Weather Vocabulary - Upu o le Tau

The word for "weather" is tau—a word that also means "cost." One easy way to remember it is to think about how being unprepared for bad weather can cost you. Whether you're caught in a tropical storm or just heading out on a hot, humid day, knowing how to talk about the weather in Samoan can help you stay connected and safe. Let’s look at some useful vocabulary to help you get familiar with the Samoan tau.

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• la - sun/sunny

• timu - rain

• 'aoaoa - cloudy

• nuanua - rainbow

• matagi - storm

• savili - wind

• uila - lightning

• asiosio - tornado

• malulu - cold

• vevela - hot

• afa - hurricane/storm

• lagilelei - clear skies

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Weather Dialogue

Here are some helpful phrases to remember used in everyday conversations:

• O le a le tau? - What's the weather like?

• E lelei le tau o le aso nei. - The weather today will be great.

• Pei uma a e timu le aso. - It might rain today.

• Ua matua vevela le la.  - The sun's super hot.

• E malulu le taeao. - The morning is cold.

FIAPOKO TIP- look outside and describe the sky using one new Samoan word each day. Practice with a friend or family member who speaks or understands Samoan. Best of tau to you!

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