Adjectives
Adjectives are words that describe nouns. In English adjectives go before the noun.
Example: Big boy
The adjective is Big, the noun is boy. Big is what describes the boy. Notice that big goes before the noun in this English phrase.
In Samoan, the adjective comes after the noun. Big boy is said Boy big or tama lapo’a. Don’t forget to put your “O” and limiter before tama lapo’a to make the noun phrase complete.
O se tama lapo’a. Fa’aliliu A big boy.
O ni tama lapo’a. Fa’aliliu Some big boys.
O le tama lapo’a. Fa’aliliu The big boy.O tama lapo’a. Fa’aliliu Big boys
| tattooing, fit, proper, necessary | tatau |
| albino (light coloured) | te’tea |
| long | umi |
| ambitious | fia sili, fiafa’apito |
| arrogant | fiapoto |
| ashamed (embarassment) | ma’asi’asi, ma |
| avoidable | ma’alofia |
| awesome (dreadful) | mata’utia |
| bad | leaga |
| bald | tula, ulupo’o |
| red | lanu mumu |
| whiteness | pa’epa’e’ma; sinasina |
| small, little, slight, young | la’itiiti |
| small, tiny | laiti |
| big, large (s) | lapo’a |
| big, large (pl) | lapopo’a |
| round, sphere | lapotopoto |
| hot, warm, heat | vevela |
| beautiful | matagofie; matalasi, aulelei |
| beloved (sweetheart; dear) | pele |
| prime | mea sili |
| probable | atonu |
| productive | lafulemu |
| sloppy | so’ona |
| slothful | fa’apala’pala |
| slow | faiaga; gese; telegese |
| small (little) | iti’iti, tama’i |
| old woman | olomatua |
| old women | olomatutua |
| many, large, big, great, lots | tele |
| large | tele |
| many (pl) large | tetele |
| wet | susu |
| big (large, great) | te’le, tetele (pl) |
| bitter (sour) | o’ona |
| blunt | matatupa, tulali |
| boastful | mitamitavale, gugutu |
| born | fanau |
| brave (courageous) | toa, loto tele |
| breezy | saviligia |
| brilliantly white (shiny) | sinasina |
| brittle | ma’ale’ale |
| broken (discontinued) | motusia, gau |
| burdened (oppressed) | mafatia |
| complicated | felefele, gaogaosa |
| condemnation | nofosala |
| confound (confuse) | fa’afememea’i |
| confused (confounded; perplexed) | fememea’i |
| busy | pisi |
| calming | to’a |
| capable (qualified; able) | agava’a, mafa’i |
| careful | fa’aeteete |
| careless | so’ona fai |
| carnal (worldly; mortal) | fa’aletino, fa’alelalolagi |
| circular | lapotopoto |
| considerate | utugia |
| cool (calm; soft; shaded) | ma’lu |
| countable (clear) | masino |
| crooked , dishonest | pi’o, pio’pio, fa’api’opi’o |
| dark | pogisa, fa’apouli |
| deep (how low) | maulalo, lele’i |
| defeated (beaten, lose) | faia’ina, faatoilalo |
| delirious | fasa |
| difficult | faigata |
| cursed | fa’afanoga |
| dim (hazy, vaque, unclear) | faanenefu |
| dirty | ele’elea |
| disrespectful | fa’alepopoi, fa’alemigao |
| distressed (pained, tormented) | puapuagatia |
| disturbed | vevesi |
| filthy (vulgar) | palauvale; upuleaga |
| friendly | masani |
| quick | vave; tope |
| quiet (calm) | filemu |
| raw (uncooked) | mata |
| rebellious | fouvale |
| last (end; final) | fa’ai’u; tupito |
| last (position) | mulimuli; muli |
| last night | anapo |
| late (out of date; obsolete) | tuai; siliga |
| to be noisy, noise | pisa |
| to be smart (pl), cleer, learned, expert | popoto |
| to be smart (s) | poto |
| doubtful | ailoga |
| weak (tire) | vaivai |
| wet | su’su |
| whole | atoatoa |
| wicked | amioleaga |
| wide | lautele; vatele |
| widespread (abounding; common) | ta’atele |
| wild | aivao; fe’ai |
| willing | mafai; loto |
| withered (dried up) | magumagu |
| wrinkled (crinkled) | ma’anuminumi |
| wrong (incorrect, lost, astray) | sese |
| kingly | fa’atupu |
| left-handed | agavale |
| light (shine) | malamalama |
| light (weight) | ma’ma |
| lighted (dawn) | malama |
| limp, to | e’tu |
| little (small) | iti’iti; laiti (pl) |
| long | umi |
| loose | losi |
| loyal (honest; trustworthy) | fa’amaoni |
| lumpy | patupatu |
| maimed (amputated) | mutu |
| marked | fa’ailoga |
| maroon (reddish purple) | pauli |
| mature | matua |
| meek (gentle) | agamalu |
| destitute | naumati |
| dizzy (nausea) | niniva |
| dry | matutu, mago |
| earnest | to’aga, naunauta’i |
| easy | gofie, faigogie |
| empty (deserted) | gaogao |
| enlightened (understanding) | fa’amalamalama |
| entire (complete) | atoatoa |
| established | fa’atumau; mautu |
| excellent | ma’eu |
| expensive (costly) | tauga’ta |
| faded (cloth) | matafi |
| faint | matapogia |
| fair | feololo |
| fair weather | laofie |
| faithful | fa’amaoni |
| famous (renowed) | lauiloa; tauta’ua |
| fast (quick) | vave |
| fat (size) | puta; lapo’a; peti; pepeti (pl) |
| favorite | ma’oi |
| fierce (wild; savage; vicious) | fe’ai |
| fine | sala; fa’asalaga |
| firm (steadfast) | mau, tumau |
| flashing | emo’emo; e’emo |
| flat (pane) | mafolafola |
| floating | opeopea |
| forbidden | tapu |
| forgetful | fa’agalogalo |
| free (unconstrainted) | sa’oloto; faitalia |
| fresh (unsalted) | magalo |
| full (from eating) | ma’ona; laulelei |
| generous | matamau |
| good | lelei |
| good-mannered | tausa’afia |
| greedy | fa’alotoloto |
| guilty | sala |
| halfcaste | afatasi |
| handsome | aulelei; manaia; lalelei |
| happy | fia’fia |
| hard (tough) | malo |
| hard (hardness) | ma’a’a |
| haughty (contemptuous; frown) | fa’asiasia |
| healthy | manuia |
| heavy | mamafa |
| high | sili |
| hopeful | faamoemoe |
| idiotic (stupid) | faavalevalea; valea |
| idle | nofonofovale |
| immature (green fruit) | moto; mata |
| improper | fa’aletatau |
| shameless | tautala’ititi |
| indebted | nofo aitalafu |
| indented | omo |
| infamous | ta’uleagaina |
| infected (contagious; stained) | pisia; pipisi |
| inherited | tuufaasolo |
| insignificant (trivial; inferior) | fa’atauva’a |
| involved | a’afia; solofia |
| irritable (easily angered) | itagofie |
| itch (itchy) | mageso |
| mischievous | ulavale |
| mixed | fenumia’i |
| muddy (dirty; filthy) | palapala |
| good, good condition | lelei |
| slow, gentle | lemu |
| finished, ready, complete | mae’a |
| to be flat | mafolafola |
| (manuia) happy, good | maguia |
| hard, firm solid, stiff | malo (ma-lo) |
| to be clean, clear, pure, innocent | mama |
| not heavy, lightness | mama |
| attractive, smart, fine, beautiful | manaia |
| want (p), desire, like, wish, in accordance with | manana’o |
| raw, uncooked | mata |
| poor, lack, | mativa |
| high, tall, altitude (pl) | maualuga |
| thin, skinny, lean | pa’e’e |
| narrow | lauitiiti; lauiti; va’api’api |
| new | fou |
| nice | manaia |
| noisy | vava’o; pa’o; pisa |
| occupied (busy) | fa’alavelavea |
| offensive (annoying) | soe’sa |
| old | matua |
| open | tatala; fa’amatala |
| organised | ma’opo’opo; a’toa’toa |
| kind (generous, benevolence) | agalelei; fealofani |
| pale | sesega |
| paramount | silisili |
| stingy | limavale |
| easily irritated | itagofie; tagivale |
| pending | fa’atonuaga |
| perfect | atoatoa; sao lelei |
| permanent | tumau |
| perpetual | fa’avavau |
| perpetuate | fa’atumau |
| perplexed | fememea’i; atuatuvale |
| persevering | vilivilita’i |
| easily understood | malamalama |
| plain | laugatasi |
| stylish | fa’alialia |
| popular | alofagia |
| potent | malosi |
| powerful | malosiaga; mamana |
| uncertain | fa’aletonu |
| precious (valuable; important) | ta’ua; aoga’tele |
| preeminent | silisili ese |
| prepared (ready) | nofosaunia; saunia |
| ridiculous | tau’sese |
| pretty (handsome) | lalelei; matagofie; manaia |
| prevalent | toatele; aoao |
| prickly (thorny) | tuitui; matuitui |
| private | lilo |
| profound | loloto |
| fast, quickly | saosaoa |
| a little, some, white, grey hairs | sina |
| like a centipede | fa’aatualoa |
| like a man, work like a man | fa’atamatane |
| bad, damaged, unfortunately | leaga |
| be well known, famous | ta’uta’ua |
| vague | vavao |
| prominent | fa’asilisili |
| good chance of success | agalelei |
| provoking | fa’a’ono’ono |
| prudent (thoughtful; considerate) | fa’autauta |
| pungent | a’ava, fe’u |
| puny | laititi |
| pure | lelei; mama |
| rich (wealthy) | mau’oa |
| righteous | amiolelei |
| quarrelsome | femisaa’i; finafinau |
| childish, silly | fa’atamaitiiti |
| small | tama’i |
| rigid | malolo |
| rough (of the sea) | sousou; sou; galu |
| rude (disrespectful) | fa’a’aivao; fa’alepopoi |
| rugged (rough; stony; rocky) | gaoa |
| rusty | e’lea |
| safe (escape danger) | sao; sefe |
| minimal | to’agaogao; toaitiiti; itiiti |
| scratched (skinned) | mafo’e |
| severed | mutu |
| sharp | ma’ai |
| shiny (glow) | pupula; fepulafi; i’ila |
| short | pu’upu’u, pupuu |
| sick | ma’i, gasegase |
| sickly | fa’ama’ima’i |
| skinny (thin) | pa’e’e, tinovale, mimiti |
| thick | mafiafia |
| thin (skinny) | tinovale; mimiti |
| thirsty | fia inu |
| full | tumu; tutumu (pl) |
| jumpy | fe’osofa’i |
| smoke | asu afi |
| soft (loose; weak; tired) | vaivai |
| ceremonious | fa’apau |
| sour | a’ava; oona |
| sorry | fa’atoese; salamo |
| spacious | lautele; vaapiapi |
| special | fa’apitoa; ta’ua |
| spicy | fe’u |
| spoiled | mafu |
| spotted | pulepule; tusitusi |
| startled (shocked) | te’i |
| stingy | mata’u; aimeo; matamui |
| straight | sa’o |
| strange | ese |
| striped | tusitusi |
| strong | malosi; fefeu; malo |
| stubborn (headstrong) | finauvale |
| stupid (idiotic) | faavalevalea; valea |
| substandard | fa’alelelei |
| sudden (unexpected) | fa’afuase’i |
| supreme | aoao; sili |
| sure (actual; real) | mo’i |
| surfaced | e’a |
| sweet | suamalie |
| sweetheart | manamea |
| swift | saosaoa; vave |
| swollen | fefete |
| thick (liquid) | toto’o |
| thorny (rough) | talatala; matuitui |
| thrifty | manuamanu |
| thin | manifinifi |
| tilted (slanted; uneven) | sipa; fa’asipasipa |
| tire | vai’vai |
| tough (hard, fit) | fefeu; ti’a’a |
| transparent (clear) | manino |
| troubled (unfortunate) | pagatia |
| troublesome | lavelave |
| true (actuality) | e moni; e moi |
| ugly | mataga; auleaga |
| undecided | fa’alotolotolua; fetoa’i |
| unfit | fa’alefetaui |
| united | lotogatasi |
| unqualify | fa’aleonomea |
| unwavering | toa’i |
| urgent (urge; hurried) | faanatinati, faavave |
| useless | fa’aleaoga |
| very hot | a’asa |
| visiting | asiasi |
| wasteful | fa’amaimau, fa’atinovale |
| stale (moldy) | mafu, pala |
| bright, luminous, to stare (pl) | fepulafi |
| crippled (lame, disabled) | pipili |
| curly (kinky) | migimigi |
| dead | oti, mate, maliu |
| dead (plant or animal) | pe |
| deaf | tutuli |
