Café & Drinks

1. ʻOku ou fie inu ha kava.

   ʻO-ku ou fi-e i-nu ha ka-va.

   I want to drink kava.

   Usage

   When wanting to experience the traditional Tongan kava ceremony

   Grammar Note

   "Fie" is a modal of desire. "Ou" in "'oku ou fie inu" is the first-person singular subject pronoun.

2. Kātaki ʻo ʻomai ha vai.

   Kā-ta-ki ʻo ʻo-mai ha vai.

   Please bring some water.

   Usage

   When requesting water

   Grammar Note

   "'Omai" combines "'o" (to bring/take) + "mai" (towards speaker), meaning "bring to me/here."

3. ʻOku ʻi ai ha kōfī?

   ʻO-ku ʻi ai ha kō-fī?

   Is there coffee?

   Usage

   When checking if coffee is available

   Grammar Note

   "'Oku 'i ai" is the existential construction "there is." "Ai" in "'i ai" is a locative pronoun.

4. ʻOku ou fie inu ha vai mokomoko.

   ʻO-ku ou fi-e i-nu ha vai mo-ko-mo-ko.

   I want to drink cold water.

   Usage

   When requesting cold water

   Grammar Note

   "Mokomoko" is a reduplicated form meaning "cold/cool." Reduplication often expresses intensification in Tongan.

5. ʻOku ʻi ai ha tī?

   ʻO-ku ʻi ai ha tī?

   Is there tea?

   Usage

   When asking if tea is available

   Grammar Note

   "Tī" is borrowed from English "tea." It may also be written "tii" in some Tongan orthographies.

6. Fē ʻa e faikava?

   Fē ʻa e fai-ka-va?

   Where does the kava ceremony take place?

   Usage

   When asking where the kava ceremony is held

   Grammar Note

   A compound of fai "to do, to perform" and kava. It is written as the single word faikava, not as two words "fai kava".

7. ʻOku fēfē hono tofo?

   ʻO-ku fē-fē ho-no to-fo?

   How is the taste (of the drink)?

   Usage

   When asking for an opinion about a drink

   Grammar Note

   "'Oku fēfē" (how is it) is the basic manner/state question. "Hono" is the third-person possessive "its."

8. Ko e hā ʻa e totongi?

   Ko e hā ʻa e to-to-ngi?

   What is the bill?

   Usage

   When checking the total bill after ordering drinks

   Grammar Note

   "Ko e hā" (what is) is the standard question for asking about things. "'A e" combines the genitive marker with the definite article.

9. ʻOku ʻi ai ha niu?

   ʻO-ku ʻi ai ha ni-u?

   Is there a coconut (to drink)?

   Usage

   When requesting fresh coconut juice

   Grammar Note

   "Niu" is the Tongan word for coconut, a root shared across Polynesian languages. "niuniu" is not a coconut but cartilage

10. Mālō ʻa e inu.

    Mā-lō ʻa e i-nu.

    Thank you for the drink.

    Usage

    When expressing gratitude after receiving a drink

    Grammar Note

    "Mālō" is the most common Tongan expression of thanks. "'A e inu" (for the drink) specifies the object of gratitude.

11. Ko e vai vela

    Hot water

    Usage

    To ask for hot water

12. Ko e ʻaisi

    Ice

    Usage

    To ask for ice, or to say you want none

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