Meaning of "Ona" in the Samoan Language

The Samoan word "ona" functions as a preposition meaning "for him/her/it" or "for a person or thing." It indicates possession, purpose, or beneficiary in a phrase.

Examples of Usage

• Possession: "O le tusi lenei ona Peter" – This book belongs to Peter.
• Beneficiary: "Sei inu vai ona Leilua" – Please get water for Leilua.
• Purpose: "Na ou alu i le faleoloa ona o meaai" – I went to the store for food.
• Idiomatic: "Ona o le taugata, e leai se togi" – You can't get something for free (literally: for the difficult, there is no gift).

"Ona" is versatile, appearing in grammatical constructions expressing ownership, intention, and in proverbs.