Pronoun | Translation | Standalone | Translation | |
a’u | I | O a’u | It’s me/I | |
‘oe | you | O ‘oe | It’s you | |
ia | her/him/it | O ia | It’s her/him/it | |
i ma’ua | us 2 (exclusive) | O i ma’ua | It’s us two (ex) | |
i ta’ua | us 2 (inclusive) | O i ta’ua | It’s us two (incl) | |
oulua | you both | O oulua | It’s you both | |
i la’ua | them two | O i la’ua | It’s them two | |
i matou | us 3+ (exclusive) | O i matou | It’s all of us 3+ (ex) | |
i tatou | us 3+ (inclusive) | O i tatou | It’s all of us 3+ (incl) | |
outou | you all | O outou | It’s you all 3+ | |
i latou | them 3+ | O i latou | It’s all of them 3+ | |
Pronoun Exercise Instructions
- Separate cards into Tenses (Green), Pre-Action Pronouns (Grey), Actions (Dark Blue), and Post-Action Pronouns (Light Blue)
- TSA: Randomly mix different combinations of Tense (Green), Subject Pronouns (Grey), and Actions (Dark Blue).
- Read each combination out loud. Try to memorize the words and the differences in the word combinations.
- TAS: Randomly mix different combinations of Tense (Green), Actions (Dark Blue), and Subject Pronouns (Light Blue)
- Read each combination out loud. Try to memorize the words and the differences in the word combinations.
The cards are temporarily out of stock. Feel free to download the Sentence Structure worksheets on each lesson. Hopefully more cards will come soon.

Understanding Samoan Pronouns
Pronouns are fundamental elements in any language, serving as substitutes for nouns to avoid redundancy and manage the flow of conversation. In the Samoan language, pronouns are complex and nuanced, reflecting not only grammatical relationships but also social contexts. This essay explores the different types of pronouns in Samoan, their forms, and their uses.
Categories of Samoan Pronouns
Samoan pronouns are categorized by number, person, and inclusivity. They include singular, dual, and plural forms, and they distinguish between first person (speaker), second person (listener), and third person (others). Additionally, first-person plural pronouns have inclusive and exclusive forms to indicate whether the listener is included in the group.
Personal Pronouns
- Singular Pronouns:
- First Person: O a’u (I, me)
- Second Person: O oe (you)
- Third Person: O ia (he, she, it) These pronouns are used to refer to one person or thing.
- Dual Pronouns:
- First Person Inclusive: O tāua (we, including the listener)
- First Person Exclusive: O māua (we, excluding the listener)
- Second Person: O ‘oulua (you two)
- Third Person: O lāua (they two) Dual pronouns are used when referring to two people or things. The inclusive form (O tāua) includes the person spoken to, while the exclusive form (O māua) does not.
- Plural Pronouns:
- First Person Inclusive: O tatou (we, including the listener)
- First Person Exclusive: O matou (we, excluding the listener)
- Second Person: O outou (you all)
- Third Person: O latou (they) Plural pronouns refer to three or more people or things. As with dual pronouns, the inclusive form (O tatou) includes the listener, while the exclusive form (O matou) does not.
Emphatic and Non-Emphatic Pronouns
Samoan pronouns can also be classified as emphatic or non-emphatic. Emphatic pronouns are used for emphasis or to draw attention to the subject. They often appear in sentences to stress the importance of the person or thing being referred to.
- Emphatic Pronouns:
- ‘O a’u (It is I)
- ‘O oe (It is you)
- ‘O ia (It is he/she/it)
These forms are typically used in contexts where the identity of the subject is particularly important or in responses to questions about who performed an action.
Possessive Pronouns
Possessive pronouns in Samoan indicate ownership or association. They vary depending on the number and inclusivity.
- Singular Possessive Pronouns:
- First Person: La’u (my)
- Second Person: Lau (your)
- Third Person: Lana (his/her)
- Dual Possessive Pronouns:
- First Person Inclusive: La tāua (our, including the listener)
- First Person Exclusive: La māua (our, excluding the listener)
- Second Person: La ‘oulua (your two)
- Third Person: La lāua (their two)
- Plural Possessive Pronouns:
- First Person Inclusive: La tatou (our, including the listener)
- First Person Exclusive: La matou (our, excluding the listener)
- Second Person: La outou (your all)
- Third Person: La latou (their)
Possessive pronouns must agree in number and inclusivity with the noun they modify. They precede the noun they possess, unlike in English where they can follow the noun (e.g., the car is mine).
Reflexive Pronouns
Reflexive pronouns in Samoan indicate that the subject of the verb is also the object. They are formed by adding -lava (self) to the pronoun.
- Examples:
- O a’u lava (myself)
- O oe lava (yourself)
- O ia lava (himself/herself/itself)
These pronouns emphasize that the action of the verb is directed back to the subject.
Demonstrative Pronouns
Demonstrative pronouns in Samoan point to specific things or people and vary based on proximity to the speaker.
- Near the Speaker: Lenei (this)
- Near the Listener: Lenā (that)
- Far from Both: Lā (that over there)
These pronouns are used to specify particular objects or people relative to the positions of the speaker and listener.
Conclusion
Samoan pronouns are rich and complex, reflecting the language’s intricate structure and the cultural emphasis on social relationships and contexts. Understanding the different types of pronouns, including personal, possessive, reflexive, and demonstrative, as well as the distinctions of number and inclusivity, is crucial for anyone learning Samoan. Mastery of these pronouns allows for precise and nuanced communication, highlighting the unique ways Samoan speakers interact with and perceive their world.