BULA VINAKA. Come learn the Fijian Language with us. IT IS FUN. You should try and know a few basic Fijian words before you meet Fijians. They will love you for that.
Beginners 1 students, click on the link below to access your lessons:
BEGINNERS 1 CLASS
Pronunciation
Vowels
“a” is “ah” as in father, but shorter.
"e" is "eh" as in egg.
“i” is”e” as in sit or “ee” as in knee.
“o” is “or” as in on.
“u” is”oo” as in tatoo or “u” as in put.
Letters (b to n)
B (b)
“ba” is “mbah” as in but.
Letter "b" with accompanying vowels "e, i, o. u."
"be" is "mbhe" as in bet. The island of Beqa is pronounced “Mbeng-gah”.
"bi" is "be" as in bee.
"bo" is "mboh" as in boat.
"bu" is "boo" as in boot. You’ll hear “bula” or “hello” many times. You may notice the slight humming “m”, almost silent at the beginning. When something precedes the “b”, then the “m” sound becomes more pronounced. The formal “hello”, Ni Sa Bula, is pronounced “ni sahm” boola”.
C (c)
“ca” is “the” as in “thumb”.
Letter "c" with accompanying vowels "e, i, o. u."
"ce" is "they (silent y)" as in that. So “moce” meaning goodbye is pronounced “moe-they”.
"ci" is "thee" as in think.
"co" is "tho" as in thought.
"cu" is "thoo" as in through.
D (d)
“da” is “dah” as in dart.
Letter "d" with accompanying vowels "e, i, o. u."
"de" is "dhe" as in date.
"di" is "dee" as in dig. The correct pronunciation of Nadi, is closer to “Nahn-di” than “Nan-di”.
"do" is "dho" as in dough.
"du" is "doo" as in duplicate.
F (f)
"fa" is "far" as in father.
Letter "f" with accompanying vowels "e, i, o. u."
"fe" is "feh" as in fetch.
"fi" is "fhi" as in physical.
"fo" is "foh" as in phone.
"fu" is "phoo" as in food.
G (g)
"ga" is "gah" as in singer.
Letter "g" with accompanying vowels "e, i, o. u."
"ge" is "geh" as in sing-it.
"gi" is "ghi" as in singing.
"go" is "goh" as in son(gho).
"gu" is "ghoo" as in good.
J (j)
“ja” is “cha” as in “champion”.
Letter "c" with accompanying vowels "e, i, o. u."
"je" is "che" as in change.
"ji" is "chee" as in cheese.
"jo" is "cho" as in chalk.
"ju" is "choo" as in choose.
K (k)
“ka” is “kha” as in “colour”.
Letter "k" with accompanying vowels "e, i, o. u."
"ke" is "khe" as in cake.
"ki" is "kee" as in key.
"ko" is "kho" as in cocoa.
"ku" is "khoo" as in cookie.
L (l)
“la” is “lah” as in “colour”.
Letter "l" with accompanying vowels "e, i, o. u."
"le" is "leh" as in lemon.
"li" is "lee" as in limosine.
"lo" is "loh" as in low.
"lu" is "loo" as in loot.
M (m)
“ma” is “mah” as in “mum”.
Letter "m" with accompanying vowels "e, i, o. u."
"me" is "meh" as in met.
"mi" is "mee" as in me.
"mo" is "moh" as in mosquito.
"mu" is "moo" as in movie.
N (n)
“na” is “nah” as in “nun”.
Letter "n" with accompanying vowels "e, i, o. u."
"ne" is "nhe" as in net.
"ni" is "nee" as in knee.
"no" is "noh" as in know.
"nu" is "noo" as in canoe.
P (p)
“pa” is “par” as in “partner”.
Letter "n" with accompanying vowels "e, i, o. u."
"pe" is "phe" as in perimeter.
"pi" is "pee" as in peace.
"po" is "poh" as in pocket.
"pu" is "poo" as in put.
Q (q)
“qa” is “qah” as in “gut”.
Letter "n" with accompanying vowels "e, i, o. u."
"qe" is "ghe" as in get.
"qi" is "gee" as in ghee.
"qo" is "goh" as in got.
"qu" is "goo" as in good.
R (r)
“ra” is “rah” as in “round”.
Letter "n" with accompanying vowels "e, i, o. u."
"re" is "rhe" as in rent.
"ri" is "re" as in wrist.
"ro" is "roh" as in raw.
"ru" is "roo" as in kangaroo.
S (s)
“sa” is “sar” as in “Saturday”.
Letter "n" with accompanying vowels "e, i, o. u."
"se" is "seh" as in sell.
"si" is "see" as in seek.
"so" is "soh" as in sold.
"su" is "soo" as in sooth.
T (t)
“ta” is “tah” as in “tunnel”.
Letter "n" with accompanying vowels "e, i, o. u."
"te" is "the" as in text.
"ti" is "tee" as in tea.
"to" is "toh" as in toll.
"tu" is "too" as in took.
V (v)
“va” is “vah” as in “vulture”.
Letter "n" with accompanying vowels "e, i, o. u."
"ve" is "vhe" as in vacate.
"vi" is "vee" as in visit.
"vo" is "voh" as in volcano.
"vu" is "voo" as in voodoo.
W (w)
“wa” is “wah” as in “what”.
Letter "n" with accompanying vowels "e, i, o. u."
"we" is "whe" as in went.
"wi" is "wee" as in win.
"wo" is "woh" as in worst.
"wu" is "woo" as in woman.
Y (y)
“ya” is “yah” as in “yarn”.
Letter "n" with accompanying vowels "e, i, o. u."
"ye" is "yhe" as in yes
"yi" is "yee" as in yeast.
"yo" is "yoh" as in york.
"yu" is "you" as in you.
Some everyday Fijian words that is easy to learn:
| English | Fijian (phonetic syllables) |
| good morning | ni sa yadra (ni sah yan dra)
|
| hello! | bula (mboolah)
|
| goodbye | ni sa moce (nee sar mothey)
|
| please | yalo vinaka (yalo vee nah-kah)
|
| excuse me | tulou (too low)
|
| yes | io (ee-oh)
|
| thank you | vinaka (vee nah-kah)
|
| no | sega (sen-gah)
|
| eat | kana (kah nah)
|
| village | koro (kho-raw)
|
| lady |
marama (mah rah mah)
yalewa (yah-leh-wah)
|
| mister |
turaga (too rah gah)
tagine (tah-gah-neh)
|
| little | lailai ( lie lie)
|
| plenty | levu (leh voo)
|
| quickly | totolo (toh toh loh)
|
| house | vale (vah leh)
|
| toilet | vale lailai (vah leh lie lie)
|
| come | lako mai (lah ko my)
|
| go | lako (lah koh)
|
| bring | kauta mai (kah oo tah my)
|
| one more | dua tale (ndua tah lay)
|
| go away | lako tani (lah-koh tah-nee)
|
| evade | levea (leh-veh-yah)
|
| what is this | na cava oqo (nha thavah or go)
|
| drink | gunu (goo noo)
|
| coconut | niu (new)
|
| I want | au vinakata (aoo vinah kahtah)
|
| church | vale ni lotu (vahle nee lohtoo)
|
| shop | sitoa (seetoah)
|
| English | Fijian (phonetic syllables) |
| milk | sucu (soo - thoo)
|
| salt | masima (mah-see-mah)
|
| sugar | suka (soo-kah)
|
| mat | ibe (e-beh)
|
| table | teveli (teh-veh-lee)
|
| chair | dabedabe (dah-beh-dah-beh)
|
| bed | davodavo (dah-voh-dah-voh)
|
| bottle | tavaya (tah-vah-yah)
|
| cup | bilo (bee-loh)
|
| plate | veleti (veh-leh-tee)
|
| pillow | lokoloko (lo-koh-loh-koh)
|
| blanket | tutuvi (too-too-vee)
|
| shirt | sote (soh-teh)
|
| pants | tarausese (tar-raw-seh-seh)
|
| shoes | ivava (e-vah-vah)
|
| socks | sitokini (see-toh-kee-nee)
|
| book | ivola (e-voh-lah)
|
| pen | peni (peh-nee)
|
| pencil | penikau (peh-nee-cow)
|
| your/yours | nomu (naw-moo)
|
| mine | noqu (naw-goo)
|
| us (2 people) | kedaru (keh-dah-roo)
|
| us (3 people) | kedatou (keh-dah-tow)
|
| us (crowd) | keda (keh-dah)
|
| drink | gunu (goo noo)
|
| I/me | o au (or-ya-oo)
|
| run | cici (thee-thee)
|
| run to me | cici mai (the-the-my)
|
| go to him/her |
lako vei koya (lah-koh vey koyah)
|
