25 Funny Samoan Sayings

Samoan is a Polynesian language spoken primarily in Western Samoa and American Samoa. An important part of everyday conversation, Samoan phrases are a group of words that function as a single unit in the syntax of a sentence. Here is a look at some of the best Samoan sayings to know.

“A reference to the work of digging tupa. Applied to lazy people who do not help at work.”

“Does not run far, but returns.”

“First friends, then broken heads.”

“From the direction of the wind.”

“In the game of tatia when counted wrongly; applied to anything not paid for.”

“It grew in the bush, but it is cast away in the road.”

“Let each do his share of the work.”

“Let it be thrown on the deck of the large canoe. A depreciatory saying of a speaker.”

“Let the crab take counsel with its leg.”

“Of anything quick, like a canoe before the wind.”

“Of one seldom seen.”

“Of one who does many things for his country.”

“Of one who is afraid out at sea. He bails out the canoe, but is afraid.”

“Only the snake looks at its slayer.”

“Persevere like a bird in the wind.”

“The careless fish will be eaten by the shark.”

“The crabs left the stone, and took a piece of the reef.”

“The deaf hears when he is tapped.”

“The fault was committed in the bush, but it is now talked about on the highway.”

“The foolish bird passes over the tiʻa. Applied by one of himself when speaking before great chiefs.”

“The grasshopper flies about, but the kingfisher watches him.”

“The knee feels the tapping.”

“The snake when about to be killed looks but does not escape. Said of one blamed before his face.”

“To request to be respectful; lit., Why do you not steer out of the way?”

“Why not steer a straight course? Applied to a speech having no definite proposition.”

Here are a handful of interesting and fun facts about Samoan that you may not have known.