I dīke eok
The English phrase "i hate you" is translated into Marshallese as I dīke eok.
This phrase is used as an expression of intense dislike toward another person.
Meaning: expression of intense dislike (phrase)
Did you know?
- Using I dīke eok during a playful or sarcastic argument among close friends is very uncommon. In Marshallese, such a strong term is typically reserved for genuine, severe conflict.
- The pronunciation of the macron in dīke is so critical that changing the vowel length can accidentally turn the expression of 'hate' into a completely different, unrelated word.
- Marshallese is a language with a complex system of 'inclusive' and 'exclusive' pronouns. While eok refers to 'you', the language distinguishes whether the speaker is including the listener in a group or excluding them.
Example conversation
Samuel and Sarah are having a heated argument.
- SamuelI dīke eok!I hate you!
- SarahI dīke eok iōk!I hate you too!
- SamuelKōnaj mōnjōk!Enough already!
- SarahIōk mōnjōk!You're the one who's enough!
