aloha au i koʻu ʻohana
The Hawaiian phrase for "I love my family" is aloha au i koʻu ʻohana.
aloha au i koʻu ʻohana is a statement used to express deep affection for the members of one's own family.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is a literal translation of "love I to my family". In Hawaiian sentence structure, the verb aloha (love) often comes first, followed by the subject au (I) and then the object introduced by a preposition.
How does it change in a sentence?
In this sentence, au is the first-person singular pronoun meaning "I" and is placed after the verb aloha. The word koʻu is the singular possessive form of "my", which is used here because a family is considered a single collective unit.
Did you know?
- The word aloha originally meant 'to beckon' or 'to wave' in the ancient languages of the Pacific. It is fascinating that a simple gesture of waving someone toward you evolved into a word for deep love.
- In Hawaiian culture, ʻohana includes extended family, ancestors, and even close friends who are treated as siblings.
- The concept of aloha encompasses more than just 'love', extending to peace, compassion and mercy.
Examples in context
- Eia ka mea nui, aloha au i koʻu ʻohana.Here is the important thing, I love my family.
Example conversation
Leilani and Kai are looking at old family photographs.
- LeilaniNani kēia kiʻi o kākou.This picture of us is beautiful.
- KaiʻAe, aloha au i koʻu ʻohana.Yes, I love my family.
- LeilaniAloha pū au iā lākou.I love them too.
- KaiHe mea hauʻoli kēlā, Leilani.That is a happy thing, Leilani.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries aloha, au, ʻohana, CC BY-SA 4.0.
