Meaning & use
Pago Pago
Last updated
Meaning
proper nounproper
The capital town of American Samoa, a United States territory in the South Pacific.
Grammar: A place name, so it takes no article: 'She flew to Pago Pago.'
Patterns
- in Pago Pago
- from Pago Pago
- the harbor at Pago Pago
Pago Pago sits on a deep harbor on the island of Tutuila.
Her grandparents moved from Samoa to Hawaii, but the rest of the family still lives near Pago Pago.
The tuna cannery in Pago Pago is one of the territory's biggest employers.
Common combinations
- Pago Pago harbor
- Ships shelter in Pago Pago harbor during storms.
- fly to Pago Pago
- There are only a few flights a week that fly to Pago Pago.
- the port of Pago Pago
- The port of Pago Pago handles most of the island's imports.
- in Pago Pago
- He spent two years teaching in Pago Pago.
Commonly confused: Pago Pago or Pango Pango? Pago Pago or Apia?
Pago Pago vs Pango Pango
A common misspelling based on the way the name sounds; the official spelling is Pago Pago.
Pago Pago vs Apia
Apia is the capital of independent Samoa, a different country from American Samoa.
Practice
Which sentence uses the place name correctly?
Choose one answer.
Pago Pago is a proper noun, so it normally takes no article and no plural: 'We visited Pago Pago.' The other options add articles or a plural that English does not use with this name.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “Pago Pago”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.