Lesson 4 Animals & Birds (Manumanu)
Lesson 4 Animals & Birds In Fijian, the word Manumanu covers almost all animals. If it flies, we call it Manumanu vuka (vuka means fly).
1. Common Animals (Manumanu e yava i va – 4-legged)
| English | Fijian | Pronunciation |
| Dog | Koli | Ko-lee |
| Cat | Pusi | Poo-see |
| Pig | Vuaka | Voo-ah-kah |
| Cow | Bulumakau | Mboo-loo-ma-ka-oo |
| Horse | Ose | Oh-say |
| Goat | Me | May |
Fun Fact: The word Bulumakau comes from the English “Bull and my cow”!
2. Birds & Flying Creatures (Manumanu vuka)
| English | Fijian | Pronunciation |
| Bird | Manumanu vuka | Ma-nu-ma-nu voo-kah |
| Chicken | Toa | Toe-ah |
| Bat | Beka | Mbe-kah |
| Owl | Lulu | Loo-loo |
Daily Important Conversation: On the Farm/Village Path
In a village, you will often see animals roaming. Here is how you might talk about them:
- You: E vica na nomu toa? (How many chickens do you have?)
- Local: E tini na noqu toa. (I have ten chickens.)
- You: Sa rui levu na koli oqo! (This dog is very big!)
- Local: Io, e yaca na “Boso”. (Yes, his name is “Boso”.)
Key Vocab for Animals:
- Yaca: Name
- Levu: Big / Many
- Lailai: Small
- Kena i-kani: Animal feed / food
Small Test 4: Animal Identification
Translate these sentences into Fijian using what you’ve learned so far:
- Two dogs.
- Five chickens.
- The cat is small. (Hint: Use Lailai)
- How many pigs?