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A Grammar and Dictionary of the Samoan Language, with English and Samoan vocabulary

1. The Article

1. The Article

The article le is both definite and indefinite; at least it is constantly used by the natives, where the English would require the indefinite article; def., ʻo le Atua, God; indef., ʻo le aliʻi Pai, such au one is a chief. On looking into such cases, it will be found that there is something definite, from a native standpoint, which makes him use le rather than se, as Ua tu mai le vaʻa, a canoe appears.

Se is always indefinite; ta mai se laʻau, cut me a stick.

The article is omitted before plural nouns, thus, ʻO le tagata, the man; ʻO tagata, men.