Beach & Activities

1. E mea nehenehe roa teie tahatai!

   This beach is so beautiful!

   Usage

   The standard way to praise scenery

   Grammar Note

   He … is the article of Hawaiian, Māori and Rarotongan and does not exist in Tahitian (indefinite e, definite te). nani is also Hawaiian; Tahitian for "beautiful" is nehenehe. tahatai is "plage ; bord de mer".

2. E ti'a anei ia'u ia 'au i 'ō nei?

   Is it okay to swim here?

   Usage

   Ask whether swimming is allowed; even lagoons have strong currents

   Grammar Note

   'au is "nager". "E tae noa ia'u" uses tae ("to arrive") and does not express permission.

3. Tei hea vau e tārahu ai i te hō'ē va'a?

   Where can I rent a kayak?

   Usage

   va'a is the Tahitian outrigger canoe; the word also covers a kayak

   Grammar Note

   ho'olimalima is Hawaiian and does not exist in Tahitian; tārahu = emprunter ; louer. vaka is the Māori/Tongan form; Tahitian is va'a.

4. 'A ha'apa'o! Mea rahi te 'ōfa'i i teie tahatai.

   Be careful! This beach has a lot of rocks.

   Usage

   Warning about a beach full of coral and rock

   Grammar Note

   ha'apa'o is "prêter attention ; observer" and 'ōfa'i is "pierre ; caillou ; roche".

5. E mea nehenehe roa te topara'a mahana!

   The sunset is very beautiful!

   Usage

   Say it while watching the sunset together

   Grammar Note

   "Topara'a mahana : crépuscule ; coucher du soleil". He … is not a Tahitian construction.

6. Tē hina'aro nei au e fa'aea i ni'a i te one.

   I want to relax on the sand.

   Usage

   When you want to relax on the sand

   Grammar Note

   makemake is Hawaiian (and Māori); the Tahitian verb is hina'aro. fa'aea is "se reposer" and one is "sand".

7. E mea nehenehe roa te tairoto!

   The lagoon is very beautiful!

   Usage

   Praising the lagoon

   Grammar Note

   tairoto = lagon. poto moana literally means "short ocean" (poto = "short") and makes no sense.

8. Tei hea te fare pape?

   Where is the shower room?

   Usage

   Looking for a beach shower or washroom

   Grammar Note

   fare pape = salle de bain. The toilet is a different word: fare iti / fare haumiti.

9. E rāhui anei teie tahatai?

   Is this beach under a rāhui (access restriction)?

   Usage

   rāhui is the traditional prohibition on entering or harvesting an area; it is still used on private and protected sites

   Grammar Note

   "Rahui : prohibition, restriction sur les terres… interdire". He … is not Tahitian, and there is no word for "private property", so the term actually posted on site, rāhui, is used.

10. 'A fa'aherehere tātou i te moana!

    Let's all protect the ocean!

    Usage

    Calling for care of the environment

    Grammar Note

    fa'aherehere is "prendre soin ; conserver". mālama is Hawaiian; Tahitian has no letter l.

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