E koho i nā huaʻōlelo...
Choose some words...
Sentence Pattern Tips:
Basic Hawaiian sentences often follow the pattern: Verb + Subject + Object
E hele ana au i ke kula. (I am going to school.)
Ua ʻai ʻo Keola i ka meaʻai. (Keola ate the food.)
Hawaiian Particle Usage:
Particles are crucial in Hawaiian grammar and determine the relationships between words.
ʻO marker: ʻO Pua koʻu inoa. (My name is Pua.)
Possessives: Koʻu hale (My house) vs. Kaʻu puke (My book)
Directionals: E hele ana au i ka hale me koʻu makuahine. (I am going to the house with my mother.)
Locational: Aia ka puke ma luna o ka pākaukau. (The book is on top of the desk.)
Hawaiian Question Patterns:
Questions in Hawaiian often start with a question word:
ʻO wai kou inoa? (What is your name?)
Ma hea ʻoe e hele ai? (Where are you going?)
Yes/No questions often use "anei" after the questioned element:
Makemake anei ʻoe e ʻai? (Do you want to eat?)
He haumāna anei ʻoe? (Are you a student?)
Descriptive Patterns:
In Hawaiian, adjectives typically follow the noun:
Ka hale nui (The big house)
Stative verbs are like adjectives but function as verbs:
Ua hauʻoli au i ka pāʻina. (I was happy at the party.)
He maikaʻi kēia kumu. (This teacher is good.)
Creating Your Own Sentences:
Add your own words to build custom sentences. Remember these patterns:
VSO: Verb + Subject + Object (Ua ʻai au i ka meaʻai)
Equational: ʻO + Noun + Noun or Noun + Adjective (ʻO ia ke kumu. He kumu maikaʻi ʻo ia)
Try to build both simple and complex sentences as you practice!