maī / e na yabaki mai qoi
next year
e na yabaki sā o’i
last year
SECOND PERSON TIED VERBAL PRONOUNS
SECOND PERSON VERBAL PRONOUNS with and without sā
SECOND PERSON VERBAL PRONOUNS with ā (with and without sā)
SECOND PERSON VERBAL PRONOUNS with na (with and without sā)
rā
west; below
cake
east; above
ceva
south
vualiku
north to northwest
rarama
light (vs dark)
butobutō
dark, darkness
yanuyanu
island
kā’uba
door(way); entrance
kaloko
clock, watch
gauna
time
mācawa
week
vula
moon, month
yabaki
year, harvest
yabaki vou
new harvest; new year
kalokalo
star
lomālagi
sky, heaven
mata ni siga
sun
dromu, dromuca
putting under water
cila, cilava
shining
cabe, cabe’a
climbing (a hill)
rau, rau’a
enough
vica
how many, a few
sō
some, a few, a little
cava
what, which
vuqa
many
tani
different, strange, foreign
e dua na drau
100
e dua na udolu
1,000
e na vula o Mē
in the month of May
e na Mē
in May
e niavi
yesterday
e daidai
today, now (Bauan, formal)
nikua
now
e na ma’aka
tomorrow
e na ma’aka e na noa
yesterday morning
e na yakavi e na noa
yesterday afternoon
e na ma’aka e daidai
this morning
e na yakavi e daidai / e na yakavi nikua
this evening
e na bogi e daidai / e na bogi nikua
tonight
e na ma’aka ni ma’aka
tomorrow morning
e na bogi ni ma’aka
tomorrow night
e na yakavi ni ma’aka
tomorrow evening
e rogo vinaka
it has a good ring, it sounds good
e rogo mai na nona vosa
his voice is heard
na ua levu
high tide, big wave
sā ua ‘iko mai na vanua
the tide is coming in
era’ou sā lesu mai Rakiraki
they (few) have returned from Rakiraki
era’ou sā ‘ale mai Rakiraki
they (few) have been to Rakiraki
kune vou
newly discovered
e kune na koro
the village is visible
na cava na kā oqori?
what’s that you’ve got?
e na rawa na kā oqori
this will be possible
e dua ‘ale
another (of the same)
e dua ‘ani
another (of a different kind), a different one
na veika ‘ale e so
(and) others besides, et cetera
e na sō na gauna
sometimes
e na sō ‘ale na gauna
at other times
e caka e na _____
it is made out of ____
sā rau’a na vi’u
it is seven o’clock
e dua na yatu yanuyanu
a group of islands
ni oti na kana, era vanoi moce
when the meal was over, they went to bed
ni o raicia na ka’o oqō, mo yadia mada mai
when you see this box, bring it here
ni sā volia oti na veika kece, e ā vano
as he had bought everything, he went
era’ou ā amania ni sā yaco mai e dua ‘ale na waqa
they (few) heard that another boat had arrived
e kē
here
ki ke
“higher”
mai ke
from here
e keri
there
ki keri
thither
mai keri
from there
e keā
over there (near)
ki keā
over there (in that direction)
mai keā
over there (far), from over there
a cava, ko ā wara ni volia kina e dua na ‘aga suka
why did you not buy a bag of sugar
e na yabaki sa oti, eratou ā vuli vosa kina
last year, they were learning languages
māmada
light (not heavy)
‘oroya, ‘oro’oro
shaving
ma’au
adze, axe
lali
Fijian gong
rairai
seeming, looking
qaseqase
cunning
tolutolu
all three
malumalumu
weak, weakness
e vinaka duadua
it is the best
cā duadua
worst
kaukaua duadua
strongest
wa ni vosavosa
telephone (wire)
ka’uba leka (window)
window
ka’uba levu
door
e na guana makawa
in the old days
ni sā bera na lomaloma ni bogi
before midnight
ni sā oti na lomaloma ni bogi
after midnight
e loma ni waqa
in the hold
vulai ka’aka’a
warm season
vulai liwaliwa
cold season
ka ni loloma
gift
tū cake
stand up
kaukaua
good and strong
māmaca vinaka
well dried
yaco mai
arrive
yaco yani
reach
e na mācawa mai qoi
next week
na buka waqa
fire
e waqa na buka
the fire is alight
sā drō e dua na nodra bulamakau
one of their (few) cows is stray
eda na wara ni kunea rawa
we shall not be able to find it
edaru na yadia ki na koro
we (the two of us) shall take it to the village
ni da raicia na levu ni niu ka tiko mai na koro
when we see how many coconuts there are in the village
sā daru na vano?
are we (you and I) going (at once)?
daru vano mada ki Suva
let’s both go to Suva
au ā donui Samu mai Korolevu
I was opposite Samu at Korolevu
ko ā raici koya?
Did you see him?
era’ou na ‘arogi keda’ou
They will ask us
Erau wara ni kilā se vano mai na ‘ūraga e nikua
they don’t know whether the chief is coming today
mo ‘ukunia mada sē ra’ou ā biu’a e kē sē ra’ou a yadia
(please) tell me if they (few) left it here or if they took it (with them)
e wara ni macala sē ra’ou ā vano kivei
it is not clear where they went to
sā kena guana oqoi
now is the (proper) time for it
so(bo)! na kena liwaliwa!
my! how cold it is.
vukea
v. helping
bera’a
being late, missing
nanuma
v. thinking
nanuma cala / vakalaga’aka
to mistake a thing
i nananu
a thought
vakanananu
to think over, meditate
nanu dei
calm, self-controlled, consistent, steady
a vakanananu ki na bilo cicila
a vain of hope or trust; “reliance on a cup with holes”
‘ama’a dau vakanananu
a thoughtful person
vakanananu vuā na nona i tavi
remind him of his duty
veinanuyaki
to resolve one’s mind; think of many things
veivakananuyaki
of many people thinking of many things
veivakananumayaki
of many people thinking of one thing
