Weather & Climate

1. Ko e mālohi ʻaupito ʻa e vevela ʻaho ni!

   Ko e mā-lo-hi ʻau-pi-to ʻa e ve-ve-la ʻa-ho ni!

   It's really hot today!

   Usage

   Weather conversation in Tonga

   Grammar Note

   Tongan is Austronesian. The glottal stop (') is a phonemic consonant

2. ʻOku ngali ʻe ʻuha

   ʻO-ku nga-li ʻe ʻu-ha

   It looks like it will rain

   Usage

   When rain seems likely

   Grammar Note

   "'Uha" = rain in Tongan. The initial glottal stop is characteristic

3. ʻOku ofi mai ha ʻahiohio lahi

   ʻO-ku o-fi mai ha ʻa-hi-o-hi-o la-hi

   A big cyclone is approaching

   Usage

   Warning about an approaching cyclone

   Grammar Note

   Tonga lies in the cyclone belt. "Mai" is a directional particle toward the speaker

4. ʻOku fiemālie ʻa e ʻea ʻaho ni

   ʻO-ku fi-e-mā-li-e ʻa e ʻe-a ʻa-ho ni

   The weather is pleasant today

   Usage

   Comment on pleasant cool weather

   Grammar Note

   "'Ea" = air/weather. "Fiemālie" = comfortable (compound: desire for pleasantness)

5. Kātaki ʻo ʻomai ʻa e fakamatala ʻo e ʻea

   Kā-ta-ki ʻo ʻo-mai ʻa e fa-ka-ma-ta-la ʻo e ʻe-a

   Please share the weather forecast

   Usage

   Politely asking for the weather forecast

   Grammar Note

   "Fakamatala" = explanation/information. "Faka-" is a causative/manner prefix

6. ʻOku fiemaʻu ha kilimi maluʻi fohia?

   ʻO-ku fi-e-ma-ʻu ha ki-li-mi ma-lu-ʻi fo-hi-a?

   Is sunscreen needed?

   Usage

   Ask on sunny days

   Grammar Note

   The Pacific sun in Tonga is intense. Sunscreen is "kilimi maluʻi fohia" (kilimi = cream, maluʻi = protect, fohia = sunburn).

7. ʻOku totonu ke u ʻave ha umbrella?

   ʻO-ku to-to-nu ke u ʻa-ve ha umbrella?

   Should I bring an umbrella?

   Usage

   Before going out in uncertain weather

   Grammar Note

   Tongan uses English loanwords too. "'Oku totonu ke" = should/ought to

8. Ko e hā ʻa e taimi ʻo e ʻaho momoko?

   Ko e hā ʻa e tai-mi ʻo e ʻa-ho mo-mo-ko?

   When is the dry season?

   Usage

   Travel planning question

   Grammar Note

   Tonga's dry season: May–October. "Momoko" = dry/cold

9. Ko e hā ʻa e taimi ʻo e ʻuha?

   Ko e hā ʻa e tai-mi ʻo e ʻu-ha?

   When is the rainy season?

   Usage

   Ask about the rainy season

   Grammar Note

   Tonga's rainy season: November–April. Also cyclone season

10. ʻOku mālohi ʻaupito ʻa e laʻā

    ʻO-ku mā-lo-hi ʻau-pi-to ʻa e la-ʻā

    The sun is really strong

    Usage

    Exclamation about intense sunshine

    Grammar Note

    "La'ā" = sun in Tongan, featuring a glottal stop

11. Ko e ʻuha

    Rain

    Usage

    To ask about or describe the weather

12. Ko e matangi

    Wind

    Usage

    To ask about or describe the weather

13. Ko e ʻao

    Cloud

    Usage

    To ask whether it is cloudy

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