Compliments

1. Mōmona roa teie mā'a!

   This food is very delicious!

   Usage

   Compliment Tahitian food after tasting it

   Grammar Note

   Tahitian 'ono is the barracuda (and "six"), not "delicious" — unlike Hawaiian. monamona / mōmona are glossed as "savoureux ; délicieux".

2. E mea nehenehe roa teie fenua!

   This land is very beautiful!

   Usage

   Admire the natural beauty of Tahiti or another Polynesian island

   Grammar Note

   He … is a Hawaiian/Māori article that Tahitian does not have, and nani is also Hawaiian; Tahitian for "beautiful" is nehenehe.

3. Mea maita'i roa tā 'oe 'ohipa!

   Well done! Great job!

   Usage

   Compliment someone on their performance or work

   Grammar Note

   hana is the Hawaiian/Māori word for "work"; Tahitian uses 'ohipa. maitai drops the glottal stop of maita'i.

4. Māuruuru nō tō 'oe fāri'ira'a.

   Thank you for your hospitality.

   Usage

   Thank a Tahitian host for their generous hospitality

   Grammar Note

   "Fāri'i / Fa'ari'i : recevoir ; accueillir", plus the nominaliser -ra'a. mana'o means "thought", not "hospitality".

5. E parau maita'i 'oe i te reo Tahiti.

   You speak Tahitian well.

   Usage

   Compliment someone on their Tahitian language skills

   Grammar Note

   maita'i is written with the glottal stop. E + verb is the general/habitual frame.

6. Mai te tiare Tahiti 'oe!

   You are like a tiare flower!

   Usage

   A poetic compliment comparing someone to Tahiti's national flower

   Grammar Note

   Comparison uses mai te. He … is not a Tahitian construction.

7. Mea maita'i roa 'oe!

   You are truly wonderful!

   Usage

   A strong compliment praising someone's overall excellence

8. Mea maita'i roa tēnā 'ohipa!

   That is excellent work!

   Usage

   Praise someone's work, craft, or performance

   Grammar Note

   The Tahitian demonstratives are teie / tēnā / tērā. hana is Hawaiian.

9. E fenua nehenehe roa Tahiti!

   Tahiti is a truly wonderful land!

   Usage

   Express admiration for Tahiti's beauty and culture

   Grammar Note

   A nominal predicate takes E + noun; He … does not exist in Tahitian.

10. Tē fa'a'oru nei au ia 'oe.

    I am proud of you.

    Usage

    A deep expression of pride in someone's achievement

    Grammar Note

    "Fa'a'oru : fier". ta'o means "word, to say", not "pride".

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