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Glite Dictionary
🇹🇴 From Tonga 🗣️ A Polynesian language 👤 A person from Tonga
Tongan

Tongan

6.7
A language spoken by people in Tonga
  • noun
  • /ˈtɔŋɡən/
translation icon : idioma tongo
  • She speaks Tongan fluently.

Examples

  • He grew up speaking both English and Tongan at home.

  • The book provides an introduction to the grammar and vocabulary of Tongan.

  • She is currently studying Tongan at university as part of her linguistics degree.

  • Can you understand Tongan?

  • He grew up speaking both English and Tongan at home.

  • The book provides an introduction to the grammar and vocabulary of Tongan.

  • She is currently studying Tongan at university as part of her linguistics degree.

Synonyms

Tongan language
vsTongan
7.5

A way of speaking used by people in Tonga

is the identical meaning but in shorter single-word form

Idioms

to operate on Tongan time
  • Slur
9.9

To follow a relaxed plan and arrive late without worry

Compounds

Tongan language
7.5

A way of speaking used by people in Tonga

Tongan time
  • Slur
9.9

A relaxed way of thinking about time in Tonga where people often arrive late

Surface Forms

Tongan singular
Tongans plural

Morphology

Tongan = Tonga (transparent) = Tonga + an

The language name is a standard denominal formation from the country name 'Tonga' with the suffix '-an'.

Etymology

The word Tongan for the language comes from the country's name Tonga, a group of islands in the Pacific, and it names the Polynesian language of that place, so Tongan means the language spoken by the people of Tonga.