Language/Fijian/Grammar/Yes/No-Questions
Introduction
Welcome to this lesson on forming and using yes/no questions in Fijian. In this lesson, you will learn how to ask and answer simple questions in Fijian using different subjects, verbs, and objects. You will also learn some cultural information and interesting facts about the Fijian language as we go along. By the end of this lesson, you will be able to confidently form and respond to yes/no questions in Fijian.
Basic Concepts
In Fijian, there are several ways to form yes/no questions, but the most common way is by using the particle 'sa' (pronounced "sah") at the beginning of a statement. This is similar to the English use of 'do', 'does', or 'did' to form questions, but in Fijian, the particle 'sa' is used for both present and past tense questions. Let's look at some examples:
| Fijian | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Sa dua na ka? | sah doo-ah nah kah | Is that a thing? |
| Sa lako na tamata mai? | sah lah-koh nah tah-mah-tah my | Did the person go away? |
| Sa kua na uca na siga ni kila? | sah koo-wah nah oo-tha nah sing-ah nee kee-lah | Was it raining the day you arrived? |
In these examples, you may have noticed that the particle 'sa' is used at the beginning of the statement, before the subject or verb. Also, note that the verb 'lako' (to go) is preceded by the particle 'na' in the second example, which is a common feature of Fijian grammar that indicates the verb is in the past tense.
Forming Questions with Different Subjects, Verbs, and Objects
Now, let's look at how to form yes/no questions with different subjects, verbs, and objects in Fijian.
Subjects
When forming a yes/no question with a subject, you can simply add the particle 'sa' at the beginning of the statement, as we have seen in the previous examples. Let's look at some examples with different subjects:
| Fijian | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Sa dua na kena vakavuna? | sah doo-ah nah keh-nah vah-kah-voo-nah | Is he/she a speaker? |
| Sa rawa na i tovo liu ko iko kina? | sah rah-wah nah ee toh-voh lee-oo ko ee-koh kee-nah | Can you bring your ID? |
| Sa vakalotu ga na tui? | sah vah-kah-low-too gah nah too-ee | Is the king really religious? |
Verbs
To form a yes/no question with a verb, you also add the particle 'sa' at the beginning of the statement, but before the verb this time. Let's look at some examples with different verbs:
| Fijian | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Sa sola na veibalavu? | sah soh-lah nah vehm-bah-lah-voo | Has the phone been sold? |
| Sa tavaki o iko? | sah tah-vah-kee oh ee-koh | Did you meet him/her? |
| Sa lotu na i sau? | sah loh-too nah ee sah-oo | Do you pray often? |
Objects
When forming a yes/no question with an object, you can place the particle 'sa' before the object, after the subject and verb. Let's look at some examples with different objects:
| Fijian | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Sa kalouga na kubou ni vatu? | sah kah-low-oon-gah nah koo-mbow nee vah-too | Are the stones heavy? |
| Sa kena ka na i tovo ko iko? | sah keh-nah kah nah ee toh-voh koh ee-koh | Is your ID
|