Alphabet

The Tongan Alphabet

Motuʼaleá Faka-Tonga

  • 17 letters in the Tongan alphabet.
  • 5 vowels; a-e-i-o-u
  • 12 consonants; f-h-k-l-m-n-ng-p-s-t-v- ‘
  • pronouncing the consonants you add ʻaʼ to the end – Fa-Ha-Ka-La-Ma-Na-NGa-Pa-Sa-Ta-Va
  • Fakaʻua (glottal stop) is considered a consonant and the last letter in the Tongan alphabet

The first step in learning and understanding any language is to listen. Fanongo ki he ongo! Listen to the sounds that each letter makes.

Check out the Tongan Alphabet sung by myself and my daughter. We had fun doing this amateur clip. Have some fun with your children. The tune is taken from the French children’s song Farajaka.

13 responses to “Alphabet”

  1. vanni Avatar
    vanni

    this is awesome! Teaching this to my daughter

    1. Hema Fifita Avatar

      mālō ʻaupito ho tohi mai. I appreciate your reply thank you

  2. Nancy Tu'ivai Avatar
    Nancy Tu’ivai

    I love the alphabet song. I’m going to start singing it to Leka. Malo Aupito. You two did a great job!

  3. Elisiva Avatar
    Elisiva

    This is the best! Mālō ʻaupito! ‘Ofa atu!

  4. Sara Avatar
    Sara

    How fun! The tune is actually called Frère Jacques (French for Brother James). ha ha! I very much enjoyed you and your daughter singing 🙂

  5. Eliza Matagi Avatar
    Eliza Matagi

    I recently taught sounds to my Tongan class using the HaKaLaMa way which this Hawaiian school uses. I just change it to meet the Tongan alphabet. My class loved it and helped them with their sounds. Thought Iʻd share just in case you havenʻt come across it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEYs9wOUxsE

    1. Hema Fifita Avatar

      Mālō Eliza this is great i prefer teaching sounds and have used this tongan version of this Maori alphabet song which teaches sounds rather than the letters. Yes definitely helps them with their sounds. Thanks for sharing ʻofa atu http://youtu.be/9081U86Ylf4

      1. Eliza Matagi Avatar
        Eliza Matagi

        Thank you for sharing this i love this up beat song for the alphabet.

  6. george838 Avatar

    good song and explanation.

  7. Siu Avatar
    Siu

    This is such a 👍 website teaching my kids the 🇹🇴 Tongan language and history ❤️❤️

    1. Hema Fifita Avatar

      Mālō ʻaupito Siu

  8. Hineula Avatar
    Hineula

    This is great , i am about to start a little Tongan class soon. I might contact you. thank you.

    1. Hema Fifita Avatar

      Sai ‘aupito anything i can help you with lmk 😀

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