HAWAIIAN GOODNESS
Even for the Mainlander
Duolingo Category #6: ʻOhana
For the " ʻOhana " category, there is NO Tips section. Since this is unfortunately lacking on Duolingo, take a peek at my explanation below.
Lessons Taught
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Vocabulary: Family, Adjectives
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Sentence Structure: Adjectives
This Duolingo category is rather small, as the focus is on these vocab words and review of the last lesson (though expanded a bit).
Vocabulary
Family, Adjectives
- ʻohana = Family
- Makua kāne = Father
- Makuahine = Mother [Makua + wahine]
- Tūtū kāne = Grandpa
- Tūtū wahine = Grandma
You can abbreviate either of these as simply "Tūtū"
- ʻanakala = Uncle
- ʻanakē = Aunt
- Akamai = Smart
- Pōkole = Short
- Lōʻihi = Tall; long [as adjective]; Height [as noun]
- Uʻi = Beautiful, pretty / Handsome [refers to people only]
- ʻoluʻolu = Nice, pleasant, polite [people];
comfortable [objects/furniture]
Sentence Structure
Adjectives
Hawaiian uses Adjectives in two ways.
1. When directly describing a noun, the adjective comes immediately after that noun. If you've studied any Romance languages, this should look familiar to you! For example:
...ka mahiʻai akamai
[...the smart farmer]
[NOT: ...the farmer smart]
2. This category of Duolingo revisits a second sentence structure. This formula is "Adjective + Subject" in Hawaiian; in English: "[Subject] is [Adjective]." For example:
Pōkole kona makuahine.
[lit. Short his/her mother.]
[His mother is short.]
[Her mother is short.]
We actually saw this before in a previous category, when answering the question Pehea ʻoe? Recall:
"Hauʻoli ʻoe?"
" ʻAe, hauʻoli au."
["Are you happy?"
"Yes, I am happy."]
This is the second type of sentence structure introduced and thoroughly practiced on Duolingo. It is very important to make sure you understand how it works - you will see it throughout the Hawaiian Duolingo course from now on.
PRACTICE!
Practice what you learned by translating these sentences copied/pasted from this category of Duolingo. The English translations are below. When you feel confident enough, try translating the English into Hawaiian!
Then: try it on Duolingo!
Hawaiian Sentences:
Pehea ʻoe, e Tūtū?
Why does "Tūtū" have "e" behind it?
No hea (mai) kou tūtū kāne?
No Oʻahu (mai) kona ʻohana.
No Molokaʻi koʻu ʻohana.
No Oʻahu kona ‘anakala.
He wahine uʻi au.
He kumu koʻu ʻanakala.
He kāne akamai kēia.
He mākaʻi koʻu tūtū kāne.
He kumu kona makuahine.
He kumu ʻoluʻolu koʻu tūtū kāne.
He wahine pōkole kona ʻanakē.
He haumāna lōʻihi ʻo ia.
He ʻohana ʻo Kaʻiulani.
"Family" here is used as a noun in Hawaiian, even though we use it as an adjective in English.
He Hawaiʻi kou tūtū wahine?
Same as above - "Hawaiian" is used as a noun in Hawaiian, even though we use it as an adjective in English.
Uʻi ka mahiʻai.
Pōkole ke kumu.
Pōkole kona makuahine.
ʻOluʻolu koʻu makuahine.
Uʻi kēlā wahine.
Hauʻoli kēia mahiʻai akamai.
Hauʻoli kēlā kāne Hawaiʻi.
ʻOluʻolu kēlā wahine Hawaiʻi.
ʻO ia koʻu tūtū wahine.
This sentence employs a structure not introduced yet - but can you guess what it means before a future lesson explains it?
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Translations:
How are you, Grandma? / How are you, Grandpa?
Where is your grandpa from?
His family is from Oʻahu. / Her family is from Oʻahu.
My family is from Molokaʻi.
His uncle is from Oʻahu. / Her uncle is from Oʻahu.
I am a beautiful woman.
My uncle is a teacher.
This is a smart man.
My grandpa is a policeman.
His mother is a teacher. / Her mother is a teacher.
My grandpa is a nice teacher.
Her aunty is a short woman.
She is a tall student.
Kaʻiulani is family.
Is your grandmother Hawaiian?
The farmer is handsome.
The teacher is short.
His mother is short. / Her mother is short.
My mother is nice.
That woman is beautiful.
This smart farmer is happy.
That Hawaiian man is happy.
That Hawaiian woman is nice.
She is my grandma.
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