e
/e/
The Hawaiian preposition e means 'by' when used to indicate a means.
e is used as a preposition to indicate the means.
Meaning: indicates a means (prep)
How do you pronounce it?
/e/
Did you know?
- In Hawaiian, the same sound e can be used to address someone directly, acting as a vocative particle to get a person's attention.
- In traditional Hawaiian chant, e is often used as a rhythmic marker or a bridge to create a poetic flow between lines, regardless of its meaning as 'by'.
- The word e is one of the most versatile words in Hawaiian, acting as a preposition, a particle for commands, and a marker for the future tense.
Example conversation
Malia and Ikaika are discussing how to get to the beach.
- MaliaPehea e hele ai kākou?How shall we go?
- IkaikaE hele kākou e ka kaʻa.Let's go by car.
- MaliaʻO ia nō, e Ikaika.That is it, Ikaika.
- IkaikaE kōkua mai iaʻu.Help me out.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry e, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
