How We Build Sentences
For English speakers, Hawaiian grammar feels like looking in a mirror. Our basic pattern is Verb-Subject-Object (VSO), the opposite of English Subject-Verb-Object (SVO).
In Hawaiian, the action comes first:
Maikaʻi ka pua.
Good the flower. (The flower is good.)
Hele au.
Go I. (I go.)
This isn't random. Starting with the action or state of being emphasizes what's happening rather than who's doing it. It's a different way of seeing the world.
Diagram showing VSO sentence structure with Hawaiian and English examples side by side
Marking Time and Mood
Instead of changing the verb itself (like walk/walked/walking), Hawaiian uses small marker words before the verb:
⏰ Ua - Completed Actions
Marks actions that are finished
Ua hele au (I went)
🔮 E - Future Actions/Commands
Marks future actions or commands
E hele au (I will go), E hele! (Go!)
🔄 Ke...nei - Ongoing Actions
Marks actions happening right now
Ke hele nei au (I am going)
📅 No Marker - General Present
Often means habitual or general present
Hele au (I go)
🔀 VSO Pattern
📰 The Articles
- Ke before K, E, A, O
- Ka before everything else
- Nā plural "the"
- He "a" or "an"
🧭 Direction Matters
- mai toward speaker
- aku away from speaker
- iho downward
- aʻe upward/adjacent
📚 Study Guide
The Articles: Ka, Ke, Nā, He
Hawaiian has specific rules for "the":
Ke
Goes before words starting with K, E, A, or O
Remember "KE A O" - the cloud
ke keiki, ke ao, ke ali'i
Ka
Goes before everything else
ka hale, ka wahine, ka manu
Nā
Means "the" for plural things
nā keiki, nā hale
He
Means "a" or "an"
he keiki, he hale
Direction Matters
Hawaiian includes particles that show direction relative to the speaker:
E komo mai — Welcome, come in
E hele aku — Go away
Building Basic Sentences
Learn these patterns and you can start making sentences:
Pattern 1: He + noun + subject
"Subject is a noun"
He kumu au.
I am a teacher.
Pattern 2: ʻO + name A + name B
"A is B"
ʻO Keoni koʻu inoa.
My name is John.
Pattern 3: Aia + subject + ma + location
"Subject is at location"
Aia au ma ke kula.
I am at school.
Practice Makes Perfect
Remember: Hawaiian grammar isn't just different—it reveals a different way of thinking. The action-first structure emphasizes relationships and processes over individual actors. Take time to let this new perspective settle in your mind.