Learning Fijian Language

Many visitors to Fiji would wonder 'why should I bother to learn Fijian language when I am just going there for a holiday?' Yes it is true that many local people speak fluent English, it is important to remember it is not their first language. By learning to speak even a few words of Fijian, you will be able to show that you are making the effort to communicate in the local language beyond the basic 'Bula!' that greets most visitors ot the country. Often it is those simple exchanges with local people which make a trip so much more memorable.

According to the Lonely Planet Fijian phrasebook, Fijian uses all the same letters as English except for 'x'. Vowels are treated a little differently, with a pronounced as in 'father', e as in 'bet', i as in 'machine' o as in 'more' and u as in 'zoo'. Remember that a 'c' is said as a 'th' blend (important in the word 'moce' which is pronounced 'mo-they' and means farewell or goodbye.

The letters 'b' and 'd' are preceded by a slightly nasal sound of 'm', with the result of 'mb' or 'nd'. The letter 'r' is often a rolled sound, and 'g' has a soft sound as in 'rang' rather than a hard 'g' as in 'get'.

Here are some handy words to get you started in some simple conversations:

Yes is said as 'io'

No is said as 'sega'

Where are you from? is said as 'O iko mai vei?

I'm staying in (for example, Suva) is said as Au tiko i Suva (replace with alternative locations as needed).

How old are you? is said as O (ni) yabaki vica?

'Are you married?' is said as O (ni) vakawati? to which you may choose to reply 'Se bera' (No, I'm not).

The sentence beginning for 'I am..' is said as 'Au sa', so you could use options such as 'Au sa liliwa (cold - although this rarely happens in the warm tropicla Fijian climate!) or (more likely) 'Au sa katakata' which translates to 'I am hot'.

From time to time in Fiji you may need to ask for or understand directions, so here are some basic sentences and phrases that could be useful:

"Where is...?' is said as 'I vei na...? (remember that generally local people will be familiar with many of the local tourist sights as well as the names of lots of the hotels and resorts, and will be happy to help you out)

'How do I get to...?' is said as 'I vei na sala i...?'

How far is it? is said as 'E vaivei na kena yawa?'

Turn down... is said as 'Gole sobu...' (this could be used in sentences such as go down the road and turn left or right)

Turn left is said as 'Gole i na mawi'

Turn right is said as 'Gole i na matau'

As with travel to many countries, mastering just a few simple words of the Fijian language can make a difference to many conversations and situations, particularly where children are involved as they so often love to try out some words in another language.