Language/Samoan/Grammar/Negation
Hi Samoan learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will learn about negation in the Samoan language. Negation is an important part of any language, and it is essential to understand how to use it correctly in order to communicate effectively. We will look at the different ways to express negation in Samoan, as well as some examples of how to use them.
Negation is a way of expressing the opposite of something. In Samoan, there are two main ways to express negation: using the particle 'le' and using the particle 'se'.
The particle 'le' is used to express a negative statement. For example, if you wanted to say "I don't have a car", you would say "Au 'le' fa'aauau pe a'u se mea". The particle 'se' is used to express a negative question. For example, if you wanted to ask "Don't you have a car?", you would say "Ou 'se' fa'aauau pe oe se mea?".
Let's look at some more examples of how to use these particles in Samoan:
| Samoan | Pronunciation | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Au 'le' alofa | Ah-oo leh ah-loh-fah | I don't love |
| Ou 'se' alofa | Oh-oo seh ah-loh-fah | Don't you love? |
| Ua 'le' mafai | Ooh-ah leh mah-fah-ee | He/She can't do it |
| E 'se' mafai | Eh seh mah-fah-ee | Can't he/she do it? |
| Ua 'le' maua | Ooh-ah leh mah-oo-ah | They can't find it |
| E 'se' maua | Eh seh mah-oo-ah | Can't they find it? |
It is also possible to use the particle 'le' to express a negative command. For example, if you wanted to say "Don't go!", you would say "Le 'ai'o!".
It is important to note that the particle 'le' is always placed before the verb, while the particle 'se' is always placed after the verb.
Now that you know how to use the particles 'le' and 'se' to express negation in Samoan, let's practice using them in some sentences.
| Samoan | Pronunciation | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Au 'le' fiafia | Ah-oo leh fee-ah-fee-ah | I'm not happy |
| Ou 'se' fiafia | Oh-oo seh fee-ah-fee-ah | Aren't you happy? |
| Ua 'le' maua le tamaiti | Ooh-ah leh mah-oo-ah leh tah-mah-ee-tee | They can't find the child |
| E 'se' maua le tamaiti | Eh seh mah-oo-ah leh tah-mah-ee-tee | Can't they find the child? |
| Le 'ai'o | Leh ah-ee-oh | Don't go! |
| Ou 'se' fa'aauau pe oe se mea? | Oh-oo seh fah-ah-oo-ah-oo peh oh-eh seh meh-ah | Don't you have a car? |
Now that you know how to use negation in Samoan, you can start using it in your conversations. Remember to practice often and to ask native speakers for help if you need it.
➡ If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments section below.
➡ Feel free to edit this wiki page if you think it can be improved. 😎