kāfai

See also: kafai

Tokelauan

Etymology

From Proto-Polynesian *ka-fai. Cognates include Tongan ka na fai and Samoan ʻāfai.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈkaː.ha.i]
• Hyphenation: kā‧fa‧i

Conjunction

kāfai

1. if, when
   • 1948, Tūlāfono fakavae a Tokelau‎^[1], page 1:

     Ko te fakavae tenei e matea i nā nuku ma kafai ona tagata e faifaimea fakatahi, ma nonofo fakatahi i te filemu ma te fiafia.

     This foundation is recognised in the villages and if its people repeatedly do things together, and [if] they live together in peace and happiness.

2. when (at which point in the future)

References

• R. Simona, editor (1986), Tokelau Dictionary‎^[2], Auckland: Office of Tokelau Affairs, page 148