Lesson 1: The Samoan Alphabet

What You’ll Learn

• What letters are used in Gagana Samoa

• How Samoan differs from English when it comes to reading

• Why Samoan is more consistent and predictable to read

Downloadable Resources (Optional)

• Samoan Alphabet Flashcards (PDF) – for practising letter recognition

• Samoan Alphabet Chart (PDF) – a simple reference you can revisit anytime

These downloads are optional. Use them if they support your learning, or skip them if you prefer to read on.

Before We Begin

Take your time with this lesson. There’s no rush.
Reading slowly and noticing patterns is more important than moving quickly.

The Samoan Alphabet

Gagana Samoa uses fewer letters than English.
Because of this, the language is logical, consistent, and easier to read once you understand how it works.

There are:

• 5 vowels

• 13 commonly used consonants

• The koma liliu, which represents a sound made in speech

In Samoan, what you see on the page closely matches what you hear when words are spoken.

Vowels

The five vowels in Samoan are:

A, E, I, O, U

Each vowel has one clear sound, and vowels are always pronounced.

Unlike English, vowels in Samoan do not change unpredictably.

This consistency makes reading much easier for learners.

We’ll explore how these vowels sound — and how vowel length can change meaning — in the next lesson.

Consonants

The most commonly used consonants in Samoan are:

F, G, L, M, N, P, S, T, V, H, K, R

These consonants are pronounced clearly and consistently.
There are no silent consonants in Samoan.

The Koma Liliu (Glottal Stop)

In Gagana Samoa, a koma liliu represents a glottal stop — a brief pause in sound.

A glottal stop is the same pause you hear in the middle of the word uh-oh.

The koma liliu is important because it can change the meaning of a word.

It is not decoration or punctuation — it represents a real sound in speech.

Using the correct Samoan term, koma liliu, is part of respecting the language and its identity.

Examples

• aiga — family

• tama — child

• fa‘afetai — thank you

Notice that:

• Every vowel is pronounced

• No letters are silent

• The koma liliu creates a small pause in sound

Say It Out Loud

Read these slowly:

• a – e – i – o – u

• fa – fe – fi – fo – fu

Say each word carefully.
There’s no need to rush.

Cultural Note

In Samoan culture, speaking clearly is a form of respect.

Taking time to pronounce words properly shows humility, care, and attentiveness to others.

Learning to slow down when speaking is not a weakness — it is a sign of respect.

Mini Review

You should now understand that:

• Samoan uses fewer letters than English

• Each letter has a consistent role

• The koma liliu represents a real sound

• Reading Samoan is logical and predictable

Practice (Optional)

• Look through the alphabet chart or flashcards

• Read the vowels out loud once today

• Notice how Samoan words are spoken around you

This practice is optional — do what feels right for you.

Next Lesson

In the next lesson, we’ll focus on vowels and vowel length, and how the length of a sound can change meaning.

🌺 Closing Encouragement

You’ve taken an important first step.
Learning a language begins with noticing — and you’re doing that well.

Back to Gagana Samoa 101

Lesson 2: Vowels & Vowel Sounds