Café & Drinks

1. Au via gunu yaqona.

   I want to drink kava.

   Usage

   When expressing a wish to try yaqona/kava, Fiji's traditional ceremonial drink

   Grammar Note

   The Fijian verb "to drink" is "gunu, gunuva" (e.g. "gunu yaqona sivia" = drink too much kava). "Via" is a pre-verbal modal meaning "want to", followed by a verb ("Au via kana." = I want to eat); wanting a thing takes "vinakata" instead. Note g = [ŋ], so gunu is "ngu-nu", and q = [ŋg], so yaqona is "yang-go-na".

2. E tiko na wai?

   Is there water?

   Usage

   A basic way to ask for water

   Grammar Note

   "E tiko" is an existential construction meaning "there is." It parallels English "there is/are."

3. Au via gunu wai liliwa.

   I want to drink cold water.

   Usage

   When requesting cold water in tropical Fiji

   Grammar Note

   "Batabata", the usual word for cold, cannot be used of water: it applies to the weather, not to a thing such as water. Cold water is "wai liliwa"; "liliwa" is cold of temperature. The adjective follows the noun, so it is "wai liliwa" with no genitive "ni". The verb "to drink" is "gunu, gunuva".

4. Au via gunu kofi.

   I want to drink coffee.

   Usage

   When ordering coffee at a café or hotel

   Grammar Note

   The verb "to drink" is "gunu, gunuva"; the drink+verb pattern is so ordinary that "gunu ti" is also the colloquial way to say "have breakfast". "Kofi" is from English, and "kofe" is also written. Note g = [ŋ], so gunu is "ngu-nu".

5. E tiko na jusi?

   Is there juice?

   Usage

   When looking for fruit juice

   Grammar Note

   "Jusi" is from English "juice." Fijian phonology requires vowel endings on words, so borrowed consonant-final words gain a vowel.

6. Au via gunu na wai ni vudi.

   I want banana juice.

   Usage

   When ordering tropical fruit juice

   Grammar Note

   "Wai" (liquid/water) is used broadly for drinks. "Wai ni vudi" means "juice of banana."

7. Au na sauma na kakana kei na gunu.

   I will pay for the food and drinks.

   Usage

   When offering to pay for drinks

   Grammar Note

   "Kei" is the conjunction "and". "Rawata" means "to obtain / be able to", not "to pay"; to pay is "sauma". Food is "kakana" and to drink is "gunu".

8. Yaqona, kerekere!

   Kava, please! (I humbly request)

   Usage

   When politely requesting kava at a kava ceremony using the humble Fijian request word

   Grammar Note

   "Kerekere" is a key Fijian cultural concept: a customary practice of making humble requests, which reinforces social bonds and generosity.

9. E vinaka na wai ni moli.

   The orange juice is good.

   Usage

   When commenting on how good a drink tastes

   Grammar Note

   "E vinaka" (it is good) is a basic positive statement. The particle "e" precedes predicative verbs/adjectives in Fijian.

10. Io, kerekere, eso tale na wai.

    Yes please, just a little more water.

    Usage

    When politely asking for a refill of water. Do not say "wai tu": as slang it means "drunk", which is the opposite of what you intend at a table

    Grammar Note

    "Io, kerekere, wai tu." reverses the meaning. The slang sense of wai is "drunk", as in "Sa wai tu o koya." = "He/She is drunk." — said over a meal it conveys the opposite of asking for water. "Some more" is "eso tale" ("eso" = some). "Kerekere" is the word that introduces a request and "io" is yes.

11. Na wai ni botolo

    Bottled water

    Usage

    Ask for sealed bottled water

12. Na wai katakata

    Hot water

    Usage

    Ask for hot water

13. Kakua na aisi

    No ice

    Usage

    Ask for a drink without ice

14. Na bia

    Beer

    Usage

    Use when ordering

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