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 [Constitution of 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 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