Starting school for the first time can feel overwhelming for many Pacific children, especially when English is their second language. This video is designed to support families who want to learn Samoan language basics for school and help children feel confident in the classroom. In this lesson, we introduce 17 common Samoan words used at school, translating each term into English to make learning simple and practical.

You’ll learn essential classroom vocabulary such as “Api” (book), “Faiaoga” (teacher), and everyday phrases like “Let’s go to the Malae taʻalo” (playground). These foundational Samoan words for school help children build confidence, strengthen communication skills, and stay connected to their language in a school setting.

Here are the common Samoan words used at school in the video:

• Aoga  –  School
• Potu a’oga  –  Classroom
• Peni  –  Pen
• Penitala  –  Pencil
• Vase  –  Ruler
• Api  –  Book
• Pepa  –  Paper
• Ato aoga  –  School Bag
• Nofoa  –  Chair
• Kesi  –  Desk
• Titina  –  Rubber
• Logo  –  Bell
• Fala  –  Mat
• Faiaoga  –  Teacher
• Pule aoga  –  Principal
• Malae ta’alo  –  Playground
• Tamaiti  –  Children

Learning and using the Samoan language at school, at home, and with friends helps preserve culture, identity, and pride. Strengthening bilingual skills from an early age supports both educational success and cultural connection.

To continue your journey to learn Samoan online, explore our other lessons including Samoan words for celebrating Christmas and Common Samoan Words and more…