`AMI

`AMI

`Ami means “joint” and thus, the `ami connects the words that follow it to something else. Listed below are four common `ami:

  O ME MA Iof with in, on, at in, on, at

O: OF• o ke kumu

• of the teacher

• ka penikala o ke kumu• the pencil of the teacher (the teacher’s pencil)

• o Lani

• of Lani

• ka makuahine o Lani• the mother of Lani (Lani’s mom)

ME: WITH

• me ka haumāna

• with the student

• me kou hoaaloha

• with your friend

• me Mana

• with Mana

I/MA: IN, AT, ON

• i/ma kēia kula

• in/at/on this school

• i/ma ka papa `ele`ele

• in/at/on the blackboard

• i/ma Hilo

• in/at/on Hilo

NĀ LA`ANA (ka`i + meme`a - helukahi)

• o ke keiki of the child• me ke keiki with the child• i ke keiki in/at/on the child • ma ke keiki in/at/on the child  • o kēia `īlio of this dog• me kēia `īlio with this dog• i kēia `īlio in/at/on this dog• ma kēia `īlio in/at/on this dog

NĀ LA`ANA (ka`i + meme`a - helunui)

• o nā kānaka of the people

• me nā kānaka with the people• i nā kānaka in/at/on the people

• ma nā kānaka in/at/on the people

• o ko`u mau ka`a of my cars

• me ko`u mau ka`a with my cars• i ko`u mau ka`a in/at/on my cars

• ma ko`u mau ka`a in/at/on my cars

NĀ LA`ANA (I`oa)

• o Kona of Kona• me Kona with Kona• i Kona in/on/at Kona • ma Kona in/on/at Kona  • o Kapua of Kapua• me Kapua with Kapua• i Kapua in/at/on Kapua• ma Kapua in/at/on Kapua

`AMI HEA E

• `Ami hea e is used with a person’s name or name equivalent when you are addressing or talking to that person.

E Haunani, aia i hea kou hale? Haunani, where is your house?

Pehea `oe, e Nalu? How are you, Nalu?

 

NĀ LA`ANA (Examples)

• Notice that if you are not addressing a person by name (proper noun), you must have ka/ke before the noun.

E ke kumu, aia ko`u inoa ma ka pepa.Teacher, my name is on the paper.

E ke keikikāne, aia i hea kou māmā?Son, where is your mom? 

• Note the difference in the following examples.

 

E ke keiki, aia ke kanakē i ka waihona.Child, the candy is in the cupboard.

E Keiki, aia ke kanakē i ka waihona.Keiki, the candy is in the cupboard.

• In the first example, you are simply addressing a child (no name). In the second example, the person’s name is “Keiki.”

NĀ LA`ANA

• Aloha, e Kauka. Hello, Kauka.

• Aloha, e ke kauka. Hello, doctor.

• In the first example, the person who you are talking to is named “Kauka.” In the second example, you are simply addressing the doctor (kauka).