Learn Fijian!

Under the 1997 Constitution, FIJI has not one, not two, but three official languages: English, Fijian and Hindi.  Everyone in Fiji speaks English, so if you are a native English speaker, you shouldn’t have any trouble communicating. 

Here are some tips and some important words that will help you on your exciting adventures in the Fijian Islands:

• A is pronounced “ah” as in ‘father’.
• B is pronounced “mb” as in ‘bamboo’.
• C is a lisped “th” as in ‘feather’.
• D is pronounced “nd” as in ‘Andrew’.
• E is pronounced “e” as in ‘pet’
• G is pronounced “ng” as in ‘sing’.
• I is pronounced “ee” as in ‘bee’.
• J is pronounced “nj” as in ‘conjunction’.
• Q is pronounced “ng” as in ‘mango’.
• U is pronounced “oo” as in ‘zoo’
• AI is pronounced “ie” as in ‘lie’

Hello: Ni sa bula or just Bula! (ni sahm boo-lah)

Goodbye: Ni sa moce or just Moce! (ni sa mothey)

Good morning: Ni sa yadra (ni sah yan dra)

Yes: Io (ee-o)

No: Sega (senga)

Please: Kerekere (ker eh ker eh)

Excuse me: Tolou (too low)

Thank you / good: Vinaka (vee naka)

Thank you very much: Vinaka vaka levu (vee naka vahka lehvoo)

I’m sorry: Vosoti au (voesah tee ow)

I don’t understand: Au sega ni taura rawa (ow seng-ah nee too-rah rah-wah)

No worries: Sega na leqa (seng-ah nah len-gah)

What is this?: A cava oqo? (na thava on go)

House: Vale or bure (va ley or mburey)

Toilet: Vale lailai (va ley lie lie)

Village: Koro (koro)

Church: Vale ni lotu (vahle nee lohtoo)

Shop: Sitoa (seetoah)

Eat: Kana (kana)

Drink: Gunu (goo noo)

Coconut: Niu (new)

Quickly: Vaka totolo (vaka toe toe lo)

One: Dua (n doo ah)

Two: Rua (roo ah)

Land: Vanua (vah nu ah)

Water: Wai (why)

Awesome!: Wananavu (wah nah nah vu)